Psychological response to growth hormone treatment in short normal children

This study provides a controlled assessment of the psychological (and physical) effects of growth hormone treatment. Fifteen short 'normal' children (height SD score < -2) have been treated with growth hormone since the age of 7/8 years. They, together with untreated short controls and average controls (10th-90th centiles), were assessed at recruitment, after three years, and after five years. Only the treated group showed a significant height increase (SD score -2.44 to -1.21 over five years). No significant differences were found at recruitment, three years, or five years in IQ, attainment, behaviour, or self esteem. Also at five years, there were no significant differences in locus of control, self perception, or parental perceptions of competence. Both short groups displayed less satisfaction with their height than the controls (p < 0.01), though all groups were optimistic of being tall adults. The treated children were no more unrealistic over final height than the untreated children. To date, no psychological benefits of treatment have been demonstrated; but nor have there been any discernible ill effects for either the treated or the untreated children

Twelve Years Of Fluconazole In Clinical Practice: Global-Trends In Species Distribution And Fluconazole Susceptibility Of Bloodstream Isolates Of Candida

We determined the species distribution and in-vitro susceptibility of 6082 bloodstream infection (BSI)isolates ofCandidaspp. collected from 250 medical centres in 32 nations over a 10-year period from 1992through 2001. The species included 3401C. albicans, 984C. glabrata, 796C. parapsilosis, 585C. tropicalis,153C. krusei,67C. lusitaniae,48C. guilliermondii,10C. famata,10C. kefyr, sixC. pelliculosa, fiveC. rugosa,fourC. lipolytica, threeC.dubliniensis, threeC. inconspicua, twoC. sakeand one isolate each ofC. lambica,C. norvegensisandC. zeylanoides. Minimum inhibitory concentration determinations were made usingthe National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards reference broth microdilution method.Variation in the rank order and frequency of the different species ofCandidawas observed over time andby geographic area. The proportion of BSI due toC. albicansandC. glabrataincreased andC. parapsilosisdecreased over time in Canada, the USA and Europe.C. glabratawas an infrequent cause of BSI in LatinAmerica and the Asia-Pacific region. Very little variation in fluconazole susceptibility was observedamong isolates ofC. albicans,C. tropicalisandC. parapsilosis. These species accounted for 78%of all BSIand remained highly susceptible (91–100%susceptible) to fluconazole from 1992 to 2001 irrespective ofgeographic origin. The prevalence of fluconazole resistance amongC. glabrataisolates was variable bothover time and among the various countries and regions. Resistance to fluconazole amongC. glabrataisolates was greatest in the USA and varied by US census region (range 0–23%). These observations aregenerally encouraging relative to the sustained usefulness of fluconazole as a systemically activeantifungal agent for the treatment of candida BSI.Scopu