Traumatic pancreatitis: method and effects of i.v. fluids and Sandostatin.

UNLABELLED: Somatostatin and its analogs are used clinically to treat patients with pancreatitis. To evaluate the effects of i.v. Sandostatin (SNST) on rats with trauma-induced acute pancreatitis, 130 male Sprague-Dawley rats (300-350 g) underwent celiotomy, controlled direct pancreas contusion, and central i.v. line insertion under ip sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. The rats were divided randomly into control (IA, IIA, and IIIA) and SNST-treated (IB, IIB, and IIIB) groups. The basic infusion solution contained 4.8% glucose, vitamins, and electrolytes. For groups IA and IB, the infusion rate was 24 ml/kg/day, while it was 240 ml/kg/day for groups IIA, IIB, IIIA, and IIIB. SNST administration was 6 micrograms/kg/hr i.v. for groups IB and IIB during the first postoperative day, while group IIIB received 6 micrograms/kg/hr i.v. for 4 days. Surviving rats were euthanized after 4 days. All survivors and nonsurvivors were autopsied. In all groups, severity of pancreatitis, fat necrosis, and ascites were greater in the nonsurvivors (P < 0.005 in each case). Mortality rates were consistently lower in the SNST groups: IA (76%) vs IB (52%), IIA (71%) vs IIB (50%), and IIIA (63%) vs IIIB (50%). Because individual group mortality rates were not affected by volume of infusate given or length of time SNST was administered, the results of all control and all SNST rats were combined; there was a statistically significant lower mortality in the SNST-treated rats (51 vs 71%, P < 0.04). CONCLUSION: Intravenous administration of Sandostatin to rats following induction of severe acute traumatic pancreatitis significantly ameliorates the course of the disease.

A comparative study of the Abbott and Murex enzyme immunoassay, and cell culture in the detection of cervical chlamydial infection in female sex workers in Singapore.

Endocervical smears from 200 female sex workers were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis infection using the Abbott and Murex enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits and the standard cell culture technique to compare the performance of these tests. The Abbott test had a sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of a positive result (PVP) and predictive value of a negative result (PVN) of 83.3%, 97.8%, 78.9% and 98.3% respectively. The corresponding figures for the Murex system were 77.8%, 98.4%, 82.4% and 97.8%; and of the standard culture test were 55.6%, 100% and 95.8%. EIA tests were more sensitive but slightly less specific than cell culture in the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infection in female sex workers in Singapore.

In vitro evaluation of griseofulvin, ketoconazole, and itraconazole against various dermatophytes in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Superficial cutaneous fungal infection, principally dermatophytosis, is an extremely common skin disease. Various in vitro test systems have been developed in recent years to determine the antifungal activity of various drugs. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) obtained may give an indication of the in vivo potency of the drugs. METHODS: One hundred patients (69 men and 31 women) with a clinical diagnosis of dermatophytosis were entered into the study. Direct microscopy and culture were done on all patients. The MICS were determined using the broth dilution method. RESULTS: The age range was 1-76 years. The most common diagnosis was tinea corporis (36%), followed by tinea cruris (22%), and tinea pedis (19%). The most common fungus isolated was T. rubrum (58%), followed by E. floccosum (14%), and T. mentagrophytes (10%). The majority of the isolates was sensitive to the three drugs tested (griseofulvin, ketoconazole, and itraconazole). Of the isolates, 82% were sensitive to griseofulvin, 78% to ketoconazole, and 81% to itraconazole, all at a concentration of < 0.25 micrograms/mL. For T. rubrum, there were four isolates that had an MIC of > or = 64 micrograms/mL to griseofulvin, seven isolates and nine isolates with an MIC > or = 64 micrograms/mL to ketoconazole and itraconazole, respectively. T. interdigitale was relatively resistant to the three drugs in vitro with four of seven isolates having an MIC > or = 4 micrograms/mL with griseofulvin, one of seven isolate with an MIC > or = 64 micrograms/mL with ketoconazole, and three of seven isolates with an MIC > or = 32 micrograms/mL with itraconazole. CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro antifungal activity of griseofulvin, ketoconazole, and itraconazole are similar against dermatophytes in Singapore. Griseofulvin may be given as the first-line drug for treating such infections in Singapore.