FDA approves Xtoro to treat swimmer’s ear
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Xtoro (finafloxacin otic suspension), a new drug used to treat acute otitis externa, commonly known as swimmer’s ear. (Source: Food and Drug Administration)
Source: Food and Drug Administration - December 17, 2014 Category: American Health Source Type: news
What Are the Advantages of Human Donor Breastmilk?
Discussion
Premature infants have unique needs and risks because of their prematurity. Adequate nutrition is one of those problems. In utero the fetus is basically able to “take” everything it needs from the mother already in usable form via the blood stream. In the world, the infant needs to have a neurological and oral-motor apparatus that can coordinate an adequate suck and swallow, and a gastrointestinal tract that is able to absorb the nutrients. The premature infant also needs water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and macro- and micro-nutrients that are appropriate for its gestational age and changing needs...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - December 8, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
More breastfeeding 'would save NHS millions'
ConclusionThis economic model estimates that increasing the number of women who start and continue to breastfeed would save the NHS tens of millions of pounds. These savings would come through reduced incidence of three infectious diseases that occur in infancy, reducing the number of newborns who have necrotising enterocolitis, and reducing the incidence of maternal breast cancer, all of which are beneficial to the health of mother and baby.But these savings, as with all economic models, have been calculated using a number of assumptions, including the estimated rate of breastfeeding in the UK, which was taken from 2005 f...
Source: NHS News Feed - December 5, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice Pregnancy/child Source Type: news
Update on the Management of Pediatric Acute Otitis MediaUpdate on the Management of Pediatric Acute Otitis Media
Which antibiotics are first-line for treatment of AOM? U.S. Pharmacist (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - November 17, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Pediatrics Journal Article Source Type: news
Otitis Media Prescriptions Differ by RaceOtitis Media Prescriptions Differ by Race
Racial differences in otitis media care between black and nonblack children suggest that the majority of children in the United States are inappropriately receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines - November 17, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Pediatrics News Source Type: news
Updated Acute Otitis Externa Guideline Garners AAFP Endorsement
The Academy has endorsed an acute otitis externa guideline from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation that provides evidence-based treatment recommendations and places particular emphasis on patient education and counseling. (Source: AAFP News)
Source: AAFP News - November 5, 2014 Category: Primary Care Source Type: news
Is Enterovirus D68 A New Virus?
Discussion
Enteroviral infections are RNA viruses including Coxsackieviruses A and B, Echoviruses and Enteroviruses. They are common and spread by respiratory secretions, fecal-oral contamination and fomites. They commonly occur in summer and fall in temperate climates but are less seasonally seen in the tropics. Hand hygiene is especially important to prevent infection. The incubation period is usually 3-6 days. The viruses are best isolated from the throat, stool and rectal swab specimens but other infectious sites can also be used for viral isolation. Treatment is supportive. Infants, children and teens are more likely ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - October 20, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Antibiotic treatments 'fail' 15% of the time
ConclusionOverall, this is a highly informative study of GP antibiotic prescribing for common infections in the UK. The overall antibiotic treatment failure rate was 15% over the course of the study period; these were mainly cases where there was a need to prescribe a different antibiotic within 30 days. There was a slight increase in failure rate, from 13.9% in 1991 to 15.4% in 2012. Within the infection classes, particular antibiotics had notable changes in failure rates, while others remained fairly stable. Reassuringly, amoxicillin and other commonly prescribed antibiotics currently still have fairly low failure rates....
Source: NHS News Feed - September 26, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Medical practice Source Type: news
Influenza A potentiates pneumococcal co-infection: New details emerge
Influenza infection can enhance the ability of the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae to cause ear and throat infections, according to research. "As with most pneumococcal infections, it should be appreciated that localized nonlethal infections are much more common than the rapidly lethal presentations," says one expert. "For example, influenza is a contributing factor in otitis media (middle ear infections) in children." (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - September 22, 2014 Category: Science Source Type: news
Vaccines Lead to Decline in Complex Otitis Media IncidenceVaccines Lead to Decline in Complex Otitis Media Incidence
Recurrent, nonresponsive otitis media caused by any pneumococcal strain fell 77% with the introduction of pneumococcal vaccines, according to a new study. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Infectious Diseases Headlines)
Source: Medscape Infectious Diseases Headlines - September 4, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Infectious Diseases News Source Type: news
Steep rise in antibiotic use for coughs and colds
ConclusionThis cross-sectional study has found the proportion of people with coughs and colds that are prescribed antibiotics rose from 36% in 1999 to 51% in 2011 – an increase of approximately 40%. This is despite the publication of guidance recommending that GPs do not prescribe antibiotics for coughs and colds. It also found substantial variation between different GP practices, with 10% of practices prescribing antibiotics for less than 32% of cases and 10% of practices prescribing antibiotics for more than 65% of cases, suggesting that substantially lower rates of prescribing could be achieved.The study also looke...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 5, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice Medication Source Type: news
What Medications Should Be Avoided with Long QT Syndrome?
Discussion
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a frequent cause of pharyngitis, pneumonia and acute bronchitis, but acute otitis media is uncommon. Symptoms are usually self-limited and variable and include cough (non-productive usually but later can be productive), fever, fatigue and occasionally headache. Coryza is rare. Cough can continue for 3 to 4 weeks and can be accompanied by wheezing. Radiographic changes include diffuse infiltrates or focal abnormalities but are variable.
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a group of disorders that have a prolonged QT interval and a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Torsade de pointes (“t...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - July 14, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
This Ear Looks Different
Discussion
The tympanic membrane has two parts, the pars flaccida and the pars tensa. Each has 3 major layers: an external keratinizing squamous epithelial layer, a central connective tissue layer, and an internal epithelial layer. The pars flaccida connective tissue layer is less well-organized than the pars tensa.
Learning Point
Normally, there is a centripetal migration of the keratinocytes from the central part of the tympanic membrane (along the malleus) outward to the periphery. An india ink stain of this process can be seen here. The cell migration outward is slow to begin with (i.e. new cells stay near the central ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - May 26, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
WHO warns about threat of drug resistance
“WHO calls for urgent action to preserve power of antibiotics and make new ones,” The Guardian reports. The World Health Organization (WHO), has published a report highlighting the growing global threat of drug resistance.
Expert opinions on the implications of the WHO report have been informative, such as the quote, on BBC News, from Dr Jennifer Cohn, medical director of Médecins sans Frontières' Access Campaign, who said that this report should be “a wake-up call to governments to introduce incentives for industry to develop new, affordable antibiotics that do not rely [on] patents and high prices and are adapted...
Source: NHS News Feed - May 1, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication QA articles Source Type: news
What Causes Ataxia?
Discussion
Coordination and balance problems are caused by various problems affecting the central and peripheral nervous system. Normal development of a child or weakness of a child are commonly mistaken for true ataxia. Ataxia specifically refers to “…impairment of the coordination of movement without loss of muscle strength.” If it is purely due to abnormalities of the cerebellum then there should be no changes in mental status, sensation or weakness. Sometimes it is difficult to determine if there are abnormalities in other areas. For example, Guillian-Barre often presents with difficulty or clumsy wal...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - March 31, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
