Search

Naomi Steenhof,1,2 Francesca Le Piane,1 Kori Leblanc,1–3 Naomi R Eisenberg,4 Yvonne Kwan,1 Christine Malmberg,1,6 Alexandra Papadopoulos,5,7 Graham Roche-Nagle4,7,8 1Department of Pharmacy, University Health Network, 2Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 3Centre for Innovation in Complex Care, University Health Network, 4Division of Vascular Surgery, University Health Network, 5Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, 6Victoria General Hospital, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria, BC, 7Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, 8Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) guidelines recommend aggressive risk factor modification to improve cardiovascular outcomes. Recommended pharmacologic therapies include antiplatelets, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors (statins). Purpose: We studied the degree to which patient admission to a vascular surgery service increased the use of these therapies. Patients and methods: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of 150 patients with PAD admitted to the vascular surgery service at a large Canadian tertiary care hospital. The use of recommended pharmacologic therapies at the time of admission and discharge were compared. A multidisciplinary clinical team established criteria by which patients were deemed ineligible to receive any of the recommended therapies. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were considered an alternative to ACE inhibitors. Results: Prior to hospital admission, 64% of patients were on antiplatelet therapy, 67% were on an ACE inhibitor or ARB, and 71% were on a statin. At the time of discharge, 91% of patients were on an antiplatelet (or not, with an acceptable reason), 77% were on an ACE inhibitor or an ARB (or not, with an acceptable reason), and 85% were on a statin (or not, with an acceptable reason). While new prescriptions were largely responsible for improved guideline adherence with antiplatelets and statins, most of the apparent improvement in ACE inhibitor and ARB use was the result of identifying an acceptable reason for not having them prescribed. Conclusion: This hypothesis generating pilot study supports the findings of others that there is suboptimal prescription of pharmacologic risk reduction therapies in the PAD population. Admission to a vascular service increases these rates. Nevertheless, some patients are still not receiving evidence-based treatment at discharge even after consideration of acceptable reasons. Strategies are needed to improve PAD guideline adherence in both the community at large and the vascular surgery service. Keywords: guideline adherence, vascular protection, risk reduction

This article addresses the fabrication of the eco-certified citizen, an ideal--rather than real--citizen constructed through requirements of both needed knowledge and a kind of personhood, with specific qualities. The societal demands of knowledge-response to environmental problems are studied, as well as the student's (future citizen's) responsibility in relation to these problems, in five subsequent national curricula for the Swedish compulsory school between 1962 and 2011. How does environmental education operate as a hub for constructing desirable citizens? From a theoretical framework of governmentality, the article explores how political rationalities for society and citizenship emerge. Our findings show how recent curricula, by using space and time metaphors, fabricate the eco-certified citizen as an individualistic, globalized person who is able and willing to use scientific knowledge to make decisions and develop opinions about the world. Citizenship has evolved as a competence rather than an ongoing practice, meaning that one has to prove oneself as a legitimate citizen. This emerging, post-political, citizenship differs from citizenship posited in 1960s' curricula--a combination of traditional family values and democratic involvement in the local society.

