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The study objective was to determine the specificity and sensitivity of plasma concentrations of D-dimer, a fibrin degradation product, as a marker for ongoing thrombotic and thrombolytic events in pulmonary embolism. A prospective study was performed in 74 patients with suspected pulmonary embolism who appeared in the emergency room with dyspnea and/or chest pain. The presence of pulmonary embolism was established by positive findings either in pulmonary angiography or lung scan. D-dimer concentrations were determined in all patients. In 11 patients with positive pulmonary angiography, D-dimer concentrations were monitored for 6-12 days. D-dimer concentrations were determined by a quantitative enzyme-linked immunoassay. Plasma probes of 26 patients (16 with/10 without positive pulmonary angiography) were re-assayed with a semiquantitative latex agglutination assay. D-dimer levels were significantly higher in patients with pulmonary embolism (greater than 1000 ng/mL in 41 out of 43) than in those without (less than 1000 ng/mL in all 21 patients) (p less than 0.01). The sensitivity and specificity for the ELISA were found to be 95% and 100%, respectively, for establishing the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. In the latex assay the values were 81% and 60%, respectively. It is concluded that in patients with dyspnea and/or chest pain, determination of D-dimer in plasma by ELISA adds a valuable tool to the noninvasive diagnostic procedure for pulmonary embolism. From the time-course of D-dimer values we conclude that this assay might be valuable up to at least 6 days after symptom onset. The assay, however, is unreliable in malignancies or after surgery.

The effect of the platelet‐activating factor (Paf) antagonist, WEB 2086, on Paf‐induced increase of pulmonary artery perfusion pressure (Pp), bronchial inflation pressure (Pi) and wet‐to‐dry lung weight ratios (W/D) was investigated in the rat isolated lung. Lungs were perfused with Krebs‐Ringer solution (KRS) as controls or with KRS containing WEB 2086 (0.1, 1.0, 10.0 or 100 μgml−1) and then injected with a bolus of 20 μg Paf. A dose‐related inhibition of the Paf‐induced increase of Pp, Pi and W/D was observed, being almost maximal for the 10.0 μg ml−1 and complete for the 100 μg ml−1 doses of WEB 2086 when compared to controls. It is concluded that WEB 2086 is a highly effective and specific Paf antagonist in the pulmonary vasculature and bronchial tract.

Meropenem and imipenem/cilastatin were compared in an open, randomised prospective multicentre study in the treatment of acute exacerbations of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in hospitalised patients. One-hundred-and-seventy-three patients were enrolled; 164 were evaluable for clinical efficacy and 98 for bacteriological efficacy, with 144 pathogens isolated. The predominant pathogens were Haemophilus influenzae (n = 30), Streptococcus pneumoniae (18), Staphylococcus aureus (12), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11), Moraxella catarrhalis (8), other Gram-negative bacteria (Neisseria, Klebsiella, Proteus, and Enterobacter spp.) (53) and other Gram-positive bacteria (12). A single bacterial pathogen was identified in 61 patients, whereas two bacterial pathogens were isolated in 31 patients and three in six patients. The clinical response at the end of treatment was very high in both groups with a satisfactory outcome (cured or improved) in 97.6% of the meropenem patients and in 96.3% of the imipenem/cilastatin patients; at follow-up the rates were 89.1% and 89.8%, respectively. The bacterial success (eradication or presumed eradication) was 88.2% in the meropenem group and 89.4% in the comparator group. Nausea or vomiting were reported more frequently in patients treated with imipenem/cilastatin, whereas in the meropenem group an increase in aminotransferases was reported. One patient treated with imipenem/cilastatin was withdrawn from the study due to seizures. Meropenem and imipenem/cilastatin were highly effective for the treatment of severe bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis but meropenem was better tolerated.