Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on the Presentation and Response to Treatment of Adults With Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Qatar

Background Persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a 3-fold increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). Atypical radiographic findings and differences in bacteriologic response during anti-TB treatment have been reported in earlier studies; however, the findings have varied. We evaluated the effect of DM on manifestations and response to treatment in adults with pulmonary TB in Qatar. Methods The impact of DM on the clinical and radiographic presentations of pulmonary TB and bacteriologic response during anti-TB treatment was evaluated between January 2007 and December 2011, comparing patients with and without DM. This is a retrospective unmatched case-control study conducted at a large national hospital. Cases and controls were randomly selected from patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB over a 5-year period. Sputum culture conversion was assessed after 2 months of anti-TB treatment. Results Clinical symptoms were similar between patients with and without DM. Patients with DM had a higher initial sputum acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear grade and were less likely to have cavitary lesions on initial chest radiographs than patients without DM. Of 134 adults with DM and TB, 71 (53%) remained sputum culture positive after 2 months of anti-TB treatment, compared with 36 (27%) patients without DM. Conclusions DM was associated with atypical radiographic findings and delayed sputum culture conversion at 2 months in adults with pulmonary TB in Qatar. Increased health education of patients with DM about symptoms of TB, low thresholds for evaluation for active TB, and close monitoring of bacteriologic response to treatment among patients with TB and DM are warranted.

Treatment of Community-Acquired Acute Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection with Sparfloxacin versus Ofloxacin

ABSTRACT The efficacy and safety of a 3-day regimen of sparfloxacin were compared with those of a 3-day regimen of ofloxacin for the treatment of community-acquired acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Four hundred nineteen women were enrolled in a randomized, open-label, observer-blinded, multicenter study; 204 received sparfloxacin as a 400-mg loading dose on the first day and 200 mg once daily thereafter, and 215 received ofloxacin as 200 mg twice daily. A total of 383 patients met the criteria for clinical evaluability, and 174 were also bacteriologically evaluable; all treated patients were included in the safety analysis. Escherichia coli (86%) andStaphylococcus saprophyticus (4.6%) were the organisms most commonly isolated. Positive clinical responses were obtained 5 to 9 days after therapy in more than 92% of the patients in each group; sustained clinical cure rates 4 to 6 weeks after therapy were 78.3 and 76.9% in the sparfloxacin and ofloxacin groups, respectively. A positive bacteriologic response was observed in 98% of the bacteriologically evaluable patients in each treatment group at 5 to 9 days posttherapy and in 88.2 and 92.6% of the patients in the sparfloxacin and ofloxacin groups, respectively, 4 to 6 weeks after therapy. Almost 90% of all adverse events were of mild or moderate severity; the most frequent events at least possibly related to drug treatment were those common to the fluoroquinolones, namely, nausea, diarrhea, headache, insomnia, and photosensitivity. Photosensitivity was more frequent in the sparfloxacin group (6.9% versus 0.5% in the ofloxacin group); insomnia was more frequent in the ofloxacin group (3.7% versus 1.0% in the sparfloxacin group). These data suggest that a once-daily, 3-day regimen of sparfloxacin is effective and generally well tolerated in the treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections.

Progress in Understanding the Pathophysiology of Otitis Media

Otitis media is one of the most common diseases of infants and young children, and its complications and sequelae may persist into adult years. The disease affects at least 7 of every 10 children, with one third of those affected having repeated episodes, and chronic middle ear disease, commonly called otitis media with effusion, developing in 5% to 10% of them. The management of childhood otitis media has changed considerably during the past five decades. Before the introduction of antimicrobial drugs, myringotomy was, and in some countries remains today, the treatment of choice. The introduction of sulfonamides and penicillin four decades ago and their widespread use in treating acute otitis media led to a great reduction in the incidence of suppurative complications. Of the new orally administered antibiotics, many have been found to be efficacious in treating acute otitis media. Sophisticated methods of measuring treatment outcome suggest, however, that there are differences in rates of bacteriologic response to these drugs. Moreover, adjunctive therapies such as decongestants, antihistamines, steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and topical drugs, in addition to myringotomy and adenoidectomy, have been advocated by some in treating acute and recurrent otitis media. These newer therapeutic interventions have led to controversies regarding management of the disease.

Relapse of Hemophilus influenzae Type b Meningitis After Combined Antibiotic Therapy: Report of a Case

Antibiotic therapy of bacterial meningitis is being reevaluated due to reports of ampicillin-resistant strains of Hemophilus influenzae type b. The infant reported had a relapse of H. influenzae type b meningitis after an excellent clinical and bacteriologic response to an initial course of combined antibiotic therapy including chloramphenicol. This relapse is postulated to be due to localized cerebral vasculitis which was not treated for a sufficient period of time during the initial course of therapy. The patient responded well to a second course of penicillin and chloramphenicol. Since the use of penicillin and chloramphenicol will be increasing, the clinician should be aware that bacteriologic relapse of H. influenzae type b meningitis may occur with chloramphenicol therapy.