Low level laser therapy (AlGaInP) applied at 5J/cm2 reduces the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus MRSA in infected wounds and intact skin of rats*

BACKGROUND: Laser therapy is a low cost, non-invasive procedure with good healing results. Doubts exist as to whether laser therapy action on microorganisms can justify research aimed at investigating its possible effects on bacteria-infected wounds. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of low intensity laser on the rate of bacterial contamination in infected wounds in the skin of rats. METHODS: An experimental study using 56 male Wistar rats. The animals were randomly divided into eight groups of seven each. Those in the "infected" groups were infected by Staphylococcus aureus MRSA in the dorsal region. Red laser diode (AlGaInP) 658nm, 5J/cm(2) was used to treat the animals in the "treated" groups in scan for 3 consecutive days. Samples were drawn before inoculating bacteria and following laser treatment. For statistical analysis we used the nonparametric Wilcoxon (paired data) method with a significance level of p <0.05. RESULTS: The statistical analysis of median values showed that the groups submitted to laser treatment had low bacterial proliferation. CONCLUSION: The laser (AlGaInP), with a dose of 5J/cm(2) in both intact skin and in wounds of rats infected with Staphylococcus aureus MRSA, is shown to reduce bacterial proliferation

Estudo comparativo prospectivo e randomizado entre o tratamento cirúrgico das fraturas diafisárias do úmero com placa em ponte e haste intramedular bloqueada (análise preliminar) Comparative, prospective and randomized study of humeral shaft fractures requiring surgical treatment: bridging plate versus locked intramedullary nail (preliminary analysys)

A grande maioria das fraturas de diáfise de úmero são de tratamento conservador. As indicações absolutas(ie lesão vascular) e relativas(ie paralisia nervosa primária) para tratamento cirúrgico estão bem estabelecidas na literatura. Os dois principais métodos utilizados para tal, a placa de auto-compressão e a haste intramedular travada possuem estudos comparando-os.No entanto não existem trabalhos comparando a haste intramedular com a placa em ponte e é a este fim que o presente estudo destina-se.<br>The treatment of the great majority of humeral shaft fractures is conservative. Absolute indications (i.e., vascular injury) and relative indications (i.e., primary nervous palsy) for surgical treatment are well established by literature. The two most used methods for that purpose - the self - compression plate and the locked intramedullary nail - have already been comparatively studied. However, there are no studies comparing intramedullary nails to the bridging plate, therefore, this is the objective of the present study

Clinical presentation, aetiology and outcome of infective endocarditis. Results of the ESC-EORP EURO-ENDO (European infective endocarditis) registry: a prospective cohort study

The EURO-ENDO registry aimed to study the management and outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis (IE). AIMS: The EURO-ENDO registry aimed to study the management and outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis (IE). METHODS AND RESULTS: Prospective cohort of 3116 adult patients (2470 from Europe, 646 from non-ESC countries), admitted to 156 hospitals in 40 countries between January 2016 and March 2018 with a diagnosis of IE based on ESC 2015 diagnostic criteria. Clinical, biological, microbiological, and imaging [echocardiography, computed tomography (CT) scan, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT)] data were collected. Infective endocarditis was native (NVE) in 1764 (56.6%) patients, prosthetic (PVIE) in 939 (30.1%), and device-related (CDRIE) in 308 (9.9%). Infective endocarditis was community-acquired in 2046 (65.66%) patients. Microorganisms involved were staphylococci in 1085 (44.1%) patients, oral streptococci in 304 (12.3%), enterococci in 390 (15.8%), and Streptococcus gallolyticus in 162 (6.6%). 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography was performed in 518 (16.6%) patients and presented with cardiac uptake (major criterion) in 222 (42.9%) patients, with a better sensitivity in PVIE (66.8%) than in NVE (28.0%) and CDRIE (16.3%). Embolic events occurred in 20.6% of patients, and were significantly associated with tricuspid or pulmonary IE, presence of a vegetation and Staphylococcus aureus IE. According to ESC guidelines, cardiac surgery was indicated in 2160 (69.3%) patients, but finally performed in only 1596 (73.9%) of them. In-hospital death occurred in 532 (17.1%) patients and was more frequent in PVIE. Independent predictors of mortality were Charlson index, creatinine &gt; 2\u2009mg/dL, congestive heart failure, vegetation length &gt; 10 mm, cerebral complications, abscess, and failure to undertake surgery when indicated. CONCLUSION: Infective endocarditis is still a life-threatening disease with frequent lethal outcome despite profound changes in its clinical, microbiological, imaging, and therapeutic profiles