Better diagnostic value of tissue cultures obtained during mini-open and arthroscopic procedures compared with sterile punctures to identify periprosthetic shoulder infections: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of sterile shoulder needle aspiration and cultures obtained during arthroscopic and mini-open procedures for detecting periprosthetic shoulder infections using tissue cultures from revision surgery as the gold standard. METHODS: All shoulder arthroplasty patients who underwent a synovial fluid puncture between August 2012 and February 2018 were selected. In addition, arthroplasty patients with cultures obtained during arthroscopic or mini-open procedures between May 2014 and May 2021 were selected. When sterile punctures or biopsy procedures were followed by revision surgery with collection of 6 tissue cultures, patients were included in the study and efficacy measures were calculated. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were included in this study (with 57 punctures) and underwent analysis of puncture results after exclusions. Positive puncture results were found for Cutibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus hominis, Actinomyces neuii, and Proteus mirabilis. These puncture cultures showed a sensitivity of 20.0% and specificity of 90.6%. From May 2014 to May 2021, 51 biopsy procedures were performed (15 arthroscopic and 36 mini-open); 37 biopsy procedures were included in this study (12 arthroscopic and 25 mini-open) for analysis after exclusions. Positive culture results were found for C acnes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saccharolyticus, and Streptococcus species. Arthroscopic biopsy cultures showed a sensitivity of 60.0% and specificity of 85.7%. For the mini-open biopsy cultures, the sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 85.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Sterile punctures for culture have a low sensitivity and a high specificity for diagnosing periprosthetic shoulder infections. Tissue cultures obtained during mini-open and arthroscopic procedures have a higher sensitivity for detecting periprosthetic shoulder infections

Experimental infection with Plasmodium falciparum does not result in the induction of anticardiolipin antibodies in healthy volunteers

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Patients with humoral primary immunodeficiency do not develop protective anti-influenza antibody titers after vaccination with trivalent subunit influenza vaccine.

Contains fulltext : 89822.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Yearly influenza vaccination is recommended for patients with humoral primary immunodeficiency (hPID). However, humoral responses following vaccination can be expected to be reduced in these patients. The efficacy of influenza vaccination in patients with hPID, anti-influenza antibody responses was assessed in 26 patients with hPID and 26 matched healthy controls (HC) using hemagglutination inhibition assay. Following vaccination, geometric mean titers (GMT) significantly increased for all influenza strains in the HC group, but only for A/H1N1 in the patient group. Fold increase in anti-influenza titer and seroprotection rates were lower for patients than for HC for A/H3N2 and A/H1N1, leading to postvaccination titer > or =40 in only 29% and 83% vs. 77% and 100%, respectively. Previous vaccination in patients and treatment with IVIg did not result in a higher rate of postvaccination titer > or =40. In conclusion, patients with hPID show hardly any humoral response following influenza vaccination.1 augustus 201

The influence of efavirenz on the pharmacokinetics of a twice-daily combination of indinavir and low-dose ritonavir in healthy volunteers.

Contains fulltext : 119507.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of multiple-dose efavirenz on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of the combination of indinavir (800 mg) and low-dose ritonavir (100 mg) twice a day, in which ritonavir is used to increase indinavir plasma concentrations. METHODS: Eighteen healthy male volunteers participated in this multiple-dose, 1-arm, 2-period interaction study. They took a combination of 800 mg indinavir and 100 mg ritonavir with food for 15 days. From days 15 to 29, a once-daily administration of 600 mg efavirenz was added to the combination. Pharmacokinetics of indinavir and ritonavir on days 15 and 29 were compared. RESULTS: Fourteen volunteers completed the study. The addition of efavirenz resulted in significant reductions (P <.01) in indinavir area under the curve (AUC, -25%), trough concentration (C(min), -50%), and maximum concentration (C(max), -17%). All indinavir C(min) levels on day 29 remained equivalent to or above the mean C(min) value described for the regimen of 800 mg indinavir three times a day, without ritonavir (0.15 mg/L). Changes in ritonavir AUC, C(min), and C(max) were -36%, -39%, and -34%, respectively. Pharmacokinetics of efavirenz on day 29 were comparable with published data. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of efavirenz to a combination of 800 mg indinavir and 100 mg ritonavir twice daily results in significant decreases in AUC, C(max), and especially C(min) of indinavir. The dose of indinavir or ritonavir should be increased to maintain similar indinavir drug levels after addition of efavirenz to the indinavir-ritonavir combination. Dose modifications may not be needed in antiretroviral-naive human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients if the reference C(min) of the regimen of 800 mg indinavir 3 times a day is considered to be adequate

Cell-mediated immune responses to inactivated trivalent influenza-vaccination are decreased in patients with common variable immunodeficiency

Influenza-specific cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses can protect from influenza, but may be decreased in CVID-patients since defects in CMI responses have been demonstrated in CVID-patients. Therefore CMI responses were evaluated in 15 CVID-patients and 15 matched healthy controls (HC) by determining frequencies of interferon (IFN)-gamma-producing PBMC, and frequencies of IFN gamma-, interleukin (IL)-2- and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells before and after influenza vaccination using IRA), enzyme-linked immunospot (IFN gamma-ELISpot) and flow cytometry. Humoral responses were determined using haemagglutination inhibition assay. In CVID-patients the number of spotforming PBMC in the IFN gamma-ELISpot did not increase following influenza vaccination, in contrast to HC. In flow cytometry, the frequencies of IFN gamma-producing T-cells decreased in CVID-patients after influenza vaccination, while in HC the frequencies of IFN gamma-production flow cytometry increased. Concluding, CMI responses following influenza vaccination are hampered in CVID-patients compared to HC. Additional protective strategies against influenza other than vaccination are warranted. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved