Buserelin as primary therapy in advanced prostatic carcinoma.

The effectiveness of buserelin, a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist, was tested in 28 patients with Stages C or D adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Of 24 evaluable patients, there were 13 partial responses (54%) by National Prostatic Cancer Project criteria, median duration greater than 6 months. Nine patients had stable disease (38%), median duration greater than 5 months, and only two patients progressed. Performance status improved in 38%, patient-scored pain improved in 46%, and quality of life improved in 57%. Symptoms occurring during treatment consisted of hot flashes, loss of libido, and impotence. A flare of symptoms was observed in only one patient, despite a transient 25% increase in testosterone in 36% of patients. Buserelin is an effective treatment for inducing frequent and meaningful remissions in advanced prostatic cancer.

The 24-hour effects of glyburide and chlorpropamide after chronic treatment of type II diabetic patients.

A single-blind, randomized, comparative evaluation of glyburide (GL) and chlorpropamide (CP) therapy was performed in twenty previously untreated patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) of about two years duration. Only newly diagnosed patients who were never treated and whose fasting blood glucose (FBS) levels were greater than 140 mg/dl after a six to eight week trial of dietary restriction were evaluated. Metabolic studies were performed before and after four months of therapy. GL and CP produced essentially the same effects on serum levels of glucose, insulin, glucagon (IRG), growth hormone (GH), cholesterol, and triglyceride. The mean 24-hour glucose levels for both the GL and CP groups were significantly lower than the pretherapy values (p less than 0.001). The mean 24-hour insulin levels did not change significantly during therapy (p greater than 0.05). Excellent control of plasma glucose was possible during the entire day without producing nocturnal hypoglycemia. Neither GL nor CP therapy influenced the mean 24-hour levels of IRG, GH, or cholesterol. However, mean 24-hour levels of triglyceride were lower in both groups. IRG levels were elevated and the pattern of change in the insulin and IRG levels paralleled each other, which suggested that glucagon may play a role in the resistance of insulin action in NIDDM. GH levels were normal and remained unchanged during therapy. It was concluded that detailed 24-hour studies are important for better understanding the spectrum of abnormalities in newly diagnosed patients with NIDDM who were never treated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Update of safety of cefotaxime.

Adverse reactions to various antibacterial drugs were compared in a review of the following: multiple-dose studies of cefotaxime (n = 3,463), cefazolin (n = 554), the combination gentamicin-clindamycin (n = 163), and cefoxitin (n = 18); prophylactic studies of cefotaxime (n = 300) and cefazolin (n = 149); and single-dose studies of cefotaxime (n = 314) and penicillin G procaine (n - 265). The demographic and background characteristics of the groups were similar. Results of extensive pretreatment and posttreatment laboratory tests, measures of vital signs, and physical examinations revealed no clinically important intergroup differences. In the multiple-dose studies, side effects were reported in 9.8% of the cefotaxime, 3.8% of the cefazolin, 17.2% of the gentamicin-clindamycin, and 16.7% of the cefoxitin patients. The most frequent side effects were reactions at the injection site, of the skin and appendages, and of the digestive and urogenital systems, the only significant difference being fewer injection-site reactions in the cefazolin group than in the other three groups. In the prophylactic studies one cefotaxime patient reported rash and pruritus. In the single-dose studies, side effects were reported in 1.6% of the cefotaxime and 4.2% of the penicillin patients. Side effects sufficiently severe to warrant drug discontinuation were reported in 2.1% of the cefotaxime, 0.7% of the cefazolin, 1.8% of the gentamicin-clindamycin, and in none of the cefoxitin patients. Posttreatment prolongation of prothrombin time was found in one cefotaxime patient, whose pretreatment value was also abnormal, and in two gentamicin-clindamycin patients. No patient deaths were attributed to any of the drugs.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in genitourinary surgery: a comparison of cefotaxime and cefazolin.

In a prospective, single-blind study, the efficacy of cefotaxime and cefazolin in the prevention of postoperative infection was compared in 133 patients admitted for elective genitourinary surgery (over half of whom were undergoing transurethral resection). In regimen 1, cefotaxime was given perioperatively (before, during, and up to two hours after surgery); in regimen 2, cefotaxime was given perioperatively and for 24 hours postoperatively; and in regimen 3, cefazolin was given perioperatively and for 24 hours postoperatively. All doses equaled 1 gm and were given either intramuscularly or by intravenous bolus. All patients had negative urine cultures preoperatively. The criterion for absence of infection was a negative urine culture (less than 10(5) organisms/ml) after surgery. At the final evaluation, 113 of the 133 patients (85%) were free of infection--39 of 45 (86.7%) on regimen 1, 40 of 45 (88.9%) on regimen 2, and 34 of 43 (79.1%) on regimen 3. All 20 patients who had postoperative infections had been catheterized for at least three days. Only 12 patients had temperatures greater than or equal to 101 F two days after surgery, and none had been clinically septic. No side effects other than a mild rash and itching in one patient on regimen 2 were reported. Both cefotaxime regimens were slightly more effective, bacteriologically and clinically, than the standard prophylactic cefazolin regimen. It is concluded that cefotaxime given perioperatively (up to two hours postoperatively) and/or up to 24 hours postoperatively effectively prevents postoperative complications associated with genitourinary surgery.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in genitourinary surgery.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery, particularly genitourinary surgery, has been controversial for years. At best, the results have been more testimonial than scientific because of the failure to observe proper experimental design. A survey of the literature indicates that antibiotic prophylaxis in genitourinary surgery probably has little influence on postoperative fever; it appears to favorably affect the incidence of postoperative bacteriuria and bacteremia in the short term without encouraging nosocomial or resistant infections. The regimen for prophylaxis must be perioperative and continued for no longer than 24 hours postoperatively. Given that antibiotic prophylaxis in elective genitourinary surgery has merit, a comparison between cefazolin and cefotaxime was undertaken. Of 160 evaluable cases, a total of 23 patients had positive cultures within the first nine days; only two occurred within the first five days. When cefazolin and cefotaxime were administered in the same dosage regimen, the infection rate for cefazolin was 19% compared with 10% for cefotaxime.