Do urocortins have a role in treating cardiovascular disease?

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and the three homolog neuropeptides, urocortin (UCN) 1, 2 and 3, are the major neuroendocrine factors implicated in the response of the body to stress. Recent evidence suggests that UCNs have a significant role in the pathogenesis and management of cardiovascular disease, such as congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension. These data led to the initiation of clinical trials testing a possible role of UCNs in the diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular disease, with encouraging results. Here, we summarize the available literature concerning the role of UCNs in the cardiovascular system, focusing on the emerging data creating a potential for clinical applications.

Bone grafts as carriers for local antibiotic delivery for the treatment and prevention of bone infections.

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection accompanied by inflammatory process, which can lead to destruction and bone necrosis. It is difficult to manage, and there are no commonly accepted guidelines. While most acute bone infections are usually successfully treated with intravenous antibiotics, chronic infections and infections in the presence of foreign materials usually require operative treatment with debridement, removal of metals, intravenous antibiotics, and very often local antibiotics. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the existing literature concerning the use of bone grafts as carriers for local antibiotic delivery for the treatment and prevention of bone infections. According to the literature, antibiotic-loaded autologous bone grafts for the treatment of infected tibial nonunion is a good option (Grade-B recommendations). Although there are several studies concerning the use of antibiotic-loaded allogenic bone grafts in infected joint arthroplasty revisions, there is a lack of comparative studies (Grade-C recommendations). Studies concerning spinal fusion and spondylodiscitis are limited (Grade-I recommendations).

Bone infections and bone graft substitutes for local antibiotic therapy.

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection by micro-organisms. Despite advances in antibiotics and operative techniques, osteomyelitis remains an orthopaedic challenge and expensive to treat. Antimicrobial therapy is adequate for the treatment of most cases of acute osteomyelitis of any type, provided that diagnosis is made early. The treatment of chronic osteomyelitis is operative followed by adjunctive antibiotic therapy. Apart from surgical debridement and systemic antibiotic treatment, local antibiotic treatment by using various antibiotic delivery vehicles is a preferred method by most surgeons. Antibiotic-loaded bone cement (polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA) is the most widely used material and represents the current standard as an antibiotic delivery vehicle in orthopaedic surgery. Despite that, there are some disadvantages or concerns about the use of antibiotic-loaded PMMA that have led to the use of bioabsorbable or biodegradable material. Although the number of clinical studies is small, it seems that antibiotic-loaded hydroxyapatite and calcium sulfate are safe methods for local antibiotic delivery. They deliver great amounts of antibiotics locally with serum concentrations in safe margins, they obliterate the dead space, and aid in bone repair, while there is no need for a second operation for their removal. The purpose of this article is to review the recent literature concerning osteomyelitis and local antibiotic treatment with special reference to bone graft substitutes as vehicles for local antibiotic delivery.