Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis in Hawaii.

Background: The clinical and laboratory findings and outcomes of methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis have not been studied in Hawaii.

Methods: Retrospective inpatient chart reviews of 62 culture-proven osteomyelitis patients between 1996 and 2007 were performed.

Results: Fifteen patients (24%) had MRSA infection, and 47 patients (76%) had MSSA infection.

An acute graft-versus-host disease activity index to predict survival after hematopoietic cell transplantation with myeloablative conditioning regimens.

Algorithms for grading acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are inaccurate in assessing mortality risk. We developed a method to predict mortality by using data from 386 patients with acute GVHD. From the onset of GVHD to day 100, GVHD manifestations were scored for the skin, liver, and upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, and data were recorded for immunosuppressive treatment, performance, and fever.