Quantification of Helicobacter pylori resistance in functional and organic dyspepsia.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of Helicobacter pylori eradication in patients with functional and organic dyspepsia. METHODS: The study included a cohort of 160 patients (115 with organic and 45 with functional dyspepsia) with dyspeptic symptoms and gastroscopically confirmed H. pylori infection. Triple therapy with omeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1000 mg and metronidazole 400 mg (OAM) was administered twice a day for a week. Minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) was estimated on cultures from 41 patients with positive H. pylori for determination of antimicrobial sensitivity and primary resistance to amoxicillin and metronidazole. RESULTS: Endoscopic examination at least 6 weeks after therapy showed that 116 (72.5%) patients had H. pylori eradicated, whereas 44 (27.5%) were not. From the latter patients, 10 (23%) had functional dyspepsia and from 116 eradicated patients 35 (30%) had functional dyspepsia. Difference in efficacy of OAM therapy between patients with organic and functional dyspepsia was not significant (P > 0.5). Percentages of non-eradicated patients with organic and functional dyspepsia were 29.6 and 22.2%, respectively (ratio 1.3 : 1). MIC from 41 samples showed 18 (44%) in vitro resistant strains. There was no resistance to amoxicillin. CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference in H. pylori resistance to the same antibiotic between patients having functional or organic dyspepsia.

Comparison between critical pathway guidelines and management of deep-vein thrombosis: retrospective cohort study.

AIM: To compare the key steps of standard deep-vein thrombosis management with the critical pathway practice guidelines, and to assess the outcome of the treatment after 6 months. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study (from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 1998) included 172 patients with uncomplicated deep-vein thrombosis of lower extremities, consecutively admitted via emergency room. The data were collected from the entry register in emergency room and medical charts. The outcome of therapy was assessed 6 months after the acute event. RESULTS: A bolus dose of heparin was administered to 81 (46%) patients. The recommended initial heparin infusion rate at 1250 U/h was employed in only 26 (15%) patients. Time to activated partial thromboplastin time >60 s was met in 29 (17%) patients. All patients but one received heparin therapy longer than 96 h. The recommended time to a therapeutic international normalized ratio of less than 120 h was achieved in 134 (78%) patients, but the average length of a stay in the hospital exceeded the recommended 5. 5 days by 86%. Six months later, compressive ultrasonography revealed 44 (28.9%) cases of complete vein obstruction, 67 (44.1%) cases of partial recanalization and 41 (27%) cases with a normal finding. Recurrent thrombosis developed in 16 patients (10.5%) and acute pulmonary embolism in 4 (2.6%) patients. CONCLUSION: Our results considerably differ from the critical pathway guidelines due to the lower initial heparin doses and longer diagnostic assessment of thrombosis etiology. Our approach to deep-vein thrombosis treatment was a combination of the critical pathway guidelines and the conventional regimen. The clinical outcome in our series did not differ significantly from the outcome after the conventional way of treatment.

[Oxygen delivery and tissue extraction in septic shock]. / Sustavna dostava i tkivna ekstrakcija kisika u septickom soku.

UNLABELLED: Hemodynamic and oxygen transport variables were evaluated in 34 patients with septic shock during fluid repletion and infusion of vasoconstricting and inotropic catecholamines (dopamine, dobutamine). Hypovolemia, increased cardiac output (CO), low pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance dominated in initial hypotensive status. Oxygen consumption (VO2) decreased despite increased oxygen delivery (DO2). Hypotension and hypovolemia were successfully corrected by therapeutic intervention and significantly higher values of CO and DO2 were obtained. However, VO2 remained low and oxygen extraction index declined from the initial level. THE CONCLUSION: The underlying pathophysiological defect in septic shock is not altered hemodynamics or low DO2 but impaired tissue oxygen extraction. The usual hemodynamic resuscitation does not improve tissue oxygen utilization and the results in the treatment of septic shock remain poor.

[Comparison of clinical assessment and invasive evaluation of hemodynamic parameters in septic shock]. / Usporedba klinicke i invazivne procjene hemodinamskih parametara u septickom soku.

The authors compare, in this prospective study, the accuracy of their own clinical assessment of hemodynamic parameters and severity of disease with the findings obtained by right heart catheterization in 50 patients with septic shock. The purpose of the study was to determine whether Swan-Ganz catheter insertion was necessary in all patients with septic shock. As soon as the diagnosis was established, the value of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was estimated, as well as presence or absence of pathological uptake/supply dependency in all patients. The latter is an excellent indicator of severity of disease. The accurate assessment was noted in 27 (54%) patients (1. investigator), and in 30 (60%) patients (2. investigator). The sensitivity of detection of pathological uptake/supply dependency amounted to 53% and 65%; specificity was 73% and 79%, respectively. The therapy was altered in 21 patients (42%) after catheter insertion. The results were tested with chi2-test (p < 0.01). The findings of this study warrant catheter insertion in patients with septic shock.

