Nationwide survey in Italy of treatment of Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis in children: influence of macrolide resistance on clinical and microbiological outcomes. Artemis-Italy Study Group.

Throat swab specimens were obtained from 3,227 children with symptoms of acute pharyngotonsillitis. After 14 to 21 days, a second throat swab specimen was obtained at a follow-up visit. Over 42% of the 934 strains of Streptococcus pyogenes isolated in the primary study were resistant to erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin.

Evaluation of the efficacy of oral cromolyn sodium or an oligoantigenic diet in children with atopic dermatitis: a multicenter study of 1085 patients.

One thousand eighty-five children with atopic dermatitis were enrolled in a multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy of 4 weeks of oral sodium cromoglycate or 4 weeks of a restricted diet. One thousand-eleven children (93%) concluded the study. At the end of the trial there was a significant improvement in skin lesions in the two groups: 61% of the patients in the sodium cromoglycate group and 69% in the restricted diet showed a significant improvement in atopic dermatitis.

Retrospective survey on the epidemiology of H. influenzae type B meningitis in Italy (1987-91).

A retrospective survey on the epidemiology of H. Influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis was carried out in seven Italian hospitals. During the period 1987-1991, 95 (16.

Pharmacokinetics of brodimoprim in special populations.

The pharmacokinetics of brodimoprim have been investigated after single oral dose administration in children, in healthy adults, and elderly subjects, as well as in patients with mild renal failure (creatinine clearance 40-70 mL/min) or liver insufficiency (Child-Pugh grade A or B). The plasma half-life increased moderately with age. The percent brodimoprim bound to plasma proteins, 93%, was identical in renally impaired patients and in healthy controls but decreased to 90% or less in liver insufficiency.

Clinical comparative study of azithromycin versus erythromycin in the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in children.

The efficacy and tolerability of azithromycin and erythromycin in the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in children were compared in an open, multicenter, randomized trial. A total of 151 children, aged from 2 months to 14 years, suffering from upper airways infections (60), or lower respiratory tract infections (91), were randomized to be treated either with azithromycin, 10 mg/Kg/day per os once daily for 3 or 10 mg/Kg/day 1 and 5 mg/Kg/days 2-5 (77 patients) or with erythromycin, 50 mg/Kg/day thrice daily for at least 7 days (74 patients). The two treatment groups did not significantly differ as to sex, age, weight, type and severity of infection, and infecting pathogens.

[Rational bases of current etiopathogenetic therapy of bacterial meningitis. Review of the literature and personal experience in 122 pediatric cases].

Bacterial meningitis is a serious infectious disease, the course of which depends on the correct use of antibiotics and an intensive symptomatic and support therapy. The presence of microbes and their fractions in the CNS determines inflammatory phenomena that lead, through complex mechanisms, to the supportive treatment has the purpose of curbing the inflammatory phenomena, reducing cerebral oedema and avoiding ischaemia. This therapy makes use of cortisone and mannitol.

Rational basis of modern therapy of bacterial meningitis. Review of the literature and our clinical experience of 122 pediatric cases.

In recent years the treatment of bacterial meningitis has been modified on the basis of a better understanding of its physiopathological mechanisms. It has been shown, for example, that the inflammatory reaction is the primary cause of brain damage in bacterial meningitis. Inflammation and consequent brain damage are greatest in the first hours of antibiotic treatment when rapid and massive bacteriolysis takes place.

Imipenem use in serious childhood infections.

Imipenem plus cilastatin is a beta-lactam antibiotic with a broad spectrum and good tolerance. For this its use is indicated in serious infections even in children. The authors carried out a preliminary bacteriological study in patients affected by serious infection, cystic fibrosis, tumors, neutropenia, subjects undergoing intensive therapy and those with abdominal surgical infection.

[Macrolide-theophylline interaction. Experiences in pediatrics].

Subjects suffering from bronchial asthma being treated with theophylline often have to be treated with an antibiotic during acute stages. The purpose of the present study is to assess to clearance variation in theophylline when a macrolide antibiotic is associated after theophyllinemia steady-state has been attained. It has been seen that macrolides interfere differently on the blood levels of theophylline.

[Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid suspension for children in the treatment of bronchopulmonary infections].

The present study has been tested on 30 children, 14 males and 16 females, average age 4.11 +/- 0.44 (range 9 months to 10 years), weight of 17.

Short-term treatment of streptococcal tonsillitis with ceftriaxone.

The short-term therapy of streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis and scarlet fever with ceftriaxone (Rocephin) is reported. Sixty children, in whom the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by rapid enzyme immunoassay and smear test, were divided into two randomized groups and treated with a single dose of 50 mg/kg ceftriaxone or 50 mg/kg ceftriaxone on 3 consecutive days. Clinical cure was obtained in 100% of the patients and pharyngeal sterilization in 95%, with no significant differences between the two groups.

[Cefotiam, a new cephalosporin. Microbiological research, preliminary evaluation of its effect on phagocytosis and clinical multicenter research].

After a brief review of the data on cefotiam in the literature the report presents the results of microbiological research, a preliminary study into the drug's possible actions on phagocytosis and a polycentric clinical study of 93 cases of broncho-pleuro-pulmonary pathology and one sinusitis of the jaw. In vitro cefotiam was found to have an excellent inhibitory effect on gram positive and gram negative bacteria with MICs50 and 90 respectively 0.2 and 0.