Decreased in vitro fluoroquinolone concentrations after admixture with an enteral feeding formulation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine if mixing of fluoroquinolones with a common enteral feeding formulation, Ensure (Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories, Columbus, OH), would alter the measured in vitro quinolone concentrations over a 24-hour period.

Methods: Tablets of ciprofloxacin (500 mg), levofloxacin (500 mg), and ofloxacin (300 mg) were crushed and mixed with 240 mL of Ensure, water and calcium chloride (500 mg/L), water and magnesium chloride (200 mg/L), water and calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, and water alone. Fluoroquinolone concentrations of the mixtures were measured, via high-performance liquid chromatography, at baseline and serially over 24 hours.

Determination of quinolone antibiotics in growth media by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple, accurate, precise, and versatile high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed and validated for the determination of three quinolone antibodies in Mueller-Hinton broth. The fluoroquinolone agents studied were ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and sparfloxacin; other quinolone agents have been identified using this method but not validated in this matrix (levofloxacin, clinafloxacin, temafloxacin, and trovafloxacin). In addition, several other biological growth mediums have been investigated (human serum, human urine, Todd-Hewitt growth media, Ensure enteral feeding solution, and Haemophilus growth media).

Lorazepam stability in parenteral solutions for continuous intravenous administration.

Objective: To determine the stability of lorazepam over a 24-hour period when prepared in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags at initial concentrations of 0.08 and 0.5 mg/mL.

Early enteral feeding does not attenuate metabolic response after blunt trauma.

Enteral feeding very early after trauma has been hypothesized to attenuate the stress response and to improve patient outcome. We tested this hypothesis in a prospective, randomized clinical trial in patients with blunt trauma. Following resuscitation and control of bleeding, 52 patients were randomized to receive early feedings (target, < 24 hours) or late feedings (target, 72 hours).

Nitrogen balance studies in clinical nutrition.

Nutrition support is recognized as an important cofactor in altering morbidity and mortality of hospitalized patients. Paramount in delivering proper nutrition support is the accurate determination of baseline metabolic and nutritional status, thus influencing necessary protein requirements. After nutritional intervention, routine laboratory monitoring is used to measure the efficacy and to reassess metabolic stress level.