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O Uzun

Publications and source records attributed to O Uzun.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Fluconazole versus amphotericin B in the treatment of hematogenous candidiasis: a matched cohort study.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and toxicity of fluconazole and amphotericin B in the treatment of hematogenous candidiasis in cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A matched cohort study of cancer patients with hematogenous candidiasis was conducted. Forty-five patients with hematogenous candidiasis who received fluconazole (200 to 600 mg/day) in an open-label trial at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, between February 1990 and June 1992 were matched to 45 patients treated with amphotericin B (0.3 to 1.2 mg/kg/day) for the same diagnosis. Criteria for matching included the following prognostic variables at the initiation of therapy: pneumonia, neutropenia (< 1,000 cells/mm3), number of positive blood cultures before therapy, infecting Candida species, underlying disease, and the simplified acute physiology score. Response and survival at 48 hours, after 5 days of therapy, and at the end of therapy, as well as toxicity rates were obtained. Other post hoc analyses were performed. Differences in outcomes were assessed by the McNemar, the sign, and the log rank tests. RESULTS: Patients were similar with respect to the matching criteria, age, sex, status of underlying disease, use of antibiotics and growth factors, duration of treatment, presence and removal of central venous catheters, disseminated disease, and concomitant infections. Response rates at 48 hours and 5 days were similar between the two study groups. Overall response rates at the end of therapy were 73% for patients treated with fluconazole and 71% for patients treated with amphotericin B (P = 0.78). There were no differences in survival rates or causes of death. Toxicity was observed in 9% of patients treated with fluconazole and in 67% of patients treated with amphotericin B (P < 0.0001). Toxic effects of amphotericin B included nephrotoxicity, hypokaliemia, and fever and chills. CONCLUSION: Fluconazole is effective and better tolerated than amphotericin B for the treatment of hematogenous candidiasis in cancer patients.

Adult↗

Problems and controversies in the management of hematogenous candidiasis.

Hematogenous candidiasis is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity. Amphotericin B has routinely been used to treat this infection. However, tolerance of therapy with amphotericin B is limited by the drug's toxicity. The results of recently completed prospective randomized clinical studies comparing amphotericin B with fluconazole for the treatment of hematogenous candididiasis suggest that fluconazole is as effective as amphotericin B and that fluconazole is better tolerated by patients. Nevertheless, several questions remain to be answered regarding the optimal choice of antifungal agent for both nonneutropenic and neutropenic patients, the dosing schedule and duration of therapy, the role of combination antifungal therapy, and the efficacy of the lipid formulations of polyenes. Controversial issues with respect to the role of central venous catheters in the pathogenesis of hematogenous candidiasis, as well as the roles of cytokines and white blood cell transfusions in the treatment of neutropenic patients with hematogenous candidiasis, also need to be addressed.

Algorithms↗

Management of invasive candidal infections: results of a prospective, randomized, multicenter study of fluconazole versus amphotericin B and review of the literature.

We conducted a prospective, randomized, multicenter study comparing fluconazole and amphotericin B in the treatment of candidal infections. One hundred and sixty-four patients (60 of whom were neutropenic) with documented or presumed invasive candidiasis were assigned to treatment with either fluconazole (400 mg daily) or amphotericin B (25-50 mg daily; 0.67 mg/kg daily for neutropenic patients). Clinical response and survival rates were assessed at 48 hours, after 5 days, and at the end of therapy. Overall response rates to fluconazole and amphotericin B were similar (66% and 64%, respectively). There were no differences in response as related to site of infection, pathogen, time to defervescence, relapse, or survival rates between the groups. Adverse effects were more frequent with amphotericin B (35%) than with fluconazole (5%; P < .0001). The results of this study confirm that fluconazole is as effective as but better tolerated than amphotericin B in the treatment of candidal infections.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of enteric fever with pefloxacin for 7 days versus 5 days: a randomized clinical trial.

In this prospective study of enteric fever, 22 patients received 400 mg of pefloxacin twice daily for 5 days (group A) and 24 received 400 mg of pefloxacin twice daily for 7 days (group B). Causative microorganisms were Salmonella typhi (8 in group A, 11 in group B) and Salmonella paratyphi B (14 in group A, 13 in group B). The clinical cure and bacterial eradication rates were 96% (21 of 22) in group A and 100% in group B. In conclusion, 5-day oral administration of pefloxacin was as effective as 7-day treatment of enteric fever caused by Salmonella spp.

