Computed tomography angiography scoring systems and the role of skull defects in the confirmation of brain death.

To assess and compare all current computed tomography angiography (CTA) scoring systems for the diagnostic workup of brain death (BD) to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and clinical tests. Fifty-two patients with a clinical suspicion of BD underwent CTA and subsequently DSA. The diagnostic performance of all current CTA scoring systems was compared to that of DSA, in all patients with a suspicion of BD.

Differences in brand versus generic esmolol in the treatment of perioperative supraventricular tachycardia and hypertension: A pilot study.

Background: Once a patent expires, generic analogue drugs are alternatives to brand name drugs. Because bioequivalence/biodistribution problems have been reported for many generic analogue drugs, we prospectively evaluated 31 patients to reveal the differences in the doses used and the efficacy and adverse events of two different intravenous esmolol formulations.

Methods: This was a prospective observational pilot study.

Molecular epidemiology and risk factors for colistin- or tigecycline-resistant carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection in critically ill patients during a 7-year period.

A matched 1:2 case-control study was conducted among critically ill patients in order to identify the risk factors of colistin or tigecycline-resistant carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ColR-Kp, TigR-Kp) bacteraemia. MIC to colistin and tigecycline were determined by Etest. From 224 bacteraemic patients, 46.