Prevalence of atopic disorders and immunodeficiency in patients with ectodermal dysplasia syndromes.

Background: Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) syndromes are a diverse group of disorders that affect multiple ectodermally derived tissues. Small studies and case reports suggest an increase in atopy and primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) among patients with ED syndromes.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of clinical symptoms suggestive of atopy or immunodeficiency among a large cohort of children with ED syndromes.

Medical device SALs and surgical site infections: a mathematical model.

It is commonly accepted that terminally sterilized healthcare products are rarely the source of a hospital-acquired infection (HAI). The vast majority of HAIs arise from human-borne contamination from the workforce, the clinical environment, less-than-aseptic handling techniques, and the patients themselves. Nonetheless, the requirement for a maximal sterility assurance level (SAL) of a terminally sterilized product has remained at 10(-6), which is the probability of one in one million that a single viable microorganism will be on a product after sterilization.

Early renal benefit of rapamycin combined with reduced calcineurin inhibitor dose in pediatric heart transplantation patients.

Background: Calcineurin inhibitors such as cyclosporine are effective in preventing rejection in recipients of solid organ transplants. Unfortunately, the prolonged use of calcineurin inhibitors may result in progressive renal injury.

Methods: We studied the renal function of 15 pediatric heart transplant recipients who were taking calcineurin inhibitors.