4-Quinolones↗

Transcatheter occlusion of the arterial duct with Cook detachable coils: early experience.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of modified, controlled release Gianturco coils for transcatheter occlusion of the arterial duct. DESIGN: Prospective study, approved by local medical ethics committee. SETTING: Tertiary paediatric cardiac centre. PATIENTS: 43 patients with left to right shunting through the arterial duct, two of whom had a residual leak after surgical ligation and three had residual shunting after previous Rashkind umbrella implantation. INTERVENTION: Transcatheter delivery of one or more coils to the arterial duct. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Complete occlusion of the arterial duct, based on intention to treat and judged by Doppler echocardiography. Absence of flow disturbance in the branch pulmonary arteries and the descending aorta following the procedure. Assessment of cost of the disposable items used. RESULTS: At a median follow up period of three months complete duct occlusion was achieved in 37 (86%) of the 43 patients. No flow disturbance in the branch pulmonary arteries or the descending aorta was detected in any patient. The median cost of disposable items used during the procedure was 342 pounds. CONCLUSIONS: The Cook detachable coil is an effective and financially attractive alternative to the Rashkind umbrella for closure of the arterial duct.

Adolescent↗

Efficacy of a three-day course of azithromycin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia. Preliminary report.

Azithromycin is an azalide antibiotic with activity against many of the respiratory pathogens and with marked tissue affinity. In a prospective study, the efficacy of a short-course of azithromycin was evaluated in 25 patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia. Gram-positive diplococci were abundant in the sputum smears of all patients, and Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated in the sputum cultures of 15; one patient had pneumococcal bacteremia, as well. Azithromycin was administered at a single dose of 1,000 mg on day 1, and 500 mg on subsequent days for a total of three days in 19 patients, five days in four patients, two and four days in one patient each. Defervescence occurred within 24 hours after the first dose. The overall clinical cure and bacteriologic eradication rates were 96% and 93%, respectively. One patient with pneumococcal bacteremia failed to respond and died in respiratory failure. Side-effects were encountered in three (12%) patients. In conclusion, three-day therapy with a total azithromycin dose of 1,500 mg seems effective and safe in patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia and no underlying pulmonary condition.

Adult↗

Efficacy of fluconazole in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal candidiasis in neutropenic patients with cancer: factors influencing the outcome.

Fluconazole has proved to be effective in treating oropharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. However, sufficient data are lacking regarding the efficacy of this agent in neutropenic hosts. The aim of the present study was to determine the clinical and mycological efficacy of fluconazole and to define the factor(s) affecting the outcome of fluconazole therapy in severely neutropenic patients (peripheral neutrophil count, < 500/microL) with cancer who have oropharyngeal and/or esophageal candidiasis. One hundred eleven patients with 129 episodes of candidal infections were treated with intravenous and consequently oral fluconazole (200 mg/d and 100 mg/d, respectively). Overall clinical cure and mycological eradication rates were 82% and 56%, respectively. Persistent neutropenia (P < .01), infection with a non-albicans strain of Candida (P = .012), and administration of antifungal therapy during the second or a later neutropenic episode (P < .002) were independently associated with a worse outcome. We conclude that fluconazole is effective in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal candidiasis in neutropenic patients with cancer. Effective treatment of the underlying malignancy, with the resultant recovery from neutropenia, and the determination of the species of infecting Candida isolates are required for the prediction of the outcome of antifungal therapy.

Adult↗

Quinolones in treatment of human brucellosis: comparative trial of ofloxacin-rifampin versus doxycycline-rifampin.

Quinolones have been reported to be active against Brucella species in vitro. In this prospective randomized study, the efficacy and safety of the combination of ofloxacin plus rifampin were compared with the efficacy and safety of doxycycline plus rifampin, both combinations administered for a 6-week period in treatment of brucellosis. Sixty-one patients were enrolled in the study, and 49 had blood or bone marrow cultures positive for Brucella melitensis. Thirty patients received 200 mg of doxycycline plus 600 mg of rifampin once daily, and 31 patients were treated with 400 mg of ofloxacin plus 600 mg of rifampin once daily for 6 weeks. Nine patients in each group had complications of the disease. There was one therapeutic failure in the ofloxacin-rifampin treatment group, and one patient from each group relapsed (3.3% of those in the doxycycline-rifampin treatment group versus 3.2% of those in the ofloxacin-rifampin treatment group). Gastric discomfort was the major side effect observed in 13 patients (43.3%) who received doxycycline plus rifampin, whereas only 2 patients (6.5%) treated with ofloxacin plus rifampin complained of gastric irritation. These results suggest that the combination of ofloxacin plus rifampin administered for 6 weeks is as effective as doxycycline plus rifampin given for the same period, regardless of the presence of complications of the disease.

Adolescent↗

Factors influencing prognosis in bacteremia due to gram-negative organisms: evaluation of 448 episodes in a Turkish university hospital.

A total of 448 episodes of bacteremia due to gram-negative organisms observed during the 7-year period between 1983 and 1989 at Hacettepe University Hospitals were studied for evaluating the factors influencing the prognosis. The overall mortality rate was 45.0%. The mortality rates were not significantly different in "rapidly fatal" and "ultimately fatal" disease groups (48.3% and 45.5%, respectively), whereas it was significantly less (34.8%) in the "nonfatal" disease group compared with the "rapidly fatal" category. There were great differences in the mortality rates among different diseases within the same disease category. Shock, multi-organ failure, source of infection, hospital service, appropriateness of antibiotic therapy, and place of acquisition of infection were found to affect prognosis significantly in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, the identification of prognostic factors is a further step for making necessary interventions in reducing the mortality rate associated with bacteremia due to gram-negative organisms. Underlying disease is still an important prognostic factor; however, a new approach is needed for classification of underlying diseases.

Adolescent↗

Long-term oral ciprofloxacin in the treatment of prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is refractory to medical treatment alone and early valve replacement is necessary. We describe a 40-year-old patient in whom endocarditis developed in the early postoperative period, and reoperation was not considered feasible. Ciprofloxacin was administered orally in order to suppress bacteremia for 36 months. Long-term oral ciprofloxacin may provide an opportunity in the treatment of prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Ps. aeruginosa in patients who are unfavorable candidates for reoperation.

Administration, Oral↗

An unexpected potent positive chronotropic effect of (15S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin E1 in the isolated guinea-pig right atria.

The effects of (15S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin E1, a synthetic analog of PGE1, other stable prostaglandins, histamine and noradrenaline were studied on the isolated spontaneously beating right atria from guinea-pig, rat and rabbit. When compared with other prostaglandins, histamine and noradrenaline, 15-methyl analog of PGE1 has the most potent positive chronotropic effect and the highest affinity as indicated by a significantly higher pD2 value as compared to other tested analogs in the isolated guinea-pig right atria. Neither the 15-methyl analog of PGE1 nor other stable prostaglandins induced any effect on the atria from rat and rabbit when relatively higher concentrations were used. 15-Methyl-PGE1 did not induce a positive inotropic effect. The maximum positive chronotropic response to 15-methyl-PGE1 was found to be about 60% of that of noradrenaline and histamine but almost equal to that of PGE1. These results were taken as evidence that 15-methyl-PGE1 has an unexpected potent positive chronotropic effect on the isolated spontaneously beating guinea-pig right atrium. The possible mechanism of the action of 15-methyl-PGE1 are discussed.

Alprostadil↗

Central venous catheter tip in the right atrium: a risk factor for neonatal cardiac tamponade.

Fatal cardiac tamponade is a well recognised complication of the use of central venous catheters in neonatal patients. There is controversy over optimum catheter tip position to balance catheter performance against risk of adverse events. We report a series of five cases of tamponade occurring in one neonatal unit over a 4-year period, related to catheter tip placement in the right atrium. Right atrial catheter angulation, curvature or looping (CA) was present in all five cases on plain radiograph. It was frequently seen in other patients over the same period. Review of the literature indicates that CA was present in 6 of the 11 previous cases where the presence or absence of CA can be determined. Where right atrial catheter tip placement is accepted, clinicians should be aware of this characteristic catheter configuration, which is a major risk factor for cardiac tamponade. We recommend that catheter tips should not be placed in the right atrium to avoid risk of tamponade.

Cardiac Tamponade↗