Tolerability and performance of BIP endotracheal tubes with noble metal alloy coating--a randomized clinical evaluation study.

Background: Hospital acquired infections worsen the outcome of patients treated in intensive care units and are costly. Coatings with silver or metal alloys may reduce or alter the formation of biofilm on invasive medical devices. An endotracheal tube (ETT) is used to connect the patient to a ventilator and coated tubes have been tested in relation to bacterial colonization and respiratory infection.

Multiple in vivo passages enhance the ability of a clinical Helicobacter pylori isolate to colonize the stomach of Mongolian gerbils and to induce gastritis.

The Mongolian gerbil is an excellent animal model for Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis in humans. In this study, initially low colonization rates of the H. pylori strains ATCC 43504, SS1, or HP87 inoculated into gerbils caused difficulties in establishing this model.

Safety and efficacy of sildenafil in postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction.

Objectives: Sildenafil has been demonstrated to be safe and effective in the treatment of men with erectile dysfunction. The role of sildenafil in treating women with sexual dysfunction has heretofore not been reported. The purpose of this preliminary study was to ascertain the response of postmenopausal women with self-described sexual dysfunction treated with sildenafil for 3 months.

Combination therapy using oral alpha-blockers and intracavernosal injection in men with erectile dysfunction.

Objectives: Intracavernosal injection with a combination of agents (ie, phentolamine plus papaverine or alprostadil) has been used in an effort to increase efficacy and reduce side effects compared with single agents. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the potential role of oral alpha-blockers in combination with intracavernosal therapy in men with erectile dysfunction, for whom intracavernosal therapy alone failed.

Methods: Thirty-eight consecutive men with moderate to severe erectile dysfunction on the basis of history and examination and with minimal or no therapeutic response to intracavernosal alprostadil injection therapy were evaluated.