Palivizumab prophylaxis during nosocomial outbreaks of respiratory syncytial virus in a neonatal intensive care unit: predicting effectiveness with an artificial neural network model.

Study Objective: To identify subgroups of premature infants who may benefit from palivizumab prophylaxis during nosocomial outbreaks of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.

Design: Retrospective analysis using an artificial intelligence model.

Setting: Level IIIB, 35-bed, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a tertiary care hospital in the United Arab Emirates.

A pilot study of prophylactic ciprofloxacin during delayed intensification in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: We hypothesized that prophylactic administration of an appropriate antibiotic following each delayed intensification (DI) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) would reduce the episodes of fever and bacteremia associated with neutropenia, and hence reduce both the rate and duration of hospitalization.

Procedure: All patients in the study were treated according to a modified Medical Research Council United Kingdom ALL XI (MRC UKALL XI) protocol utilizing three DI courses. Between June and December 2000 patients received prophylactic ciprofloxacin following DI courses.