Mycoplasma pneumonia in hospitalized patients in Baghdad teaching hospital: clinical, radiological and cold agglutinin assessment

Background: Mycoplasmapneumonia is a cause of community-acquired pneumonia. The disease usually is of a gradual onset, with almost equal gender distribution between male and female

Objective: Assessment of the clinical, radiological and laboratory characteristics of mycoplasma pneumonia in Baghdad teaching hospital

Materials and Methods: 30 patients were collected from Baghdad teaching hospital between 1[st] of November 2003 till 30[th] of October 2004 having pneumonia with positive cold agglutinin titer. They were studied regarding their clinical presentation and features including seasonal incidence, radiological assessment, and testing blood for cold agglutinin titer

Results: The study showed almost equal gender distribution [14 patients were male and 16 patients were female], with ratio of male: female equal to 1:1.1. The most common symptoms were dry cough76.7%, headache [6.77%] and fever [70%]. Other symptoms are less frequent. Seasonal variation showing more incidence during spring time. Radiological finding showed patchy infiltration in 18 patient [60%], lobar consolidation in 7 patient [23.3%], and pleural effusion in 4 patient [13.3%]

Conclusion: There is almost equal gender distribution between male and female. The most common symptom was dry cough, headache, while fever is more common in old age groups than other age groups

study of the spectrum of presenting symptoms, diagnostic investigations, treatment and outcome of severe malaria in the admitted children of Kuwait Teaching Hospital ,Peshawar, Pakistan

Objectives: to document the spectrum of presenting symptoms, diagnostic investigations, treatment and outcome of severe malaria in the hospitalized children of Kuwait teaching hospital

Methodology: this was a descriptive study using patient case records of children admitted from 1[st] January till 31[st] December 2013. All children with malaria requiring admission and treatment with parenteral anti-malarial were categorized as severe malaria and included in the study. Data was analyzed using Microsoft office Excel 2007

Results: 32 cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fever was the commenest presenting symptoms present in 100% of cases [n=32]. Fifty percent children [n=16] had pallor, 12.5%[n= 4] cough, 9.3%[n=3] had dysuria and 6.25%[n=2] had fits recorded as additional presenting symptoms. 71.8% [n=23] had parasitological confirmation test before commencement of treatment. 100% of this parasitological confirmation was done by peripheral blood smear/microscopy test. Out of the 23 who had microscopy done 60.86%[n=14] had negative result and 39.13%[n=9]were positive for plasmodium of which,88.88%[n=8]were vivax and 11.11%[n=1] was falciparum.93.75%[n=30] of the parenteral anti-malarial used was intravenous quinine. All except one child 96.8%[n=31] recovered with the anti-malarial treatment used

Conclusions: fever and pallor are the two most common presenting symptoms of hospitalized children with severe malaria. Microscopy remained the most common investigation for the diagnosis of malaria. Quinine is the most frequently used drug for severe malaria. The study highlighted the need to further improve the case management of severe malaria in children

Use of electronic communication and entertainment devices: a survey of Arabian Gulf university medical students

To evaluate the use of electronic communication and entertainment devices by Arabian Gulf University [AGU] medical students. Arabian Gulf University, Kingdom of Bahrain. Cross sectional study. Years 1 to 4 medical students who were enrolled in the 2008-2009 academic year were included in the study. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was used, which included enquiries on personal characteristics and the use of electronic communication and entertainment devices. Four hundred forty-three students responded. The study showed different habits according to gender and accommodation. Hundred and thirty [42%] female students used their mobile phones for more than 2 hours per day compared to 95 [31.3%] watched television [TV]/DVD and 203 [66.1%] used computers. The corresponding numbers and percentages for male students were 30 [24%], 49 [39.2%] and 79 [63.2%] respectively. The AGU medical students do not appear to adopt healthy habits for using electronic communication and entertainment devices. Moreover, these habits are seen among students based on gender and accommodation. Urgent interventions are needed at AGU on promoting the appropriate use of the devices among medical students

