Overuse of PPIs in patients at admission, during treatment, and at discharge in a tertiary Spanish hospital.

Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2010 Nov 1;5(4):288-97

Authors: Ramirez E, Lei SH, Borobia AM, Piñana E, Fudio S, Muñoz R, Campos A, Carcas AJ, Frias J

The first generic PPI was introduced in Spain in 2001, and since then their prescriptions have increased steadily by about 200%.

PMID: 20925644 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Gender differences in aminoglycoside induced nephrotoxicity: a prospective, hospital-based study.

Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2009 Sep;4(3):229-32

Authors: Sweileh WM

AIM: Impact of gender on aminoglycoside induced nephrotoxicity is still controversial and inconclusive. The objective of this study was to investigate the nephrotoxic potential of amikacin (AK) and gentamicin (GM) in male and female hospitalized patients. METHODOLOGY: A one-year, non-interventional prospective study of patients administered either GM or AK. The study was carried out at the internal medicine department of Al-Watani governmental hospital. Nephrotoxicity was defined as a blood creatinine (Cr) increase of > or = 0.5 mg/ dL from the basal (normal) Cr level. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS 16. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients were identified (GM, n = 45 and AK, n = 49). Male and female patients on GM had comparable characteristics except that males had significantly higher number of co-existing chronic diseases. No gender differences were observed in gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity (37% in males versus 33.3% in females, P = 0.8). Male and female patients on AK were also comparable in demographic and clinical characteristics. However, significant differences in gender susceptibility were observed with AK induced nephrotoxicity (31.6% in females versus 6.7% in males, P = 0.043). Pattern of serum creatinine changes in patients on GM were comparable between males and females. However, in females on AK, s.cr levels were rising sharply after the fourth day compared with that in male patients on AK. CONCLUSION: Gender differences in aminoglycoside induced nephrotoxicty were seen with AK where females were more vulnerable to nephrotoxicity. Such gender differences did not exist with GM.

PMID: 19500072 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Efficacy and safety evaluation of fixed dose combination of cefepime and amikacin in comparison with cefepime alone in treatment of nosocomial pneumonia patients.

Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2008 May;3(2):118-22

Authors: Chaudhary M, Shrivastava SM, Varughese L, Sehgal R

Nosocomial pneumonia is the most frequent and leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the most frequent causative agent, is intrinsically resistant to most antibiotics. The study was aimed at comparing the efficacy and safety of fixed dose combination (FDC) of Cefepime and Amakacin with that of Cefepime alone in treatment of patients suffering from nosocomial pneumonia. Patients suffering from nosocomial pneumonia participated in an open-labeled, two-arm, randomized, comparative, multicentric trial. One group (n=100) of patients were treated with intravenous injection of Cefepime and Amakacin FDC 2.5g b.i.d and other group (n=100) were treated with intravenous injection of Cefepime alone 2.0g b.i.d, for 7-10 days. Outcome of therapy was evaluated on the basis of clinical and bacteriological evaluation. Clinical and bacteriological successful outcomes were significantly higher in the patients treated with Cefepime and Amakacin FDC than Cefepime alone treated patients. Analysis of patients infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa amongst the two treatment arms indicated that clinical and bacteriological success is significantly higher in Cefepime and Amakacin FDC treated patients than Cefepime alone treated group. No major adverse events with observed in both the treatment arms. In conclusion, fixed dose combination of Cefepime and Amakacin was more effective in the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia than Cefepime alone.

PMID: 18700304 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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