Clinical use of evidence-based medicine--clinical questions: Acetylcysteine, a new treatment for an old foe?

This is a small, good quality, randomized controlled trial that shows a modest slowing in the deterioration of VC and DLco with the addition of high dose N-acetylcysteine to standard therapy in IPF. Overall the study should be interpreted with caution given its high drop out rate, which may have biased the results towards a more dramatic slowing of the disease progression. There were no differences in dyspnea score or functional status.

Zinc, iron, copper, selenium, lactoferrin, and ferritin in human pus.

Background: Restriction of zinc and iron available for microbial growth in tissues are well-recognized host defense mechanisms. The present studies were performed to characterize some constituents of human pus that may affect these important host defenses.

Methods: Zinc, iron, copper, calcium, and magnesium in pus were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer; selenium was measured fluorometrically.