Role of norepinephrine & angiotensin II in the neural control of renal sodium & water handling in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Background & objectives: A wealth of information concerning the essential role of renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) in the regulation of renal function and mean arterial blood pressure homeostasis has been established. However, many important parameters with which RSNA interacts are yet to be explicitly characterized. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of acute renal denervation (ARD) on sodium and water excretory responses to intravenous (iv) infusions of either norepinephrine (NE) or angiotensin II (Ang II) in anaesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Methods: Anaesthetized SHR were acutely denervated and a continuous iv infusion of NE (200 ng/min/kg) or Ang II (50 ng/min/kg) was instigated for 1 h. Three 20-min urine clearances were subsequently collected to measure urine flow rate (UV) and absolute sodium excretion (UNaV). Results: Higher UV and UNaV (P<0.05) were observed in denervated control SHR as compared to innervated counterparts. The administration of NE or Ang II to innervated SHR produced lower UV and UNaV (P<0.05 vs. innervated control SHR). Lower diuresis/natriuresis response to ARD was observed in NE-treated SHR compared to denervated control SHR (P<0.05). Salt and water excretions in denervated NE-treated SHR, however, were significantly higher (P<0.05) relative to the excretion levels in control denervated SHR. Conversely, there was a higher (all P<0.05) diuresis/natriuresis response to ARD when Ang II was administered to SHR compared to denervated control or innervated Ang II-treated SHR. Interpretation & conclusions: NE retains its characteristic antidiuretic/antinatriuretic action following ARD in SHR. Typical action of Ang II on salt and water excretions necessitates the presence of an intact renal innervation. Ang II is likely to facilitate the release of NE from renal sympathetic nerve terminals through a presynaptic site of action. Moreover, there is a lack of an immediate enhancement in the renal sensitivity to the actions of NE and Ang II following ARD in a rat model of essential hypertension.

A randomized study of the safety and efficacy of reused angioplasty balloon catheters.

BACKGROUND: To lower costs, many centers around the world utilize previously used, resterilized balloon catheters to perform coronary angioplasty There are no controlled trials regarding their safety and efficacy. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed the first randomized, double-blind, controlled, single-center clinical trial comparing the safety (clinical success) and efficacy (angiographic success) of reused versus new coronary angioplasty balloon catheters. A total of 377 procedures were included, 178 in the reused catheter arm and 199 in the new catheter arm. There were no significant differences in clinical or lesion characteristics among the two arms. The incidence of first balloon failure in the reused catheter arm was similar to that of the new catheter arm (12 cases [7%] v. 10 cases [5%], respectively). The angiographic success rate was also similar-176 cases (98.9%) in the reused catheter arm and 196 cases (98.5%) in the new catheter arm. The number of balloon catheters used per lesion, amount of contrast, and procedural and fluoroscopy time were similar in the two arms. At 30 days, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events was similar in both arms, 8 cases (4.5%) in the reused catheter arm and 10 cases (5%) in the new catheter arm. The incidence of fever was also similar. CONCLUSIONS: When performing coronary angioplasty, reused catheters are as effective (similar angiographic success) and safe (similar clinical success) as new catheters.

Recent advances in the diagnosis of tuberculosis an overview

New developments for the diagnosis of tuberculosis has progressed very slowly and is still dependent on old methods such as AFB smear or LJ medium. However, since 1980 a new liquid medium, depending on radiometric technology, was introduced which improved laboratory testing for TB and made it faster. Also, immunodiagnostic testing was developed which is inexpensive and easy to perform. Culture is still the gold standard for diagnosis of TB although molecular techniques are being used to directly detect bacteria in the specimen. Non-radiometric systems, such as MGIT and BACTEC MGIT 960, have been developed which are rapid and efficient. These are based on a sensor deposited on the bottom of a culture tube that becomes fluorescent if oxygen is depleted from the medium during growth of bacteria. Laboratory diagnosis of TB has thus been reduced from several weeks to several days using these new techniques