Effectiveness of mono antiplatelet therapy vs dual antiplatelet therapy in ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack-Special subgroup consideration for the African-American Population.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of mono antiplatelet therapy vs dual antiplatelet therapy in reducing recurrent stroke and mortality in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). A subgroup analysis was conducted to compare outcomes in African-American patients compared with non-African-American patients.

Methods: This is a single-centre, retrospective, chart review, cohort study conducted at the University Medical Center New Orleans (UMCNO), New Orleans, Louisiana.

Concordance of Vancomycin Population-Predicted Pharmacokinetics with Patient-Specific Pharmacokinetics in Adult Hospitalized Patients: A Case Series.

Background: Vancomycin empiric therapy is commonly dosed using clinical algorithms adapted from population-predicted pharmacokinetic parameters. However, precise dosing of vancomycin can be designed using patient-specific pharmacokinetic calculations.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the correlational fit between vancomycin population-predicted and patient-specific pharmacokinetic parameters [elimination rate constant (K) and half-life (t)] in a case series of adult hospitalized patients.

Evaluation of Physician Prescribing Patterns For Antibiotics in the Treatment of Nonnecrotizing Skin and Soft Tissue Infections.

Purpose: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) cause about 15 million cases of infection that result in more than 869,000 annual hospitalizations in the United States. Cellulitis accounted for 63% of all patients hospitalized with SSTIs between 2009 and 2011. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate physician adherence rates to evidence-based practice guidelines.

Observations of resistance through minimum inhibitory concentrations trends for respiratory specimens of commonly isolated organisms.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) trends among common bacterial organisms found in respiratory isolates in the trauma intensive care unit setting.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, MIC data was reviewed over a three year period from January 2009 to December 2011 for the three most frequently identified organisms isolated from respiratory specimens in a trauma intensive care unit along with corresponding hospital data.

Results: The most frequently isolated bacterial species identified were Staphylococcus aureus (229 isolates), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (129 isolates), and Acinetobacter species (87 isolates) in the analysis within our institution from 2009-2011.

Antimicrobial susceptibilities of respiratory pathogens in the surgical/trauma intensive care unit compared with the hospital-wide respiratory antibiogram in a level I trauma center.

Background: Unit-specific antibiograms have developed to guide clinicians to appropriate antibiotic choices for subsets of patients. The additional level of a unit- and respiratory-specific antibiogram for surgical and trauma patients defines key differences in susceptibility information for treating hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Methods: This was a three-year, retrospective single-center study.

The impact of acculturation on diabetes risk among Arab Americans in Southeastern Louisiana.

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between acculturation and diabetes risk among Arab Americans in Southeastern Louisiana. The secondary objective was to identify the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease in the same population.

Background: Research suggests that Arab Americans report disproportionate rates of diabetes and other chronic diseases.