Publications by authors named "Plummer M"

Background: Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) frequently develop hyperactive delirium, which may be accompanied by behaviour that increases clinical risks to themselves as well as other patients and staff. There is a paucity of evidence to inform the urgent enteral administration of antipsychotic drugs to treat such hyperactive delirium and behavioural disturbances.

Objective: The aim of this study is to test the efficacy and safety of administering enteral olanzapine when compared to quetiapine in critically ill patients with hyperactive delirium.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to uncover patient-perceived barriers to attending appointments at a urogynecology practice, as little is known about this issue.
  • Of 230 eligible patients contacted, only 26 participated in interviews, revealing three main barriers: community/environmental (like transportation), patient-related (such as family obligations and illness), and clinic-related (like scheduling issues).
  • Participants suggested improvements such as transportation assistance, support groups, and better online communication to help increase appointment attendance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

() presents significant clinical challenges. This study evaluated the synergistic effects of a β-lactam and β-lactamase inhibitor combination against and explored the underlying mechanisms. Synergy was assessed through MIC tests and time-kill studies, and binding affinities of nine β-lactams and BLIs to eight target receptors (L,D-transpeptidases [LDT] 1-5, D,D-carboxypeptidase, penicillin-binding protein [PBP] B, and PBP-lipo) were assessed using mass spectrometry and kinetic studies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Frailty, malnutrition and low socioeconomic status may mutually perpetuate each other in a self-reinforcing and interdependent manner. The intertwined nature of these factors may be overlooked when investigating impacts on perioperative outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of frailty, malnutrition and socioeconomic status on perioperative outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Advanced age is an independent risk factor for poor outcomes following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). However, Australian data are lacking. Our aim was to evaluate outcomes for older patients admitted to an Australian intensive care unit for management of aneurysmal SAH.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and the dual GLP-1- and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor co-agonist tirzepatide (referred to here collectively as "GLP-1-based therapy") are incretin-based therapies being used increasingly in the management of both type 2 diabetes and obesity. They are now recognized to have beneficial effects beyond improved glycemic control and weight loss, including cardiovascular and renal protection. GLP-1-based therapy also slows gastric emptying, which has benefits (lowering postprandial glucose), but also potential risks (eg, hypoglycemia in individuals on insulin or sulphonylurea therapy).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are commonly used to manage type 2 diabetes and obesity, helping to slow gastric emptying which can help control blood sugar levels but may lead to issues like retained gastric contents during medical procedures.
  • A review of studies indicates that while retained gastric contents during endoscopy is more common with GLP-1 RA usage, serious complications like pulmonary aspiration are rare, but guidelines for managing these medications during procedures are limited and not well-defined.
  • To enhance patient safety, further research is needed on strategies such as extended fasting before procedures, ultrasound checks for gastric contents, and the potential use of prokinetic drugs like erythromycin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Increased circulating histones correlate with sepsis severity and are a potential therapeutic target. Pre-clinical studies showed benefit with a histone-neutralizing polyanion molecule (STC3141). We aimed to investigate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of STC3141 in critically ill patients with sepsis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: People with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have lower rates of acute kidney injury (AKI). Sepsis is responsible for the majority of AKI in critically ill patients. This study investigated whether SGLT2i is renoprotective in an ovine model of Gram-negative septic AKI.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The mechanisms by which megadose sodium ascorbate improves clinical status in experimental sepsis is unclear. We determined its effects on cerebral perfusion, oxygenation, and temperature, and plasma levels of inflammatory biomarkers, nitrates, nitrites, and ascorbate in ovine Gram-negative sepsis.

Methods: Sepsis was induced by i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pathology is not traditionally chosen by medical students applying to residency. In osteopathic medical schools, limited access to dedicated pathology faculty further complicates this issue. Because of a lack of pathology experiences, osteopathic medical students may not be as familiar with a pathology career.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We describe a patient diagnosed with a metastatic adenocarcinoma of Müllerian origin, harboring a BRAF V600E mutation, ten years after being treated for a serous borderline tumor (SBOT). While BRAF mutations in the setting of SBOTs are common, they have been typically associated with a low chance of transformation or recurrence. The therapeutic approach, which combined hormone inhibition with receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (dabrafenib and trametinib), has demonstrated notable and enduring efficacy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lymphopenia is a common feature of acute COVID-19 and is associated with increased disease severity and 30-day mortality. Here we aim to define the demographic and clinical characteristics that correlate with lymphopenia in COVID-19 and determine if lymphopenia is an independent predictor of poor clinical outcome. We analysed the ENTER-COVID (Epidemiology of hospitalized in-patient admissions following planned introduction of Epidemic SARS-CoV-2 to highly vaccinated COVID-19 naïve population) dataset of adults (N = 811) admitted for COVID-19 treatment in South Australia in a retrospective registry study, categorizing them as (a) lymphopenic (lymphocyte count < 1 × 10/L) or (b) non-lymphopenic at hospital admission.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: () affects patients with immunosuppression or underlying structural lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Additionally, poses clinical challenges due to its resistance to multiple antibiotics. Herein, we investigated the synergistic effect of dual β-lactams [sulopenem and cefuroxime (CXM)] or the combination of sulopenem and CXM with β-lactamase inhibitors [BLIs-avibactam (AVI) or durlobactam (DUR)].

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate the use and outcomes of postpartum long-acting reversible contraception (PPLARC) for patients who requested postpartum bilateral tubal ligation (PPBTL) but were unable to receive it due to COVID-19 related surgery cancellations.
  • Data was collected from 45 patients who sought PPBTL after vaginal delivery, and insights were gathered through interviews, highlighting the demographic information, contraception methods used, and pregnancy outcomes over 18 months.
  • Results showed that while some patients opted for PPLARC, a significant number did not pursue their intended surgeries, and the study emphasized the need for better counseling regarding contraceptive options to support patients during this time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Peptidoglycan synthesis is an underutilized drug target in (). Diazabicyclooctanes (DBOs) are a class of broad-spectrum β-lactamase inhibitors that also inhibit certain peptidoglycan transpeptidases that are important in mycobacterial cell wall synthesis. We evaluated the DBO durlobactam as an inhibitor of BlaC, the β-lactamase, and multiple peptidoglycan transpeptidases (PonA1, Ldt, Ldt, Ldt, and Ldt).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this report, we describe a 23-year-old female who, while pregnant, was exposed to but did not develop significant signs or symptoms (joint pain, arthritis) of Lyme disease until shortly after delivering a healthy child at term. Serologic testing confirmed infection with . A 3-week course of treatment with doxycycline was completely curative.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although modern humans left Africa multiple times over 100,000 years ago, those broadly ancestral to non-Africans dispersed less than 100,000 years ago. Most models hold that these events occurred through green corridors created during humid periods because arid intervals constrained population movements. Here we report an archaeological site-Shinfa-Metema 1, in the lowlands of northwest Ethiopia, with Youngest Toba Tuff cryptotephra dated to around 74,000 years ago-that provides early and rare evidence of intensive riverine-based foraging aided by the likely adoption of the bow and arrow.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health concern with significant consequences across various domains. Following the primary event, secondary injuries compound the outcome after TBI, with disrupted glucose metabolism emerging as a relevant factor. This narrative review summarises the existing literature on post-TBI alterations in glucose metabolism.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Organisms whose early life stages are environmentally sensitive produce offspring within a relatively narrow range of suitable abiotic conditions. In reptiles, development rate and survival are often maximized if incubation temperatures remain under 31°C, though this upper bound may vary within and among species. We addressed this expectation by comparing responses to egg incubation at 30°C versus 33°C in congeneric turtle species pairs with broad syntopic geographic distributions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Working together, two major pharmaceutical companies have developed a Lyme disease vaccine consisting of recombinant-derived outer surface protein A (OspA) of the etiologic agent . Multiple clinical trials have shown the vaccine to have good safety and efficacy results, and it is hoped that it would become available for human use at least by the year 2025 after receiving approval from the U.S.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious condition that varies a lot between patients, and treatments don’t always work well.
  • The PRECISION-TBI study will involve 300 patients in Australia to gather detailed data about their injuries and treatments to understand differences in care and outcomes better.
  • This study has received ethical approval and will collect important health data while allowing participants to opt-out if they choose not to be followed for six months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To determine whether there is a difference in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) stage at time of presentation after lifting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions, as compared to before the lockdown. Enhancing our understanding of how healthcare utilization for pelvic floor disorders may be affected by limited accessibility, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, could prove invaluable for similar future circumstances.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of women with POP at their initial visit.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Prescriptions and use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are increasing dramatically, as indications are expanding from the treatment of diabetes mellitus to weight loss for people with obesity. As GLP-1 receptor agonists delay gastric emptying, perioperative healthcare practitioners could be concerned about an increased risk for pulmonary aspiration during general anaesthesia. We summarise relevant medical literature and provide evidence-based recommendations for perioperative care for people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study looked at whether men and women were given different amounts of pain medicine (opioids) after heart surgery.
  • They found that women received less pain medication than men, especially in the first five days after surgery.
  • Women were also more likely to receive a different type of pain relief medicine called gabapentinoids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF