Basic characteristics of bacterial meningitis in patients treated at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Novi Sad during a 2-year period

Although known for centuries, bacterial meningitis is a disease which still causes death and invalidity no matter there are modern diagnostic methods and therapeutic modalities. Our investigation included 45 patients treated for a purulent meningitis during a two-year period at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Novi Sad. Most patients suffered from meningococcal meningitis. The onset of the disease was sporadic, during winter and spring, and there were no contact cases. Most patients were 2-3 and 8-15 years of age. Patients with pneumococcal meningitis had the most serious clinical picture, course of the disease, laboratory results, as well as outcome of the disease.     

Treatment of early stages of ovarian carcinoma. Evaluation of experience at the Institute of Radiation Oncology over a 10-year period (1983-1993)

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) regulates neutrophil differentiation and function. Serum levels of G-CSF increase during acute infectious processes. The levels of G-CSF were measured in 59 surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. In general, G-CSF was only elevated during the first 2 days after admission to the ICU. Higher G-CSF levels were more frequently observed in patients without infectious complications and in patients who survived. Later on, G-CSF levels were below 100 pg/ml in almost all patients studied. The highest G-CSF level (20,000 pg/ml) was observed in one patient with septic shock 36 h after leukopenia. The patient recovered from septic shock and multiple organ failure and was discharged. It is proposed that surgical ICU patients with low or undetectable G-CSF serum levels may benefit from exogenous G-CSF substitution protocols.     

Evaluation of HIV infection progression in patients treated at the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow in the years 1989-1993

Outpatient Clinic and hospital department for HIV infected person have been working in Chair and Department of Infectious Diseases CM UJ since september, 1st, 1989. The aim of the study was to estimate the progression of HIV infection in patients of our clinic during the four years of observation. The 183 persons with confirmed HIV infection were enrolled in this study. Data for 114 were closely analysed. The diagnoses and stage of the diseases were establish according to the objective and subjective criteria we considered: medical history of patient, especially complaints associated with HIV infection, as objective-physical examination and laboratory investigations, especially the number of CD4 lymphocytes. The stage of the disease were establish according the criteria of Center for Diseases Control. The course of the diseases was compared according to risk group, sex, social condition. The results were evaluated statistically and compared with other medical publications. Judging from the obtained results it can be clearly concluded that there are no differences in course of the diseases associated with life condition. In some cases diseases associated with life condition. In some cases disease has rapid progression, sometimes slowly. Most of evaluated patients were injecting drug users. In the cohort of homosexual and bisexual men we often observed advance form of HIV infection. No differences were found in the course of HIV infection concerning sex and life condition. Illness observed in our patients with HIV infection was typical and compared with that which are presented in other medical publications, only some of them were observed rare or never.     

An audit of mortality in patients with pressure sores admitted to a regional plastic surgery unit over a 20-year period (1972-92)

A retrospective review of the annual mortality records over the last 20 years of Bangour General Hospital Plastic Surgery Unit gave a total of 212 deaths, 10 of which occurred in patients admitted with pressure sores. The significance of this is discussed, particularly related to the changing situation in the organization of the National Health Service. The mortality rate for patients with pressure sores was 3%.