Continuous versus intermittent infusions of ceftazidime for treating exacerbation of cystic fibrosis.

The present multicenter, randomized crossover study compared the safety and efficacy of continuous infusion with those of short infusions of ceftazidime in patients with cystic fibrosis. Patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization received two successive courses of intravenous tobramycin and ceftazidime (200 mg/kg of body weight/day) for pulmonary exacerbation administered as thrice-daily short infusions or as a continuous infusion. The primary endpoint was the variation in the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) during the course of antibiotic treatment.

Characteristics and prognosis of resected T3 non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: T3 tumors can be divided into several subgroups depending on the type of anatomical structure invaded: chest wall, mediastinal pleura, or main bronchus. The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics and prognosis of each subgroup of T3 tumors.

Methods: The results of surgical treatment were retrospectively analyzed for 261 patients with T3 non-small cell lung cancer invading either the mediastinal pleura or parietal pericardium by direct extension (mediastinal pT3, n = 68), or main bronchus (bronchial pT3, n = 68), or chest wall (chest wall pT3, n = 125) that were operated on between 1984 and 1996.