Screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a comparative effectiveness review.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of health care-associated infections. Although the evidence in support of MRSA screening has been promising, a number of questions remain about the effectiveness of active surveillance.

Methods: We searched the literature for studies that examined MRSA acquisition, MRSA infection, morbidity, mortality, harms of screening, and resource utilization when screening for MRSA carriage was compared with no screening or with targeted screening.

Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The utility of procalcitonin to manage patients with infections is unclear. A systematic review of comparative studies using procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy in patients with infections was performed.

Methods: Randomized, controlled trials comparing procalcitonin-guided initiation, intensification, or discontinuation of antibiotic therapy to clinically guided therapy were included.

Psychometric properties of the EuroQol-5D and Short Form-6D in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important patient-reported outcome in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We evaluated the psychometric properties of 2 widely used preference-based generic HRQOL measures, EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) and Short Form-6D (SF-6D), among United States patients with SLE.

Methods: Patients with SLE enrolled at an academic institution were assessed for self-reported generic HRQOL (EQ-5D, Medical Outcomes Study SF-36), disease activity, and disease damage SF-6D.

Survey of hospitals for guidelines, policies, and protocols for anticoagulants.

Purpose: A survey of community hospitals that are part of a national group purchasing organization (GPO) was conducted to assess the formulary status of currently available anticoagulants, assess the current status of anticoagulant prescribing guidelines and the existing scope of such guidelines, and identify perceptions about the appropriateness of the use of anticoagulants in community hospitals in the United States.

Methods: A Web-based survey of acute care hospitals that were members of a leading health care resource management and GPO was conducted. The survey was sent to 224 hospitals.

Hospital policies for treatment of acute decompensated heart failure.

Background: It is unclear to what extent hospitals use guidelines or protocols in treating acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and whether nesiritide is included in these guidelines or protocols.

Objective: To assess the formulary status of currently used drugs, therapeutic guidelines, and perceptions about the appropriateness of treatment of ADHF in community hospitals.

Methods: A Web-based survey of pharmacy directors at community hospitals that were part of a national group purchasing organization was conducted.

Outcomes of oral anticoagulant therapy managed by telephone vs in-office visits in an anticoagulation clinic setting.

Background: Anticoagulation management by a dedicated anticoagulation clinic improves patient outcomes compared to routine medical care. Telephone-based anticoagulation management has been described but has not been compared to management with traditional office-based visits. The objective of this study was to compare warfarin-related monitoring outcomes, clinical end points, and the use of health-care resources as a result of warfarin-related complications in anticoagulation clinic patients whose management was conducted by telephone or in-office-based visits.

Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effect of Brassicajuncea diet and their effect on hepatic glycogen content and the key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism.

Plants in the form of food or other remedial forms have been used for the treatment of various human ailments. Diabetes is one such disorder in which various form of plants and herbal remedies have been tried. Brassicajuncea (BJ) seeds (Rai) are consumed in India as a spice in various food items.

Effect of feeding aqueous extract of Pterocarpus marsupium on glycogen content of tissues and the key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism.

The Indian traditional system of medicine prescribed plant therapies for diseases including diabetes mellitus called madhumeh in Sanskrit. One such plant mentioned in Ayurveda is Pterocarpus marsupium (PM). In the present study, aqueous extract of PM (1 g/kg PO) was assessed for its effect on glycogen levels of insulin dependent (skeletal muscle and liver), insulin-independent tissues (kidneys and brain) and enzymes such as glucokinase (GK), hexokinase (HK), and phosphofructokinase (PFK).

Prevention of experimental diabetic cataract by Indian Ayurvedic plant extracts.

The efficacy of Momordica charantia (MC), Eugenia jambolana (EJ), Tinospora cordifolia (TC) and Mucuna pruriens (MP) was assessed in the prevention of murine alloxan dibetic cataract. Alloxan (120 mg/kg) was used as the diabetogenic agent. While controls and diabetic controls did not receive any plant extract, treated rats received lyophilized aqueous extract of MC and EJ (200 mg/kg p.