ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To reduce the number of blood culture samples collected. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We performed a cluster randomized controlled trial in adult acute care, and subacute care and rehabilitation wards in a university hospital in France. A poster associating an image of eyes looking at the reader with a summary of blood culture sampling guidelines was displayed in hospital wards in the intervention group. The incidence rate of blood cultures per 1000 days during pre- and post-intervention periods was calculated. RESULTS: Thirty-one wards participated in the study. The median difference in blood cultures/1000 days between periods was -1.863 [-11.941; 1.007] in the intervention group and -5.824 [-14.763; -2.217] in the control group (P=0.27). CONCLUSION: The intervention did not show the expected effect, possibly due to the choice of blood cultures as a target of good practice, but also to confounding factors such as the stringent policy of decreasing unnecessary costly testing.
Subject(s)
Blood Culture , Blood Specimen Collection/statistics & numerical data , Posters as Topic , HumansSubject(s)
Antiviral Agents , Hepatitis C, Chronic , Carbamates , Egypt , Humans , Imidazoles , Pyrrolidines , Ribavirin , Sofosbuvir , Valine/analogs & derivativesABSTRACT
Chronic and acute effects of L-Carnitina (vials of 1 g L-Carnitina endovenous; per orally administered vials of 1 g L-Carnitina; tablets of 1 g L-Carnitina) were recorded in 110 top athletes (rowing, kayak-canoe, swimming, weightlifting medium and long-distance runners), 47 girls and 63 boys, by six double blind placebo trials and cross over. Significant changes were registered after L-Carnitina treatment (both for a single dose or after 3 weeks of treatment) compared to placebo, for FFA, triglycenides, lactic acid after exercise, evoked muscular potential, plasma carnitine (free and acetyl-carnitine), urine carnitine (free carnitine) and others. The authors explain these changes by the increase of free carnitine, which permits a larger quantity of FFA to enter the mitochondria and to be more extensively used as energy source in endurance and strength efforts. Based on these results the authors recommend L-Carnitina as an ergogenic aid in elite athletes, especially in endurance and strength sports.
Subject(s)
Carnitine/pharmacology , Sports , Adolescent , Adult , Carnitine/blood , Carnitine/urine , Evoked Potentials/physiology , Fatty Acids, Nonesterified/blood , Female , Humans , Kinetics , Lactates/blood , Lactic Acid , Male , Mucoproteins/urine , Muscles/physiology , Physical Exertion/physiology , Triglycerides/bloodABSTRACT
Chronic and acute effects of L-carnitine have been recorded in a group of elite athletes by a prospective double blind placebo controlled trial. Forty top athletes (20 boys, kayak-canoë, 10 weightlifters and 10 girls, rowers) received orall 3 g L-carnitine daily for 3 weeks while 38 top athletes (20 kayak-canoë, 8 weightlifters and 10 rowers) received the same medicine as placebo. Significant changes were registered in the treated group concerning FFA and triglycerides, strength index, VO2max., urinary mucoproteins and in the control group concerning Ld (distal latency). All athletes were under medical supervision and had a controlled training program and food. The effects of a single oral dose (4 g L-carnitine were recorded in a group of 18 top weightlifters under basal conditions and 90' after L-carnitine ingestion. Significant changes in the treated group were registered for the FFA, triglycerides, urinary mucoproteins and distal latency of the right and left median nerve. Based on these data the authors recommend this aminoacid both for chronic and acute effects as a physiological mean for the biological preparation of elite athletes during hard training and competitions.
