Programme Hospitalier Recherche Clinique, Institut Pasteur, Inserm, French Public Health Agency.

This randomized prospective study was aimed at assessing the efficiency of a systemic antibiotic therapy for the prevention of bacterial infections in cirrhotic patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage by ruptured esophageal varices. For 15 mo, all patients hospitalized with no infection on admission, were included in the study. Starting on admission day, patients in group A received ofloxacin (400 mglday) for 10 days, first intravenously then orally. They also received an intravenous bolus of amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (1 g) before each endoscopy performed during hemorrhage. Patients in group B received antibiotic therapy only in cases of established or suspected infection. Chest X-ray, blood culture, urine culture and sputum and ascitic fluid culture were performed every day for 7 days, then every other day for the next 7 days. A bronchial sampling was performed with the Wimberley technique on patients with endotracheal intubation. Ninety-one patients (55 men, 54 2 11 years, 78% Child Pugh class C) were included in the study (46 in group A, 45 in group B). Group A showed a lower incidence of bacterial infections than group B (20% vs. 66%; p < 0.001). Breakdown of positive bacteriological sampling was as follows: blood (6 vs. 17), ascites (3 vs. 7), lungs (2 vs. 18), urine (1 vs. 10). The 2-wk mortality rate was 24% in group A and 35% in group B. (HEPATOLOGY 1994;2034-38.)

No abstract

Good prognosis observed in these body-packers cases is due to the careful monitoring of asymptomatic patients, allowing early detection and treatment of complications. Surgical removal of the packets when complication occurs is warranted.

Day-case anaesthesia requires rapidly eliminated anaesthetics which are relatively expensive. This multinational, multicentre European study assessed the relative costs of propofol or sevoflurane anaesthesia in 211 patients. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol in group 1, with propofol and sevoflurane in group 2, and with sevoflurane in group 3. Drug and delivery costs were calculated in US$. Induction of anaesthesia was fastest in groups 1 and 2, although spontaneous ventilation resumed earliest in group 3. Emergence times and times at which patients were fit for discharge were similar in all groups. Group 2 had the lowest costs based on actual drug use (mean $14.2 (SEM 0.8) vs $18.7 (0.8) and $17.3 (0.8) in groups 1 and 3, respectively). Anaesthetic drug wastage and disposable costs were highest in group 1 and lowest in group 3. Consequently, total costs were highest in group 1 ($31.9 (0.9)) compared with groups 2 ($19.7 (0.9)) and 3 ($18.8 (0.9)). Although we observed increased nausea and vomiting in groups 2 and 3 and reduced patient satisfaction in group 3, these differences should be balanced against the greater cost of propofol anaesthesia.