Long-Acting Bronchodilators With or Without Inhaled Steroids in COPD
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Risk for moderate COPD exacerbations, but not severe exacerbations, was lower with combined therapy.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
November 5, 2009
Covering:
Rodrigo GJ et al., Chest 2009 Oct; 136:1029
Peramivir for Treatment of 2009 H1N1 Influenza
Responding to a CDC request, the FDA authorized the emergency use of this investigational agent in critically ill patients.
By Lynn Estes, PharmD
November 4, 2009
Covering:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).,
Birnkrant D and Cox E., N Engl J Med 2009 Nov 2
New CDC Interim Guidance on HIV and H1N1
HIV-infected individuals are a high-priority group for prevention and treatment of 2009 H1N1 influenza.
By Carlos del Rio, MD
November 2, 2009
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).,
Zanamivir (Relenza) Must Not Be Given by Nebulization
Ventilator obstruction was blamed for the death of a woman who received zanamivir inhalation powder that was solubilized and administered by mechanical ventilation.
Surgical Masks or N95 Respirators for the Flu?
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
In a randomized trial, surgical masks and N95 respirators provided healthcare workers with comparable protection against influenza.
Immune Response from Bronchoalveolar Lavage Mononuclear Cells Diagnoses Active TB
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
ELISpot performed on bronchoalveolar mononuclear cells had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 79% in diagnosing active disease.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
October 21, 2009
Covering:
Jafari C et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009 Oct 1; 180:666
Inflammatory Proteins: The Body–Brain Connection
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Inflammatory response to vaccination affected participants' sense of well-being and activated specific cortical regions but did not worsen cognitive performance.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
October 19, 2009
Covering:
Harrison NA et al., Biol Psychiatry 2009 Sep 1; 66:415
Harrison NA et al., Biol Psychiatry 2009 Sep 1; 66:407
H1N1 Rapid Tests: Poor Sensitivity
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
Rapid tests for seasonal influenza generally have relatively low sensitivity; their sensitivity for detecting the 2009 H1N1 virus seems even worse.
By Stephen G. Baum, MD
October 14, 2009
Covering:
Drexler JF et al., Emerg Infect Dis 2009 Oct; 15:1662
2009 H1N1 Influenza in a Tour Group in China
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
Influenza developed in 30% of tour members who had talked with an H1N1-infected woman in the group but in none who had not.
By Mary E. Wilson, MD
October 14, 2009
Covering:
Han K et al., Emerg Infect Dis 2009 Oct; 15:1578
New Approach to Treating Tuberculosis
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Targeting nonreplicative bacteria might avert long courses of therapy for TB patients.
Is Your Shower Like the Shower in the Bates Motel?
Dermatology Summary and Comment
Researchers analyzed the microbial population living inside showerheads.
By Jan V. Hirschmann, MD
October 9, 2009
Covering:
Feazel LM et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009 Sep 22; 106:16393
Antibiotic Guideline Compliance and Outcomes for CAP
Emergency Medicine Summary and Comment
Two large studies support guideline-based care.
By J. Stephen Bohan, MD, MS, FACP, FACEP
October 9, 2009
Covering:
McCabe C et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1525
Arnold FW et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1515
Sharpe BA., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1462
Strep Antibodies and PANDAS: An Animal Study
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Researchers tie behavioral abnormalities to strep-associated antibodies.
By Barbara Geller, MD
October 9, 2009
Covering:
Yaddanapudi K et al., Mol Psychiatry 2009 Aug 11
Pneumonia Severity and Bacterial Load
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
In patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia, high bacterial load at admission was associated with need for mechanical ventilation, development of shock, and in-hospital death.
By Thomas Glück, MD
October 7, 2009
Covering:
Rello J et al., Chest 2009 Sep; 136:832
CAP Treatment Recommendations: Guided in the Right Direction
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Results of two large cohort studies indicate that adherence to guidelines for treating community-acquired pneumonia is a good thing.
By Larry M. Baddour, MD
October 7, 2009
Covering:
Arnold FW et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1515
McCabe C et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1525
Sharpe BA., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1462
Procalcitonin Algorithm Reduces Antibiotic Use for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Emergency Medicine Summary and Comment
Without increasing adverse outcomes of disease
By John A. Marx, MD, FAAEM
October 2, 2009
Covering:
Schuetz P et al., JAMA 2009 Sep 9; 302:1059
Yealy DM and Fine MJ., JAMA 2009 Sep 9; 302:1115
More on Blood β-Glucan to Diagnose PCP
In a study conducted in Japan, 96% of patients with HIV-related PCP had abnormal β-glucan levels.
By Paul E. Sax, MD
September 28, 2009
Covering:
Watanabe T et al., Clin Infect Dis 2009 Oct 1; 49:1128
Comparative Efficacy of Seasonal Influenza Vaccines
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
Inactivated vaccine was more efficacious than live-attenuated vaccine in healthy adults.
By Lynn L. Estes, PharmD
September 23, 2009
Covering:
Monto AS et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Sep 24; 361:1260
2009 H1N1 Influenza — The Pandemic Continues
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Since the emergence of this virus in spring 2009, the number of infections has remained uncharacteristically high, presaging a bad winter for influenza.
By Stephen G. Baum, MD
September 23, 2009
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2009 Sep 18; 58:1009
Candida Pneumonia in Critically Ill Patients?
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Among ICU patients who died with evidence of pneumonia, autopsy revealed no cases of <$EMPH_O>Candida<$EMPH_C> pneumonia, even in those with positive <$EMPH_O>Candida<$EMPH_C> cultures before death.
By Thomas Glück, MD
September 23, 2009
Covering:
Meersseman W et al., Intensive Care Med 2009 Sep; 35:1526
Ricard J-D and Roux D., Intensive Care Med 2009 Sep; 35:1500
Neurological Impairments After H5N1 Viral Infection: An Animal Study
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Long-term parkinsonian symptoms might follow acute H5N1 influenza.
By Barbara Geller, MD
September 21, 2009
Covering:
Jang H et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009 Aug 18; 106:14063
Good News and Bad News About 2009 H1N1 Influenza ("Swine Flu")
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
Only a minority of stored serum samples in the U.S. contained antibodies against H1N1, but a new vaccine easily elicited them.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
September 17, 2009
Covering:
Hancock K et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Sep 10
Clark TW et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Sep 10
Greenberg ME et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Sep 10
2009 H1N1 Vaccine: Will One Dose Be Enough?
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
A single 15-µg dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine, without an adjuvant, produced strong immune responses in 97% of healthy adults.
By Daniel J. Diekema, MD, MS
September 16, 2009
Covering:
Greenberg ME et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Sep 10
Neuzil KM., N Engl J Med 2009 Sep 10
Preexisting Immunity to the 2009 H1N1 Virus
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Very few individuals younger than 30 have protective levels of cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies against this virus.
Which Pneumococcal Vaccine for Adults with COPD?
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
In a small study, serologic responses were generally better with the 7-valent protein-conjugate vaccine than with the currently approved 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
September 16, 2009
Covering:
Dransfield MT et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009 Sep 15; 180:499
