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Biomedical subjects

R Slack

Publications and source records attributed to R Slack.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The prevention of infection in open fractures. An experimental study of the effect of antibiotic therapy.

Using an experimental rabbit model of a contaminated open fracture of the tibia that was fixed with an intramedullary pin, we assessed the effect of a single dose of cephradine in preventing post-traumatic osteomyelitis in which the infecting organism was Staphylococcus aureus. We paid particular attention to the effect of a delay in giving the antibiotic. The frequency of osteomyelitis in the animals in a control group (no antibiotic) was 91 per cent. When a single injection of cephradine was given one hour before inoculation with the bacteria, the rate was 30 per cent, a statistically significant reduction (p less than 0.01). When cephradine was not administered until one to four hours after inoculation with the bacteria, the average rate of osteomyelitis was 51 per cent, a 40 per cent reduction compared with the rate for the control group. The effect of the antibiotic therefore persisted even when the initial dose was delayed for four hours after bacterial inoculation.

Animals

An experimental model of post-traumatic osteomyelitis in rabbits.

An experimental model of a contaminated open fracture, using the tibia of male New Zealand white rabbits, is described. Post-traumatic osteomyelitis can be reliably induced in this model, with no systemic ill-effects. The characteristic bacteriological, radiological and histological findings are described. Inoculation of the fracture site with Staphylococcus aureus in a concentration of 10(6) bacteria caused osteomyelitis in two out of five rabbits. When the concentration of inoculum was increased to 10(7) organisms, osteomyelitis was seen in four out of five rabbits. No cases of infection were seen in the control animals. This is a simple and reliable model for studies into the prevention and treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis.

Animals

The microbiological and pharmacokinetic profile of an antibacterial agent useful for the single-dose therapy of urinary tract infection.

Single-dose therapy of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) has been shown to be effective in many trials in adult women. The question which will be explored in this presentation is what properties constitute the ideal agent for the therapy of UTI. Important microbiological properties include spectrum of activity to include all common urinary pathogens, bactericidal action in urine and low prevalence of resistant bacteria. The vital feature of an antibacterial drug useful in the therapy of UTI is prolonged urinary concentrations. The agent must therefore be well absorbed and have slow renal excretion. Most beta-lactam drugs do not have these combined properties. Aminoglycosides are effective drugs but cannot be administered orally. Quinolones and the calcium salt of fosfomycin are useful but do not have an ideal pharmacokinetic profile. Cotrimoxazole, trimethoprim alone and the trometamol salt of fosfomycin all have good antibacterial activity combined with slow urinary excretion.

Aminoglycosides

Neurosyphilis--a treatable psychosis.

A patient presenting with mixed affective symptoms was found to have active neurosyphilis after intermittent cognitive impairment suggested an organic cause. Most of these symptoms resolved after treatment with penicillin.

Adult

Short-course treatment of urinary tract infection.

Short-course treatment of simple cystitis is as effective as conventional 7-14 day therapy. It is less likely to cause adverse reactions or to generate bacterial resistance and is economical. Those patients who fail to respond may need further urological investigation. In short-course treatment the patient may be given a conventional dosage regimen over three days; a single conventional dose nightly for three nights; or just one massive dose. These approaches are discussed with reference to the pharmacological properties of agents available for oral administration. Clinical evidence suggests that, if the single-dose option is chosen, slowly excreted agents like trimethoprim or fosfomycin are preferable to beta-lactam agents or nitrofurantoin, which are rapidly excreted.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Children's multiple vitamins: overuse leads to overdose.

A suburban Ontario community hospital encountered 21 +/- 1 overdoses of children's multiple vitamins yearly between 1978 and 1981. Of these, 35% involved one particular cartoon character preparation. Parents were surveyed to determine whether this particular preparation resulted in a disproportionate number of accidental overdoses. However, the use of vitamins with a cartoon character format did not lead to a greater risk of overdose than did conventional preparations. Of the 1051 families who had given multiple vitamins to their children 34 (3%) had experienced an overdose. The number of vitamin preparations used by each family was the most powerful determinant of overdose (p less than 0.001). The risk of accidental overdose increased from 1.5% with one multiple-vitamin preparation to 8% with four or more preparations. Among all the variables examined, exposure was the most important element in the risk of multiple-vitamin overdose.

Adolescent

Norfloxacin: activity against urinary tract pathogens and factors influencing the emergence of resistance.

The activity of norfloxacin was investigated in vitro in conventional minimum inhibitory concentration tests, by continuous turbidimetry and in a mechanical model simulating the hydrokinetic conditions that exist in the treatment of bacterial cystitis. The high activity of norfloxacin against virtually all bacterial pathogens isolated from infected urine was confirmed. However, in urine agar (pH 6 X 5) and in DST agar adjusted to pH 5 X 5, the activity was substantially reduced. Turbidimetric experiments indicated that increases in resistance to norfloxacin could be induced easily by sequential subculture, but results obtained in the bladder model, where conditions of exposure more closely resemble those that exist during the treatment of infection, suggest that such resistance is unlikely to arise commonly during treatment.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Pharmacists and their relationship with elderly patients.

A survey of 60 randomly selected pharmacists explored their relationship with elderly patients, including their information storage systems, dispensing practices and the major problems they encounter with these patients. Nearly all the pharmacists kept a medication profile for each elderly patient, and one third used a computer, which facilitated recording of additional information. However, few recorded the age of the patient. Many pharmacists counselled their elderly patients on the correct use of medications, but few provided counselling on the use of nonprescription drugs. Most of the pharmacists reported using techniques to improve compliance among elderly patients. More than 80% of the pharmacists reported apparently inappropriate prescribing by physicians at least occasionally.

Aged

Isothiazoles.

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Chemical Phenomena