Amoebic liver abscess: ultrasonographic characteristics and results of different therapeutic approaches.

This prospective study was carried out on 33 patients with clinically, serologically and ultrasonographically confirmed amoebic liver abscess. All patients were randomly treated with metronidazole and chlorochin or a combination of medicamentous therapy and percutaneous drainage. Ultrasonographic characteristics of amoebic liver abscesses were rotound or oval shape, usually hypoechogenic content with specific dorsal sonic enhancement, and in the majority of cases, location near liver capsule. Shorter duration of amoebic liver abscess resolution time in the group of patients treated with the combined therapy was observed particularly in the first four weeks of the treatment. The authors concluded that percutaneous drainage in combination with medicamentous therapy represents a successful therapeutic approach in the treatment of amoebic liver abscesses.

[Factors influencing physiologic pressure variations of the lower esophageal sphincter in healthy probands]. / Untersuchung von Faktoren mit Einfluss auf physiologische Druckschwankungen des unteren Osophagussphinkters in gesunden Probanden.

Manometric characteristics of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) in 59 healthy persons have been investigated. The aim of the investigation was to find out possible physiological changes of LES pressures considering posture, part of the day, maximal inspiration and expiration, empty or partially full stomach and abdominal compression. It has been proved that the minimal value of lower esophageal sphincter pressure in all the investigated patients was 1.77 kPA (13.3 mm Hg) while the maximal one was 4.53 kPa (34.0 mm Hg). The absolute difference between the lowest and the highest measured lower esophageal sphincter pressure was 1.43 kPa (10.77 mm Hg). The mean value of all pressures was 2.99 kPa (22.4 mm Hg). It seems that the posture during pressure measuring is irrelevant. The pressure does not vary more significantly considering neither the time of the day nor any exertion of the examinee.

[The value of systematic monitoring of oxygen consumption in the diagnosis and therapy of septic shock]. / Vrijednost pracenja sistemske potrosnje kisika u dijagnostici i terapiji septickog soka.

In 31 patients with sepsis and multiple organic dysfunction, changes in the systemic oxygen consumption (VO2) during reanimation were observed in order to discover more objective indicators of the course and prognosis of the disease. In a prospective randomized study, 21 live (Group 1) and 11 dead patients (Group 2) were included. The investigation was based upon the application of the invasive tracing of oxygen hemodynamics and transport. The findings of the initially hypovolemic status were compared with those of the stabile normovolemic status obtained by the application of infusions and the blood volume substitute. In the early phase of the disease there were no significant differences in the clinical finding of the circulatory shock and the volume deficit of the circulated blood between these two groups of patients. Group 1 patients had lower values of the cardiac index (CI) and the systemic oxygen transport (DO2). In them there was a greater frequency of acute organic insufficiency, especially pulmonal, renal and hepatal. In the initial status VO2 decreased. In the normovolemic status of Group 1, a significant VO2 was found, while in Group 2 in spite of a DO2 increase and hemodynamics improvement, a more significant VO2 increase was not obtained. As VO2 is an objective indicator of oxidative metabolic reactions of the organism and the circulatory system, the authors maintain that by the VO2 tracing, a better insight into the seriousness and course of the disease is obtained, and that an inadequate VO2 finding during the therapeutic treatment requires a revision of the treatment.

[Cardiorespiratory monitoring in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome]. / Kardiorespiratorni nadzor u dijagnozi i vodenju terapije bolesnika s adultnim respiratornim distres sindromom.

In thirty-six patients, meeting clinical criteria for the diagnosis of ARDS, findings of pulmonary functions and results of invasive hemodynamic monitoring have been separately evaluated and compared with normal values. The majority of patients presented with tachypnea having breathing frequency greater than 30/min, vital capacity less than 20 ml/kg body weight, effective pulmonary compliance less than 25 ml/cm H2O, VD/VT greater than 0.6 and D-L shunt greater than 20%. Pulmonary capillary pressure was normal in most patients and pulmonary artery mean pressure and pulmonary vasculary resistance increased. The authors believe that diagnosis of ARDS can be established with greater reliability by use of more complex pulmonary function testing and hemodynamic investigations. An invasive hemodynamic monitoring using a Swan-Ganz catheter gives irreplaceable data for diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in patients with ARDS. It enables an accurate hydration of patients, correct use of diuretics and vasoactive drugs and it is especially useful in controlled application of ventilators and PEEP.