TBNET - Collaborative research on tuberculosis in Europe

Networking is a key feature of scientific success. The Tuberculosis Network European Trialsgroup (TBNET) was founded in 2006 as a non-profit, non-governmental peer-initiated scientific organization to collaboratively address research priorities in the area of tuberculosis in Europe. Today, TBNET is the largest tuberculosis research organization in Europe with nearly 500 members from 22 EU countries and 49 countries worldwide (www.tb-net.org). Apart from small multicenter basic research studies, a particular strength of TBNET is the performance of large collaborative projects, pan-European multicenter studies and database projects. In recent years, research from TBNET has substantially contributed to the understanding of the management, risk and prognosis of patients with multidrug (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis and led to a better understanding of the clinical value of novel tests for the identification of adults and children with tuberculosis and latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In 2009, two branches of TBNET were founded to specifically address tuberculosis in the pediatric population (ptbnet) and non-tuberculous mycobacterial diseases (NTM-NET). In addition to the research activities, TBNET is developing expert consensus documents for clinical management and provides training and capacity building especially for members from Eastern European countries, where tuberculosis is still a prevalent health problem.

In vitro clearance of intravenous acetaminophen in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life support system used as a bridge to transplantation in critically ill patients who suffer from acute respiratory or cardiac failure with resultant hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia. This is not amendable to conventional support intervention. Previous studies have shown significant drug losses in the components of an ECMO circuit, leading to decreased plasma drug levels. An in vitro study was conducted to determine: (1) changes in intravenous acetaminophen levels over time and (2) changes in concentration observed between different sites of the ECMO circuit. A single bolus dose of intravenous (IV) acetaminophen was injected into a standard blood-primed ECMO circuit. Plasma drug concentrations in the circuit were then measured at specific time points at three different locations to determine concentrations of the drug at time 0, 15, 30, 60, 240 and 360 minutes. The three samples were drawn pre- and post-membrane oxygenator and the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing. A second bolus dose was administered 24 hours after the first in order to compare "new" and "old" circuits. This entire process was repeated a total of three times. The results show that acetaminophen concentrations do not change significantly over time, with consistent levels seen in both new and old circuits (N=9). Average old circuit concentrations were approximately two times greater than the average new circuit concentrations after the circuit was re-dosed at 24 hours. Drug sequestration in the circuit was not significant in any of the three sites measured. It appears that, while acetaminophen levels remain relatively constant over a six hour period, dosing adjustments may be required for use in a circuit beyond the initial 24 hour period, depending on physiologic clearance of the drug. Assuming a six-hour dosing interval, levels should remain constant.

Surgical management of osteoporotic pelvic fractures: a new challenge

The number and variety of osteoporotic fractures of the pelvis are rapidly growing around the world. Such fractures are the result of low-impact trauma. The patients have no signs of hemodynamic instability and do not require urgent stabilization. The clinical picture is dominated by immobilizing pain in the pelvic region. Fractures may be located in both the ventral and the dorsal pelvic ring. The current well-established classification of pelvic ring lesions in younger adults does not fully reflect the criteria for osteoporotic and insufficiency fractures of the pelvic ring. Most osteoporotic fractures are minimally displaced and do not require surgical therapy. However, in some patients, an insidious progress of bone damage leads to complex displacement and instability. Therefore, vertical sacral ala fractures, fracture dislocations of the sacroiliac joint, and spinopelvic dissociations are best treated with operative stabilization. Angular stable bridge plating, the insertion of a transsacral positioning bar, and iliolumbar fixation are operative techniques that have been adapted to the low bone mineral density of the pelvic ring and the high forces acting on it.

IgA antibody production by intrarectal immunization of mice using recombinant major capsid protein of hamster polyomavirus

Viral proteins are highly antigenic and known as potent stimulators of adaptive immune responses. This mechanism is often used for biotechnological applications in monoclonal antibody production resulting in high-affinity IgG antibodies in most cases. The aim of this study was to increase antigen-specific IgA antibody levels in mice in order to generate monoclonal IgA antibodies by hybridoma technology. For this purpose, hamster polyomavirus (HaPyV) major capsid protein VP1 was used to immunize mice by different routes in order to induce VP1-specific IgA titers. Recombinant HaPyV-VP1 was generated in Escherichia coli and administered intraperitoneally, orally, and intrarectally. VP1-specific antibodies were determined by ELISA in sera and organ culture supernatants. We found a significant increase of HaPyV-VP1-specific IgAs in spleen organ cultures after rectal immunization of mice but not in cultures of mesenteric lymph nodes, colon, or Peyer's patches. In contrast, oral and intraperitoneal immunization did not provide an appropriate specific IgA induction at all. These results show that specific IgA antibodies can be induced by intrarectal immunization in the spleen. The generation of monoclonal IgA antibodies with well-defined properties is a useful tool for the investigation of mucosal immune responses or autoimmune diseases and extends the spectrum of antibodies with specific effector functions.

[Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors: pleomorphic and often ignored]

Although generally considered as rare, incidence of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI-NETs) is increasing. The general practitioner has thus to be familiar with the vast array of clinical presentations and the growing family of diagnostic tools that can be used. Symptoms can be related to their hormonal production, their local extent or a bleeding complication. The prognosis depends on the grade of tumor, its local extent at diagnosis and its localization. The diagnosis relies on radiologic, endoscopic and nuclear medicine strategies. In case of typical symptoms, a hormonal secretion should be sought. Treatment options are extensive and should be discussed in an interdisciplinary manner.

