Vancomycin use in a hospital with high prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: comparison with Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committe Guidelines (HICPAC)

This study evaluates vancomycin prescribing patterns in a tertiary-care hospital, with high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, comparing with the guidelines proposed by the Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. The study was conducted in a 930-bed tertiary-care hospital, during 40 days (March 10 to April 30, 2003). Data were collected of all patients given vancomycin, using a standardized chart-extraction form designed. Inappropriate use was subdivided in five categories: empiric therapy without risk factors; continued empiric use for presumed infections in patients whose cultures were negative for beta-lactam-resistant Gram-positive microorganisms; treatment of infections caused by beta-lactam-sensitive Gram-positive microorganisms, without allergy history to beta-lactam antimicrobials; treatment in response to a single blood culture positive for coagulase-negative staphylococcus, if other blood cultures taken during the same time frame were negative; systemic or local prophylaxis for infection or colonization of indwelling central or peripheral intravascular catheters. Of 132 orders, 126 (95.4 percent) were considered to have been appropriate. Of these 126 prescriptions, 31 (24.6 percent) were administered for treatment of proven Gram-positive infections (78.1 percent of those were MRSA), 1 (0.8 percent) for beta-lactam allergy and 95 (75.4 percent) for empiric treatment of suspected Gram-positive infections. The majority of the patients (88.6 percent) have used antimicrobial recently (3 months). The mean pre-treatment hospitalization period was 14±15 days. Of the 132 treatments, 105 (79.5 percent) were nosocomial infections. In the institution analyzed, the vancomycin use was considered conscientious. Reduction in use of glycopeptide may be obtained by adaptations the CDC criteria, or by improvement of diagnostic criteria.

Doença de Kikuchi-Fujimoto: relato de três casos e revisão da literatura / Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: description of three cases and review of the literature

A doença de Kikuchi-Fujimoto (DKF) é uma entidade rara, de caráter sistêmico que acomete principalmente mulheres em idade fértil. Manifesta-se clinicamente como linfadenopatia febril e dolorosa, usualmente em região cervical. Apresenta, geralmente, um curso autolimitado, embora existam relatos de evolução para doenças de fundo imunológico, em especial o lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (LES). Apresentamos três casos de DKF com dados clínicos e histopatológicos, sendo que se manifestou junto com LES, outro teve remissão espontânea e o terceiro apresentou manifestações sistêmicas mais graves, com acometimento hepático, e só entrou em remissão após corticoterapia. Discutimos as características clínicas, histopatológicas, etiológicas bem como o tratamento desta entidade. Enfatizamos, ainda, um acompanhamento contínuo desses pacientes, haja visto a possibilidade de acometimento sistêmico grave ou evolução para doença autoimune.