Our objective was to compare the efficacy, safety, and microbiology of once-daily intravenous (IV) tobramycin with conventional 8-hourly tobramycin/ceftazidime IV therapy for acute Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis (CF). CF patients with PA-induced pulmonary exacerbations were allocated to receive either once-daily tobramycin (Mono) or conventional therapy with tobramycin/ceftazidime given 8-hourly (Conv). The two longitudinal groups received therapy in a double-blind, randomized manner over a period of 2 years. Tobramycin doses were adjusted to achieve a daily area under the time-concentration curve of 100 mg x hr/L in both groups. Results were assessed for both short-term changes (efficacy and safety after 10 days of IV antibiotics during acute exacerbations) and long-term changes (efficacy, safety, and sputum microbiology between study entry and exit). Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) on admission were similar in both groups. After 10 days of IV antibiotics, absolute mean improvements in percent of predicted PFTs were 12.8, 12.1, and 13.7 for forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV(1)), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expired flow between 25--75% of FVC (FEF(25--75%)) in the Conv group (n = 51 admissions) compared to 10.6, 9.9, and 10.6 in the Mono group (n = 47)(P<0.05 for all). Sixteen percent in the Conv group and 15% of patients in the Mono group did not respond to therapy by day 10. Long-term PFT patterns were similar for the Conv and Mono groups. The time between admissions did not differ. The Mono group showed a significant increase in tobramycin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against PA from study entry to study exit (P = 0.02, n = 27 strains); this failed to reach significance in the Conv group (P = 0.08, n = 25). There was no significant increase in the number of isolates, with MIC> or =8 mg/L in both groups. No short- or long-term changes in audiology or serum creatinine were found in either group. After 10 days of IV therapy, the urinary enzyme N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase/creatinine ratios increased in both groups (P0.05). This increase was greater in the Conv compared to the Mono group (P < 0.05). We conclude that this pilot study indicates once-daily tobramycin therapy to be as effective and safe as conventional 8-hourly tobramycin/ceftazidime therapy. Combination antibacterial therapy appears to offer no clinical advantage over once-daily tobramycin monotherapy. Tobramycin once-daily monotherapy is a potential alternative to conventional IV antibacterial therapy which deserves further investigation, including the impact on susceptibility of PA to tobramycin.

We report a rare case of gastric outlet obstruction in a newborn infant caused by a gastric duplication cyst. Ultrasound provided a non-invasive and conclusive diagnostic technique, which should be used as a baseline investigation for cases of suspected gastric outlet obstruction.

BackgroundHip arthroscopy has led to a greater understanding of intra-articular hip pathology. Non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently the gold standard in non-invasive imaging diagnosis, with high sensitivity in identifying labral pathology but equivocal results for ligamentum teres damage and chondral defects.The aim of this study is to determine the accuracy of non-contrast MRI for diagnosis of intra-articular hip derangements and identify radiological features that could increase the accuracy of the diagnosis.MethodsA prospective study of 71 hips on 68 patients undergoing hip arthroscopy was conducted comparing pre-operative analysis of MRI imaging versus an arthroscopic examination. Two musculoskeletal radiologists reported the data independently. All hip arthroscopies were performed by a single surgeon. Patients with MRIs performed within 6 months before hip arthroscopy were included.Outcome measures included observer accuracy identifying ligamentum teres tears, labral lesions, and chondral rim damage. Secondary outcome measures included inter-observer variability and correctly staged ligamentum teres tears.ResultsThe accuracy of radiology reporting for ligamentum teres tears, labral damage, and chondral rim lesions was 85.92% for each instance. The MRI findings most consistent with labral tears include the presence of linear high signal traversing the articular surface into the labrum, presence of intra-labral fluid signal, and loss of homogenous low signal triangular morphology. Chondral rim damage was difficult to diagnose, but abnormal signal at the chondrolabral junction with partial thickness defects would suggest damage. Ligamentum teres tears are commonly found but poorly graded. Thickening and increased signal suggests synovitis while discontinuity and fraying suggests partial tearing.ConclusionConventional non-arthrographic MRI offers an accurate non-invasive method to screen patients with symptoms referable to the hip by revealing the presence of labral tears, chondral defects, and ligamentum teres tears/synovitis. This study demonstrates that tears and synovitis of the ligamentum teres as potential sources of hip pain can be accurately identified on conventional non-arthrographic MRI. However, MRI has poor specificity and negative predictive value, and thus, a negative MRI result may warrant further investigation.

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