Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effects of somatostatin(stilamin)and rhubarb for severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).Method A total of 42 patients with SAP received traditional treatment in combination with somatostatin(stilamin)and rhubarb,and compared with 40 SAP patients with routine treatment.The changes of acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHEⅡ),serum amylas,serum creatinine,blood calcium,blood glucose,white blood cell count,the duration of abdominal pain,abdominal bulge,fast and hospital stay,complications,morlality and operation rate on the fist day,third day and fifth day were compared between two groups.Results Somatostatin and rhubarb reduced the complications,operation rate and mortality, and shortened the duration of abdominal pain,abdominal bulge,fast and hospital stay.Conclusions Combination of somatostatin and rhubarb is effective in the treatment of SAP patients.

Objective To investigate predisposing factors for early infection in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.Methods The clinical and laboratory data including age、gender、APACHE Ⅱscore on admission、hemodiastase、mechanical ventilation、blood calcium、mean arterial blood pressure、blood glucose、 alanine aminotransferase、aspartate aminotransferase、total bilirubin、necrosis of the pancreas、hypoxemia、 entero-functional disturbance、etiological factor、serum albumin、serum creatinine、urea nitrogen and haematocrit were analyzed by multiple linear regression in relation with the infection incidence in the 86 SAP patients hospitalized from Jan 2002 to Mar 2007.Results The fasting time、hiliary panereatitis、 hypoxemia、necrosis of pancreas、entero-functional disturbance、serum creatinine、urea nitrogen and haematocrit were positively correlated with the incidence of pancreatic infection(all P

Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza, Human ; diagnosis ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; diagnosis ; virology

Acute Lung Injury ; metabolism ; virology ; Adult ; Disease Outbreaks ; Extravascular Lung Water ; metabolism ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza, Human ; metabolism ; virology ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; metabolism ; virology

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies indicated that the time to positivity (TTP) of blood culture is a parameter correlating with degree of the bacteremia and outcome in patients with bloodstream infections caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). The objective of this study was to further investigate the diagnostic and prognostic power of using TTP to predict E. coli bacteremia.

METHODSA retrospective cohort study at two university hospitals was conducted. We retrieved all the medical records of those with E. coli bloodstream infection according to the records generated by their microbiology departments. Univariate and multivariate analyses were applied to identify clinical factors correlating with fast bacterial growth and significant prognostic factors for hospital mortality.

RESULTSMedical records of 353 episodes of E. coli bacteremia diagnosed between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2009 were retrieved in the investigation. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the TTP ≤ 7 hours group is associated with higher incidence of active malignancies (41.7% vs. 27.2%, P = 0.010), neutropenia (30% vs.14.3%, P = 0.007), primary bacteremia (55.0% vs. 33.4%, P = 0.002), and poorer outcome (hospital mortality 43.3% vs.11.9%, P = 0.000) than the TTP > 7 hours group. Multivariate analysis revealed that the significant predictors of hospital mortality, in rank order from high to low, were TTP (for TTP ≤ 7 hours, odds ratio (OR): 4.886; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.572 - 9.283; P = 0.000), neutropenia (OR: 2.800; 95%CI: 1.428 - 5.490; P = 0.003), comedication of steroids or immunosuppressive agents (OR: 2.670; 95%CI: 0.971 - 7.342; P = 0.057).

CONCLUSIONSIncidence of malignancies, neutropenia and primary bacteremia correlates with fast bacterial growth in patients with E. coli bacteremia. The parameter of TTP has been identified as a variable of highest correlation to hospital mortality and therefore can be potentially utilized as a mortality prognostic marker.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bacteremia ; blood ; epidemiology ; mortality ; pathology ; Escherichia coli Infections ; blood ; epidemiology ; mortality ; pathology ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