In vitro clearance of dexmedetomidine in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Dexmedetomidine (DMET) is a useful agent for sedation, both alone and in combination with other agents, in critically ill patients, including those on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy. The drug is a clonidine-like derivative with an 8-fold greater specificity for the alpha 2-receptor while maintaining respiratory and cardiovascular stability. An in vitro ECMO circuit was used to study the effects of both “new” and “old” membrane oxygenators on the clearance of dexmedetomidine over the course of 24 hours. Once primed, the circuit was dosed with 840 μg of dexmedetomidine for a final concentration of 0.9 μg/ml. Serial samples, both pre- and post-oxygenator, were taken at 5, 60, 360, and 1440 minutes. Concentrations of the drug were expressed as a percentage of the original concentration remaining at each time point, both for new and old circuits. The new circuits were run at a standard flow for 24 hours, after which time the circuit was considered old and re-dosed with dexmedetomidine and the trial repeated. Results show that dexmedetomidine losses occur early in the circuits and then continue to decline. Initial losses in the first hour were 11+-65% and 59-73% pre- and post-oxygenator in the new circuit and 36-50% and 42-72% in the old circuit. The clearance of the drug through the membrane oxygenator exhibits no statistical difference between pre and post or new and old circuits. Dexmedetomidine can be expected to exhibit concentration changes during ECMO therapy. This effect appears to be more related to adsorption to the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing rather than the membrane oxygenator. Dosage adjustments during dexmedetomidine administration during ECMO therapy may be warranted in order to maintain adequate serum concentrations and, hence, the desired degree of sedation.*(Lack of equilibrium)

Osteoporotische Frakturen des Beckenrings

Durch die Alterung der Bevölkerung sind wir mit einer Zunahme an osteoporotischen und Ermüdungsfrakturen des Beckenrings konfrontiert. Sie werden durch niedrigenergetische Traumen verursacht. Die konventionelle Diagnostik ist weniger aufschlussreich als bei Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen, eine CT- oder MRT-Diagnostik ist erforderlich. Die Erscheinungsformen sind multipel und bieten ein ganzes Spektrum von Instabilitäten. Die konventionelle Klassifikation trifft nicht auf alle Erscheinungsformen dieser Frakturen zu. Die Behandlung umfasst sowohl konservative als auch operative Verfahren. Entscheidend dabei sind der Grad und die Lokalisation der Instabilität. Die Osteosyntheseformen unterscheiden sich von denen der Beckenringfrakturen bei Erwachsenen. Der transsakrale Positionsstab, die iliolumbale Fixation und die winkelstabile Plattenosteosynthese kommen zunehmend zum Einsatz.

Impact of initial intervention on long-term neurological recovey after cardiac arrest: data from the Luxembourg "North Pole" cohort

BACKGROUND

Prognosis after cardiac arrest is variable and difficult to predict. Early prognostic markers would facilitate the care of these patients.

AIMS

Therefore, we evaluated the impact of initial interventions after resuscitation on neurological outcome at 6 months.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of the patient charts from consecutive cardiac arrest patients admitted to our intensive care unit and treated with induced hypothermia.

RESULTS

Over a 3-year period, 90 patients were included in our study. Sixty-four percent of the patients had bystander cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. An automated external defibrillator (AED) was used in 19% of the patients and the mean time to first defibrillation was 11 +/- 8.9 minutes. Patients being resuscitated and defibrillated by bystanders did better than those who had CPR only and far better than those patients in whom no rescue measures where attempted at all (73% vs. 56% vs. 32% for good neurological outcome, respectively, p= 0.03). Witnessed cardiac arrest was more frequent in patients with a good outcome than in those who collapsed without a witness (91% vs 75%, p = 0.03). In 76% of the patients with good outcome, CPR was performed whereas only 52% benefited from these measures in the bad outcome group (p = 0.01). Although the use of an AED was not significantly different between good and bad outcome groups (26% vs. 11%, p = 0.06), time to first defibrillation was significantly lower in patients with good outcome (8.7 +/- 6.3 vs. 13.3 +/- 11.3 minutes, p = 0.05). In the 17 patients in whom an AED was used, 12 (71%) recovered without major sequelae whereas in the 73 cases where no AED was used, only 34 (47%) had a good outcome (p = 0.06). At 6 months follow-up, 46 (51%) survivors had a good outcome (cerebral performance category 1-2), 5 (6%) survived with severe neurological sequelae or stayed in coma and 39 (43%) died.

CONCLUSIONS

Our local data confirm that early interventions have a major impact on survival of cardiac arrest patients. Efforts should concentrate on delivering rapid and high quality CPR as well as early defibrillation by AED's to every patient in cardiac arrest. Besides large scale Basic life support training, the introduction of dispatcher assisted CPR and the implementation and use of public AED's could considerably help to improve outcome in these patients.

[Antimicrobial resistance monitoring in Lower Saxony (ARMIN): first trends for MRSA, ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and VRE from 2006 to 2010]

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most important health topics of the past few years. To identify regional trends of antimicrobial resistance in inpatient and outpatient care, the Governmental Institute of Public Health of Lower Saxony (Germany) launched the sentinel system ARMIN (Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring in Lower Saxony). Currently 9 laboratories participate as sentinel sites and contribute single case data of their microbiological results. Data are presented by an interactive data query in the internet. From 2006 to 2010 laboratories reported about 800 000 diagnostic test results. The proportion of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) among all Staphylococcus aureus increased from 19.5% in 2006 to 23.4% in 2010 for inpatient care in Lower Saxony. During the same period Escherichia coli resistance to cefotaxime for inpatient care increased from 3.0% to 8.8%. Enterococcus faecium resistance to vancomycin decreased from 13.6% to 5.6%. Currently the emphasis of ARMIN is on the description of trends and on the information of prescribing physicians. A quality circle was established to improve standardisation.