A rare cause of pulmonary infiltrates one should be aware of: a case of daptomycin-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

We report a 69-year-old patient who developed fever and dyspnea 3 weeks after the initiation of daptomycin therapy for spondylodiscitis with lumbar epidural and bilateral psoas abscesses due to ampicillin- and high-level-gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. There was profound hypoxia and the chest X-ray showed extensive patchy infiltrates bilaterally. A bronchoalveolar lavage revealed 30% eosinophils and results of microbiological studies were normal. Daptomycin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia was diagnosed and the patient rapidly improved after the discontinuation of daptomycin and a brief course of prednisone. Increased attention must be paid to this rare but serious side effect of daptomycin.

[Methotrexate pneumonitis]. / Methotrexat-Pneumonitis.

A 72 year old female with rheumatoid arthritis was treated with methotrexate for nine months. Four days before admission she complained of dyspnea NYHA III. Chest-X-ray revealed diffuse interstitial pneumopathy. Pulmonary infection was excluded by several microbiological samples. A pulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis is usually more chronic. Methotrexate-induced pneumonitis remained the most probable diagnosis. We halted methotrexate and initiated therapy with glucocorticoids. This treatment led to rapid clinical improvement and complete resolution of radiological changes.

Efficacy, safety, and tolerance of piperacillin/tazobactam compared to co-amoxiclav plus an aminoglycoside in the treatment of severe pneumonia.

An open, randomized, multicenter study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of piperacillin/tazobactam and co-amoxiclav plus aminoglycoside in the treatment of hospitalized patients with severe community-acquired or nosocomial pneumonia. Of the 89 patients who entered the study, 84 (94%) were clinically evaluable. A favorable clinical response was observed in 90% of the piperacillin/ tazobactam group and in 84% of the co-amoxiclav/aminoglycoside group (not significant). The bacteriological efficacy was comparable in both groups (96% vs. 92%; not significant). There was only one fatal outcome in the piperacillin/tazobactam group compared to six in the co-amoxiclav/aminoglycoside group regimen (P=0.058). The adverse event rate was non-significantly lower in the piperacillin/ tazobactam group compared to the co-amoxiclav/aminoglycoside group (2% vs. 7%; P=0.32). Piperacillin/tazobactam is safe and highly efficacious in the treatment of serious pneumonia in hospitalized patients. It compares favorably with the combination of co-amoxiclav/aminoglycoside.

[Local efficiency of percutaneous radiotherapy in lung cancer. Analysis of 215 repeated bronchoscopies in relation to applied radiation dosage]. / Lokale Effizienz der perkutanen Radiotherapie beim Lungenkrebs. Analyse von 215 Rebronchoskopien in Abhängigkeit von der applizierten Bestrahlungsdosis.

PURPOSE: During a locoregional radiotherapy with curative attempts of lung cancer patients bronchoscopic examinations with biopsies and/or cytologic lavages were repeated to assess the accuracy of limiting the total dose to 60 Gy. In order of the applied dose macroscopic changements of the endoluminal tumor and microscopic elimination should be made out. The correlation between macro- and microscopical regression should allow a statement about reliability of single results. The clinical course and a conventional thoracic X-ray examination seemed to be a to large-meshed screen to evaluate the effect at the end of therapy. The aim was to improve the criterias of success and to adapt and optimize the radiation dose individually. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The prospective, together with the pneumologists, defined treatment concept included the repetition of bronchoscopic evaluations after the application of 60 Gy and 80 Gy. These radiation doses from 60 Gy up to 80 Gy have been given with a shrinking-field technique to the mediastinum and the primary. In order to record statistically the optical tumor changements we were urged to create a so-called bT-score. The structure of this score was orientated towards the periphery of the tracheobronchial tree. RESULTS: Hundred and forty-four patients with endoscopically and histologically verified bronchogenic carcinomas were treated. On the subjects 215 re-bronchoscopies accomplished with biopsies were performed and allowed to analyze the macro- and microscopical behavior under treatment. A histological/cytological elimination of tumor was achieved after 60 Gy in 35.1%, after 80 Gy in 62.3%. Macroscopically no tumor was visible after 60 Gy in 43.6%, after 80 Gy in 82%. A correlation between identical micro- and macroscopical observations was only seen in 61%, respectively in 71%. CONCLUSIONS: The escalation of the radiation dose from 60 Gy up to 80 Gy with shrinked fields could increase the local tumor sterilization rate by 1.8 times from 35.1% to 62.3%. The refining and completion of usually known parameters by endoscopical and histological examinations seems to be an acceptable way to define individual radiation doses. The quality of the performed therapy can be better determined. A predestination of the total dose to a limit of 60 Gy does not ensure a macro- and microscopical elimination of the tumor and may be inferior to an individually adaptation of the dose.

