Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication among acutely ill medical patients hospitalized for congestive heart failure, acute respiratory insufficiency, rheumatologic disorders, and acute infectious and/or inflammatory diseases. Based on robust data from randomized controlled studies and meta-analyses showing a reduced incidence of VTE by 40% to about 60% with pharmacologic thromb...

BACKGROUND Guidelines from the Japanese Circulation Society recommend prophylaxis with anticoagulation plus intermittent pneumatic compression or graduated compression stockings (GCS) among patients at the highest risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, the benefits of concomitant GCS use for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and receiving anticoagulation rema...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether nitrofurantoin prophylaxis prevents postoperative urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients receiving transurethral catheterization after pelvic reconstructive surgery. METHODS In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, participants undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery were randomized to 100 mg nitrofurantoin or placebo once daily during cathete...

Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum affects prevention of malaria in pregnancy. In a cross-sectional study of 530 pregnant Ghanaian women, P. falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene mutations linked with pyrimethamine resistance were assessed and associations with pyrimethamine intake were analyzed. P. falciparum infected 69% of women without pyrimethamine use, 59% of those who had ...

OBJECTIVE: Neonatal malaria is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Diagnosis of neonatal malaria is difficult because of the similarity in clinical presentation with other neonatal infections. This study aim to highlight the clinical presentations and high mortality still associated with neonatal malaria. METHODS: Twenty four out of 41 neonates seen during a 6 mon...

background: critically ill children admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (picu) are at increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding due to stress related mucosal injury. reducing gastric acid by acid suppressant medication is the accepted prophylaxis treatment, but there is not any definitive guideline for using prophylaxis in picu patients. the present study aimed to assess the effect of p...

BACKGROUND In 2011, Tanzania adopted a policy for provision of daily co-trimoxazole prophylaxis to HIV-infected pregnant women for prevention of malaria and other opportunistic infections. As per the policy, HIV-infected pregnant women should not be given sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive therapy. The challenges associated with this policy change and the extent to which...

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The literature on prevention and therapy of urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) was reviewed using 3 levels of evidence. RESULTS Antibiotic therapy is only indicated in symptomatic bacteriuria or in symptomatic exacerbations of chronic UTI. During the acute phase of a SCI, UTI's are more prevalent and bacteria are different and more r...

BACKGROUND Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a relatively common and potentially life threatening complication after major hip surgery. There are two main types of prophylaxis: chemical and mechanical. Chemical prophylaxis is very effective but causes bleeding complications in surgical wounds and remote organs. On the other hand, mechanical methods are free of hemorrhagic complications but are le...