Risk factors, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and patient outcomes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection: A matched case-control study.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading nosocomial Gram-negative bacteria associated with prolonged hospitalization, and increased morbidity and mortality. Limited data exist regarding P. aeruginosa infection and outcome in patients managed in intensive care units (ICUs) in the Gulf countries.

Over-the-counter antibiotics in Saudi Arabia, an urgent call for policy makers.

Antibiotics over-consumption is a pandemic that has a tremendous cost on the overwhelmed healthcare system. The accessibility of antibiotics coupled with the misconception of public toward those drugs both of which implicated in the use and misuse of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of the community toward antibiotics, its purpose and harmfulness, in addition to the accessibility of those drugs as over the counter and without prescriptions.

Is the incidence trend of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia decreased by the increased use of low-molecular-weight-heparin?

Background: The increasing trend of using low-molecular-weight-heparin (LMWH) versus unfractionated heparin (UFH) in hospitalized adult patients is raising concerns about the incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).

Method: A retrospective study analyzed the requests for heparin-induced antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) among adult hospitalized patients during the period from January 2011 to December 2013. These patients received either UFH or LMWH for prevention or therapeutic indications.

Pharmacotherapy of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: therapeutic options and challenges in the clinical practices.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an immune response to heparin associated with significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients if unidentified as soon as possible, owing to thromboembolic complications involving both arterial and venous systems. Early diagnoses based on a comprehensive interpretation of clinical and laboratory information improves clinical outcomes. Management principles of strongly suspected HIT should not be delayed for laboratory result confirmation.