Influence of carbon monoxide (CO) on the early course of acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the influence of an elevated carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) blood level on the course of acute myocardial infarction and to evaluate the administration of supplemental oxygen on the COHb level and the incidence of complications. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study with randomized, unblinded intervention. SETTING: Coronary Care Unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: 78 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction. Excluded were patients with severe dyspnea, pulmonary edema or any other medical indication for supplemental oxygen therapy. INTERVENTIONS: Randomized therapy with 41/min oxygen in 35 patients. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: COHb was measured at admission and 4 h later. The incidence of serious arrhythmias and the maximal creatine kinase (CK) values were recorded. In patients with initial COHb > or = 5%, there were significantly more arrhythmias and significantly higher maximal CK values than in those with normal COHb admission (89 vs 33%, p < 0.001; and 1897 +/- 1602 u/l vs 960 +/- 1097 u/l, p=0.05). This effect was seen only in patients with Q-wave infarction, not in those with non-Q-wave infarction. Supplemental oxygen had no effect on the incidence of arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that myocardial infarction patients with acute Q-wave infarction and increased COHb levels at admission suffer a more severe course of the disease. This outcome was not influenced by oxygen therapy. Whether this finding indicates a casual relationship and whether higher oxygen concentrations would favorably alter the course of acute myocardial infarction remains to be determined.

Comparison of bronchodilator effects of fenoterol/ipratropium bromide and salbutamol in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

A double-blind, randomized cross-over trial was carried out in 24 patients with chronic airflow obstruction. The patients were required to demonstrate a minimum 15% absolute increase in forced expiratory volume (FEV1) after a standard dose (0.4 mg) of fenoterol (F). On a separate occasion the effect of ipratropium bromide (IB; 0.04 mg) on FEV1 was tested also; according to the increase in FEV1 the patients were grouped into IB responders (delta FEV1 > 15%) and IB nonresponders (delta FEV1 < 15%). Two puffs of F/IB (0.1 mg/0.04 mg), salbutamol (S; 0.2 mg) and placebo (P) were given by metered-dose inhaler at the same time of the day on three different occasions. FEV1 and specific airway resistance (sRaw) were assessed before and at specific intervals following inhalation. The results showed that F/IB and S produced similar maximal increases in FEV1 (delta FEV1 32% for F/IB and 31% for S) and decreases in sRaw (delta sRaw 24% for F/IB and 21% for S). These effects were significantly different both from baseline values and from P. FEV1 was still significantly different 8 h after inhalation from P in the F/IB group, but not in the group that received S. The effect of IB on FEV1 in the pretest was compared with the subsequent response to F/IB. In IB responders F/IB seemed to produce slightly more effective bronchodilation. Side effects were minimal and clinically insignificant. In conclusion, F/IB, with its ability to effect sustained bronchodilation without adverse side effects, is a viable alternative to a monotherapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

[Pneumothorax: indications for thoracoscopic talc insufflation]. / Pneumothorax: Indikation zur thorakoskopischen Talkung.

Recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax and a persistent air-leakage after three days of suction therapy are two major indications for thoracoscopy. This procedure allows coagulation of blebs and cutting of pleural adhesions as well as identification of patients with large emphysematous bullae which should be treated surgically pleurectomy. Insufflation of talcum is safe and effective in achieving definitive pleurodesis.

[Pathophysiology of chronic obstructive lung diseases]. / Pathophysiologie der chronisch obstruktiven Lungenkrankheiten.

Chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) includes chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. Bronchial obstruction can be caused by intraluminal processes (mucous secretion) as well as alterations of the bronchial wall (i.e. spasm of bronchial smooth muscle, hypertrophy of mucous glands, cellular infiltrates) or of the lung parenchyma (destruction of pulmonary structures). The development of pulmonary emphysema may be related to an imbalance of oxidants and antioxidants as well as that of elastases and anti-elastases. Smoking appears to play the most important role in this process.

[Solitary peripheral nodules--diagnostic assessment]. / Solitärer peripherer Rundherd--Abklärungsvorgang.

Most solitary pulmonary nodules are detected by chance on routine chest radiography in asymptomatic individuals. Diagnostic evaluation is necessary unless the nodule's size and shape has remained unchanged for at least 2 years, as documented on earlier x-rays. Radiographic techniques alone are insufficient in evaluating the nodule's malignity. For this purpose invasive diagnostic procedures (transthoracic biopsy, bronchoscopy) are mandatory. If these fail to establish a definite diagnosis, thoracotomy may be performed.

Influence of moderately elevated levels of carboxyhemoglobin on the course of acute ischemic heart disease.

The purpose of this prospective study in 66 patients with acute ischemic heart disease was to analyze the possible effects of moderately elevated levels of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) on the early course of this disease. Thirty-one patients presented with a level of COHb less than or equal to 2% and 35 with a level of greater than 2%. In the group with elevated COHb, more patients developed transmural infarction, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.123). Patients with transmural infarction had higher maximum CPK values (p less than 0.01), when COHb levels were greater than 2%. During the first 6 h after admission to hospital, these patients needed an antiarrhythmic treatment significantly more frequently (p = 0.003). Differences in rhythm disorders were still present at a time when nicotine, due to its short biological half-life, was already eliminated. We conclude that a moderately elevated level of COHb is not just a marker for recent smoking but may aggravate the course of acute ischemic heart disease.