Objectives: To determine the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic index that best correlates to nitrofurantoin's antibacterial effect, we studied nitrofurantoin activity against common causative pathogens in uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods: Five isolates [two Escherichia coli (one isolate producing the ESBL CTX-M-15), two Enterococcus faecium (including one that was vancomycin resistant) and one Staphylococcus saprophyticus] were used. The MICs of nitrofurantoin were determined by Etest. Time-kill curves with different concentrations of nitrofurantoin (based on multiples of isolate-specific MICs) were followed over 24 h. An in vitro kinetic model was used to simulate different time-concentration profiles, exposing E. coli to nitrofurantoin for varying proportions of the dosing interval. The outcome parameters reduction in cfu 0-24 h (Δcfu0-24) and the area under the bactericidal curve (AUBC), were correlated with time over MIC (T>MIC) and area under the antibiotic concentration curve divided by the MIC (AUC/MIC). Results: A bactericidal effect at varying static drug concentrations was achieved for all isolates. All isolates showed similar kill curve profiles. In the kinetic model, the effect of nitrofurantoin on E. coli displayed a 4 log reduction in cfu/mL within 6 h at 8 × MIC. The outcome parameters Δcfu0-24 and AUBC had a good correlation with T>MIC (R≈0.83 and R≈0.67, respectively), whereas log(AUC/MIC) was significantly poorer (R≈0.39 and R≈0.53, respectively). Conclusions: Nitrofurantoin was highly effective against E. coli and S. saprophyticus isolates; the killing effect against E. faecium was not as rapid, but still significant. Against E. coli, nitrofurantoin was mainly associated with a concentration-dependent action; this was confirmed in the kinetic model, in which T>MIC displayed the best correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the aetiology of polyps is still, for the most part, unknown, the disease is known to involve tissue oedema. Vascular permeability/vascular endothelial growth factor (VPF/VEGF) is a major inducer of angiogenesis and capillary permeability. This study investigated VPF/VEGF expression in biopsies of nasal polyps from 39 patients and in healthy nasal mucosa from 10 patients by immunohistochemical staining. Staining for VPF/VEGF in the mucosal surface and in the glandular epithelium of nasal polyps was weaker than in normal controls. In two patients, strong staining for VPF/VEGF was found in a granular pattern in mast cells, while the mast cells in other polyposis patients appeared to be largely degranulated. VPF/VEGF was not seen in the mast cells of control patients. Although expression of VPF/VEGF was not increased in the epithelium of the nasal polyps, VPF/VEGF secreted from mast cells may take part in nasal polyp formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A-mode ultrasound (A-US) is a simple, non-invasive and non-ionizing method for detecting fluid or even mucosal swelling in inflamed maxillary and frontal sinuses. A-US has been shown to be a quite reliable tool in the diagnosis of acute maxillary sinusitis. However, controversy still exists over the reliability of A-US in detecting fluid retention or mucosal swelling in patients suffering from chronic polypous rhinosinusitis or in transantrally operated maxillary sinuses. We have compared the results of maxillary sinus A-US with computed tomography (CT) images in a selected series of chronic polypous rhinosinusitis comprising 40 patients. Fluid retention was seen in 20 of 79 maxillary sinuses on CT scanning. Only 6 of these 20 retentions were detected with A-US. There were 11 false positive findings. In six of these cases a back-wall echo was received through polypoid masses in the sinus. Mucosal swelling was also difficult to diagnose. The results of A-US were not easily reproduced; only in 50% of cases were identical results obtained by two investigators. We do not recommend the use of A-US to diagnose fluid retention or mucosal swelling in a patient with chronic mucosal changes in the maxillary sinus or if surgery has been performed on the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Ideally, care prior to the initiation of dialysis should increase the likelihood that patients start electively outside of the hospital setting with a mature arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter. However, unplanned dialysis continues to occur in patients both known and unknown to nephrology services, and in both late and early referrals. The objective of this article is to review the clinical and socioeconomic outcomes of unplanned dialysis initiation. The secondary objective is to explore the potential cost implications of reducing the rate of unplanned first dialysis in Canada. Methods MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to 2008 were used to identify studies examining the clinical, economic or quality of life (QoL) outcomes in patients with an unplanned versus planned first dialysis. Data were described in a qualitative manner. Results Eight European studies (5,805 patients) were reviewed. Duration of hospitalization and mortality was higher for the unplanned versus planned population. Patients undergoing a first unplanned dialysis had significantly worse laboratory parameters and QoL. Rates of unplanned dialysis ranged from 2449%. The total annual burden to the Canadian healthcare system of unplanned dialysis in 2005 was estimated at $33 million in direct hospital costs alone. Reducing the rate of unplanned dialysis by one-half yielded savings ranging from $13.3 to $16.1 million. Conclusion The clinical and socioeconomic impact of unplanned dialysis is significant. To more consistently characterize the unplanned population, the term suboptimal initiation is proposed to include dialysis initiation in hospital and/or with a central venous catheter and/or with a patient not starting on their chronic modality of choice. Further research and implementation of initiatives to reduce the rate of suboptimal initiation of dialysis in Canada are needed.

Background: Ideally, care prior to the initiation of dialysis should increase the likelihood that patients start electively outside of the hospital setting with a mature arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter. However, unplanned dialysis continues to occur in patients both known and unknown to nephrology services, and in both late and early referrals. The objective of this article is to review the clinical and socioeconomic outcomes of unplanned dialysis initiation. The secondary objective is to explore the potential cost implications of reducing the rate of unplanned first dialysis in Canada.Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to 2008 were used to identify studies examining the clinical, economic or quality of life (QoL) outcomes in patients with an unplanned versus planned first dialysis. Data were described in a qualitative manner.Results: Eight European studies (5,805 patients) were reviewed. Duration of hospitalization and mortality was higher for the unplanned versus planned population. Patients undergoing a first unplanned dialysis had significantly worse laboratory parameters and QoL. Rates of unplanned dialysis ranged from 2449%. The total annual burden to the Canadian healthcare system of unplanned dialysis in 2005 was estimated at $33 million in direct hospital costs alone. Reducing the rate of unplanned dialysis by one-half yielded savings ranging from $13.3 to $16.1 million.Conclusion: The clinical and socioeconomic impact of unplanned dialysis is significant. To more consistently characterize the unplanned population, the term suboptimal initiation is proposed to include dialysis initiation in hospital and/or with a central venous catheter and/or with a patient not starting on their chronic modality of choice. Further research and implementation of initiatives to reduce the rate of suboptimal initiation of dialysis in Canada are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]