Medical students' perception on fecal microbiota transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has become an emergent method in the therapy of several intestinal diseases, mainly in Clostridium difficile recurrence. The training of FMT in medical schools is at its beginning and in countries where FMT is only occasionally carried out, it is important to know the perception of medical students on FMT. METHODS: We undertook a survey of 3rd year medical students not exposed to official academic information on FMT in order to find out their knowledge, beliefs and attitude toward FMT. A number of 80 students were asked to fill a dedicated online questionnaire. RESULTS: 52 out of 80 third year medical students anonymously filled the questionnaire (65% response rate). 34% of respondents reported to have at least a medium level of knowledge regarding FMT. The top indication for FMT identified by 76.9% was C. difficile infection; however, 60% believed FMT to be a promising therapy for a high number of conditions and while almost all respondents (98.1%) would recommend it, 88.4% would explore other options first. Colonoscopy was considered the optimal method of delivery by 42.3%. Only 39% of participants believed that patients would accept FMT, however 71% considered that a more socially acceptable name for the procedure and anonymous donors would increase acceptance rate. The risk of transmitting a disease undetected by donor stool screening procedures to the recipient was the most worrying side effect considered by 75% of respondents. 54% believed that more research is required for FMT to enter clinical practice and 55.7% of respondents would enroll patients in controlled clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students not exposed to educational information on FMT seem to be somewhat well informed about this method and would recommend it to their patients. Students, however, need to know more on the indications of FMT.

Early immunologic responses to trauma in the emergency department patients with major injuries.

BACKGROUND: A traumatic insult initiates an inflammatory cascade, which is a contributor to cell damage and could be a marker of injury severity. OBJECTIVE: To compare the initial and 4-h post-injury lymphocyte subsets and cytokine levels between patients with minor and major injury. METHODS: Prospective, cross-sectional study of trauma patients in an urban level I trauma center. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Adult patients with significant mechanism of injury requiring admission. VARIABLES: cell counts (B-cells, Natural Killer cells, monocytes; and CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes) and cytokines (IL-1, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and TNFalpha). We divided subjects into two groups (major and minor injury). We defined major injury as an injury severity score > or =15, or drop in hematocrit > or =10 points or blood transfusion requirement. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Univariate analysis was performed using each inflammatory marker, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the inflammatory markers associated with major injury. RESULTS: 79 patients were studied (mean age: 35+/-17, age range: 13-88, 84% male, 38% penetrating trauma, 96% African-American). 25% of patients (n=20) experienced major injury. Larger base deficit (-3.6+/-6.2 vs. -0.9+/-4.2) levels were observed in major trauma patients. We found that major injury is associated with a drop in absolute CD4 cell count (but not in the CD8 cells), a rise in absolute B-cell count (but not in the NK-cells or monocytes), and a rise in IL-6 (but not in the IL-1, IL-5, IL-10, TNF-a). CONCLUSION: We found evidence of a measurable early inflammatory response to trauma, using cytokine levels and lymphocyte subset counts.