Objective To study the impacts of the Three Gorges dam and change of water level on the survival of the local rodents, and to provide scientific basis to control the outbreak of rodent-borne diseases.Methods Four villages located around the Three Gorges dam were selected in the study. The mouse populations by using Elton night trapping method was monitored. Metallic spring traps were set for two consecutive nights. The mouse density and identified the mouse species was calculated. The mouse species indoor and outdoor, as well as the mouse density indoor and outdoor were compared. The impacts of water level in the dam and cleaning work on local mouse density were also analyzed. Results A total of 678 mice were caught in this study, 517 were caught indoor and 161 outdoor. Indoor dominant species was flavipectus; accounting for 36.49%(189/517), while outdoor was apodemus, reaching 56.88% (91/161). For mouse species, there was a significant difference between indoor and outdoor(x2 = 678.00, P ＜ 0.01 ). The average mouse density was 8.44%(678/8036) in trap nights. Indoor mouse density reached 14.44%(517/3581 ), which was significantly higher than that of outdoor(3.61%, 161/4455 ).For mouse density, there was a significant difference between indoor and outdoor(x2 = 301.04, P ＜ 0.01 ). When the water level was up to 156 m, mouse density reached 10%(513/5132), which was higher than that of before (5.68%, 165/2904). There was a significant difference in mouse density before and after reserving water (x2 = 44.68, P ＜ 0.01 ). With the change of water level, upstream mouse density formed a high platform from May 2007 to May 2008, followed by 12.25%(80/653), 13.16%(90/684), 12.95%(90/695), and decreased to 8.38%(28/334) after cleaning of the dam. Conclusions The Three Gorges dam and change of water level actually alter the survival environment of the local mouse, and affect local mouse density and mouse species. These may lead to local outbreak or epidemic of rodent-borne diseases.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of pulmonary vein deployment technique for percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects (ASD) solely under echocardiography guidance. Methods: A total of 38 ASD patients received pulmonary vein deployment in our hospital from 2012-10 to 2016-09 since the conventional method could not deliver the occluder to correct place. The patients were with the mean age at (16.0±15.6) years, body weight at (37.2±22.9) kg and ASD diameter at (17.1±4.2) mm. Operative effect was assessed by echocardiography. Follow-up study was conducted at 1, 3, 6, 12 months post-operation and at each year thereafter. Results: 37 patients were successfully finished pulmonary vein deployment for percutaneous closure of ASD solely under echocardiography guidance. One patient was successfully treated by a controlled steerable sheath. The mean operative time was (25.2±5.1) min and mean diameter of ASD occluder was (22.9±5.6) mm. 2 patients had trivial residual shunt at the early post-operative stage. No peripheral vascular injury, pulmonary vein and cardiac perforation occurred. All 38 patients were recovered and discharged. The average in-hospital time was (2.9±0.7) days. The patients were followed-up for (23.9±15.4) months, without complications of residual shunt, pericardial effusion, aortic regurgitation and pulmonary vein stenosis. Conclusion: Pulmonary vein deployment technique for percutaneous closure of ASD solely under echocardiography guidance was safe and effective; it can avoid radiation damage and provided a simple and practical method for ASD patients who failed to conventional method under echocardiography guidance.

Pharmacokinetic parameters can be significantly altered for acute kidney injury (AKI), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and continuous veno-venous hemofiltration therapy (CVVH). Here we reported a case of individualized vancomycin dosing for a patient diagnosed as severe acute pancreatitis treated with concurrent ECMO and CVVH. A 65 kg 32-year-old woman was admitted to hospital presented with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), respiratory failure, metabotropic acidosis and hyperkalemia. She was admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) on hospital day 1 and was initiated on CVVH. She progressed to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on ICU day 2, and veno-venous ECMO was instituted. Several catheters were inserted into the body to support ECMO, CVVH and pulse indicator continuous cardiac output (PiCCO), so vancomycin was prescribed empirically on ICU day 3 for prevention of catheter-related infection. Given the residual renal function and continuous hemofiltration intensity on day 3, vancomycin bolus of 1 000 mg was prescribed, followed by a maintenance dose of 500 mg every 8 hours. On ICU day 4, a vancomycin trough serum concentration of 14.1 mg/L was obtained before the fourth dose, which was within the target range of 10-20 mg/L. By ICU day 7, vancomycin dosage was elevated to 1.0 g every 12 hours because of aggravated infection and improved kidney function. On ICU day 14, a vancomycin trough serum concentration of 17 mg/L was obtained. Her white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil percentage (Neut%) dropped to the normal level by ICU day 19. This vancomycin regimen was successful in providing a target attainment of trough serum concentration ranging from 10-20 mg/L quickly and in controlling infection-related symptoms and signs properly. With the help of this case report we want to call attention to the clinically significant alteration in vancomycin pharmacokinetics among critically ill patients. Individualized vancomycin dosing regimens and therapeutic drug monitoring are necessary for critically ill patients receiving CVVH and ECMO to ensure that the target serum vancomycin levels are reached to adequately treat the infection and avoid nephrotoxicity.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage* ; Critical Illness ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Female ; Hemofiltration ; Humans ; Pancreatitis/drug therapy* ; Vancomycin/administration & dosage*