Clarithromycin and Glipizide Drug-drug Interaction Leading to Refractory Hypoglycemia.

A 70-year-old end-stage renal disease patient was admitted for refractory hypoglycemia secondary to drug-drug interaction between clarithromycin and glipizide. We discussed the mechanism of antimicrobial and sulfonylurea interactions as well as the importance of understanding these interactions in the primary care setting to reduce medication-related hospitalizations.

Comparison of outcomes following laparoscopic and open hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy for early stage endometrial carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynaecological malignancy. Studies have shown that laparoscopic total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection was advantageous compared to laparotomy in reducing length of stay and intraoperative blood loss. However, these studies had a predominantly Caucasian population. A comparison study was conducted among the Singapore population to investigate the differences in oncological and surgical outcomes between these two methods. METHODS: A retrospective, single-centre cohort study was conducted. Records of hospitalised patients with Stage 1 endometrioid carcinoma from 2008 to 2014 were extracted for review. Demographic data and study-specific parameters, including operative time, length of hospitalisation, intraoperative and postoperative complications, pain scores, final staging and recurrence rates, were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: 475 endometrioid carcinoma patients were admitted for surgical staging, among whom 374 fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Out of these patients, 229 underwent laparotomy and 145 underwent laparoscopy. The race, parity and body mass index of both groups were comparable. Patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery reported reduced pain score within two hours postoperatively (p = 0.007) and at Postoperative Days 1, 2 and 3 (p < 0.001). Laparoscopic surgery also illustrated better outcomes such as reduced length of stay (p < 0.001) and reduced intraoperative blood loss (p < 0.001). The operative time, recurrence rate and disease-free intervals were comparable between both groups. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy offered similar oncological outcomes with superior surgical outcomes compared to laparotomy. It provides a suitable alternative in the surgical staging of endometrioid carcinoma.

Association of aspartate aminotransferase in statin-induced rhabdomyolysis.

INTRODUCTION The risk of rhabdomyolysis in the general population is elevated by the increased prevalence of statin use. As the presentation of rhabdomyolysis is varied, there is a risk of delayed diagnosis leading to patient complications and increased healthcare costs. Creatine kinase (CK) alone is not sufficiently predictive for risk stratification. Beyond serum CK, other biomarkers such as transaminases may be used as surrogates to evaluate rhabdomyolysis severity and predict complication risks. AIM To assess if other biomarkers are associated with peak CK and severity of rhabdomyolysis to aid in clinical diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted at an acute care hospital from 2008 to 2011. Inclusion criteria were: (1) patients diagnosed with statin-induced rhabdomyolysis; and (2) peak CK levels of ≥1000 IU/L. Patients with post-operational rhabdomyolysis, acute myocardial infarction and who had suffered from road traffic accidents were excluded. A total of 24,332 patients were screened, and 78 patients fulfilled our inclusion criteria. RESULTS Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was found to be positively associated with peak CK levels in the multivariable linear regression model after adjusting for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (P = 0.002; ß = 83.18). Aspartate aminotransferase was found to be associated with severity of rhabdomyolysis in the multivariable logistics regression model after adjusting for ALT levels (P = 0.015; OR = 1.01). DISCUSSION Aspartate transferase is associated with raised peak CK levels and severity of rhabdomyolysis. Clinicians may consider ordering AST to aid in the clinical diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis.