Influence of the Pre-shock State on the Prognosis of Medical Patients with Sepsis: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To investigate the effects of the pre-shock state on the mortality of patients with sepsis.

Methods: We enrolled patients with sepsis admitted to the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care university hospital. These patients were then classified into three groups: sepsis, pre-shock state, and septic shock.

Clinical Evaluation of a Vancomycin Dosage Strategy Based on a Serum Trough Concentration Model in Elderly Patients with Severe Pneumonia.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical benefits of a vancomycin dosage strategy based on a serum trough concentration model in elderly patients.

Methods: This prospective single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial categorized 66 elderly patients with severe pneumonia into study and control groups. The control group received vancomycin using a regimen decided by the attending physician.

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis of ciprofloxacin in elderly Chinese patients with lower respiratory tract infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria.

Background: Ciprofloxacin is usually used in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). Recent studies abroad have shown ciprofloxacin is inadequately dosed and might lead to worse outcomes. The aim of this study was to perform pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses of ciprofloxacin in elderly Chinese patients with severe LRTIs caused by Gram-negative bacteria.

Meropenem Dosing Based on a Population Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Model in Elderly Patients with Infection of the Lower Respiratory Tract.

Background: Meropenem is used for the treatment of severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli.

Objective: We evaluated the clinical benefits of a strategy of meropenem dosing based on a population pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) model in elderly patients with an LRTI.

Methods: In this prospective single-center open-label randomized controlled trial, 79 elderly patients with an LRTI caused by Gram-negative bacilli were randomized to a study group (SG) or a control group (CG).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test score correlated with dyspnea score in a large sample of Chinese patients.

Background: The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) is an easy to use health-related quality of life questionnaire, the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale is a classic dyspnea scale which is widely used, while the correlation between them is still not clear. This study investigated the use of the Chinese translation of CAT in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and its correlation with the mMRC dyspnea scale.

Methods: The multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in 329 hospitals throughout China from March 1 to April 30, 2010.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of meropenem in elderly chinese with lower respiratory tract infections: population pharmacokinetics analysis using nonlinear mixed-effects modelling and clinical pharmacodynamics study.

Background: Meropenem is a broad-spectrum antibacterial that is usually used in the treatment of serious lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). However, there is a lack of published studies exploring the correlation between the population pharmacokinetics of meropenem, the clinical pharmacodynamics of the drug and the response to the drug in Chinese patients with LRTIs, especially in the elderly.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a pharmacokinetic model of meropenem using patient data and use this to explore the clinical pharmacodynamics of meropenem in the treatment of LRTIs in elderly Chinese patients.

Intrahospital dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and analysis of the infected patients' prognosis.

Objective: To assess the genetic relationship of clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii(resistant to both imipenem and meropenem) from January 2007 to March 2008 in Peking University Third Hospital for measures to decrease the isolates; to investigate the characteristics of patients with carbapenem-resistant A.baumannii colonization or infection and to evaluate antibiotic treatment for health care-associated infections caused by carbapenem-resistant A.

[Clinical analysis of lymphoma with chest involvement: report of 25 cases].

Objective: To study clinical characteristics and diagnostic methods of lymphoma with chest involvement.

Methods: Twenty-five lymphoma patients with chest involvement were retrospectively analysed, they were all diagnosed in Peking University Third Hospital during 2000 to 2007. The data were collected including clinical manifestations, blood examinations, chest X-ray and CT scan, diagnostic methods and pathologic diagnosis.

[Risk factors and prognosis in 31 patients with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection].

Objective: To investigate the risk factors, prognosis and resistance to antibiotics in patients with extended-spectrum b-lactamase (ESBLs)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in patients with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection isolated from Jan. 2004 to Dec.

Potential for cost-savings in the care of hospitalized low-risk community-acquired pneumonia patients in China.

Background: The cost of treating community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in China is a heavy economic burden for the society.

Objective: To investigate the costs of hospitalization of low-risk CAP patients and how hospitalization costs can be reduced through proper usage of hospital resources.

Methods: Two hundred thirty-six patients with low-risk CAP who were hospitalized between January 2000 and December 2005 in a 1161-bed tertiary care teaching hospital were included in a retrospective cohort study.

[Epidemiological survey of asthma in a rural area of Yanqing County in Beijing].

Objective: To evaluate the epidemiology and risk factors of asthma of people aged more than 40 years living in the rural area of Beijing.

Methods: The data of 1,638 people aged more than 40 years living in 5 villages of Yanqing County in Beijing were collected. Respiratory symptoms, the living conditions, life styles and cooking habits, personal history and family history were collected.

[The relationship between sputum eosinophils and responses to treatment of inhaled glucocorticoids in patients with persistent asthma].

Objective: To evaluate the treatment responses of asthmatics with and without sputum eosinophilia to inhaled glucocorticoids, and therefore to verify whether low sputum eosinophils predict poor response to treatment with inhaled glucocorticoids.

Methods: Forty-two symptomatic asthmatic patients, who had not received glucocorticoid therapy in the 3 months preceding the study, were examined before and 1 month and 3 months after treatment with inhaled glucocorticoids. At each visit, all patients underwent spirometry, symptom scoring and sputum induction.

[Characteristics of the airway inflammation and the relationship to interleukin-17 in severe asthma].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of airway inflammation in severe asthma and the association with interleukin-17 (IL-17).

Methods: Sixteen patients with mild persistent asthma, 14 patients with moderate persistent asthma and 18 patients with severe persistent asthma, as well as 15 normal control subjects, were included in this study. At baseline, asthma symptom score was recorded, and lung function was measured.