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Query: UMLS:C0017160 (gastroenteritis)
 11,398 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The fluoroquinolones represent a relatively new class of antibiotics with outstanding therapeutic potential, attributable to their broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and favourable tissue distribution. They are highly active against most Gram-negative pathogens, as well as Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci. In addition, the fluoroquinolones have useful pharmacokinetic properties: they are orally active, and their lipophilicity and low degree of plasma protein binding allow for excellent tissue penetration and concentrations, as reflected in their particularly large apparent volumes of distribution. Infections due to aerobic Gram-negative pathogens are considered those most susceptible to the quinolones. Disease indications in which these agents appear to offer the greatest therapeutic advantage over currently available alternatives include the following: complicated urinary tract infections (particularly those caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or resistant Gram-negative microorganisms); suspected bacterial gastroenteritis; eradication of Salmonella typhi from the faeces in known carriers; P. aeruginosa-associated respiratory exacerbation in patients with cystic fibrosis; and chronic Gram-negative bacterial osteomyelitis. Direct comparisons of the various quinolones are too limited to date to provide clear therapeutic options. Nevertheless, this class of compounds is likely to play a major role in providing effective oral therapy for conditions that have previously required prolonged parenteral treatment.
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PMID:The quinolones. An overview of their pharmacology. 131 65

Over the past decade, the quinolone antimicrobial class has enjoyed a renaissance with the emergence of the fluoroquinolone subclass. Norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, enoxacin, and lomefloxacin have the advantages of broad antimicrobial activity profiles including gram-positive and -negative aerobes, favorable pharmacokinetic profiles including substantial oral bioavailability and extensive tissue distribution, and in general, favorable safety profiles. As clinical experience accumulates, our understanding of their optimum roles will become more refined. In six instances, these agents may be preferred over currently available agents: complicated urinary tract infections, empiric therapy of suspected bacterial gastroenteritis, eradication of the Salmonella carrier state, respiratory exacerbations due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis, invasive external otitis, and chronic gram-negative bacillary osteomyelitis. The efficacy and convenience of these agents for the treatment of a broad range of infections have already resulted in their extensive use. Such use carries the risk of selection pressure for the development of resistance and the adverse consequences of increased cost over less expensive, equally effective alternatives. The use of the fluoroquinolones should focus on infections where there is demonstrated benefit of these agents over conventional agents or infections for which there are few or no alternatives.
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PMID:The role of the fluoroquinolones. 148 May 3

Random fecal chymotrypsin activity and fecal alpha 1-antitrypsin (FA-1-AT) concentrations were determined in 11 children with cystic fibrosis, 5 children with Crohn's disease, 9 children with chronic aspecific diarrhea, 85 children with acute gastroenteritis, and 54 control children. Cystic fibrosis patients showed only very low fecal chymotrypsin values that did not overlap with values obtained in patients with either acute or chronic diarrhea. When compared with our control group, a significant increase of FA-1-AT concentrations was found only in children with Crohn's disease. Normal values were found in all patients with either chronic aspecific diarrhea or cystic fibrosis, while 12 of 85 children with acute gastroenteritis showed FA-1-AT concentrations above the 95th percentile of control children. We conclude that diarrhea (either acute or chronic) does not significantly decrease the clinical usefulness of fecal chymotrypsin activity measurements in the diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency, while acute (gastroenteritis) but not chronic (chronic aspecific diarrhea, cystic fibrosis) diarrhea can give rise to protein losing and FA-1-AT concentrations similar to those found in Crohn's disease.
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PMID:Usefulness of random fecal alpha 1-antitrypsin and chymotrypsin determinations in children. 278 61

The newer fluoroquinolones are a major advance in antimicrobial chemotherapy. They inhibit the supercoiling activity of the DNA gyrase enzyme, thus exerting their antibacterial action on DNA and RNA synthesis, resulting in a biphasic response and killing of susceptible organisms. The newer fluoroquinolones have an extended antimicrobial spectrum compared to their older congeners, and are highly active against most Gram-negative pathogens including the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. While Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci are usually susceptible to the fluoroquinolones, streptococci are generally more resistant and enterococci are resistant. All of the newer fluoroquinolones may be administered orally and most of them have been administered parenterally. They are widely distributed in the body, attaining therapeutic concentrations in most tissues. All of the fluoroquinolones have long half-lives and may be administered once or twice daily. The fluoroquinolones have proved effective in many infections, including uncomplicated or complicated urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, gonorrhoea, bacterial gastroenteritis, and soft tissue infections due to Gram-negative organisms. In general, success has been notable in the management of Gram-negative infections but less so with Gram-positive infections. Resistance has occurred and is proving a problem with P. aeruginosa in some cystic fibrosis patients, but as yet no plasmid-mediated resistance has developed. Cross-resistance occurs between the quinolones but only rarely with other classes of antibacterial drugs. The fluoroquinolones have an excellent safety record and their adverse effects, which include hypersensitivity reactions, dizziness, headache, gastrointestinal disturbance and minor haematological abnormalities are usually mild and transient. However, the fluoroquinolones have been found to damage juvenile weight-bearing joints in animals and are therefore only to be used with caution in children; transient arthralgia has been reported in a cystic fibrotic teenager on long term ciprofloxacin therapy. All of the fluoroquinolones except ofloxacin are associated with a variable increase in the serum concentration of theophylline, warfarin and caffeine. Thus, the fluoroquinolones are an attractive option in the management of many infections. Cost and possible resistance, however, should counsel caution in their use, and may limit them to situations where a cheaper antimicrobial of equivalent efficacy is not available.
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PMID:Fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Microbiology, pharmacokinetics and clinical use. 305 26

Gastrointestinal problems and, in particular, diarrhoeal illnesses are the commonest cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in Jordan. Children with diarrhea constitute about 20% of admissions to Jordan University Hospital (JUH). The aetiology of diarrhoea is multifactorial and bacterial pathogens are seldom isolated. Stool viruses have not been investigated. There is a steady fall in the prevalence of breast-feeding with a consequent increase in gastroenteritis, especially among the poor. The use of electrolyte solutions for oral rehydration therapy is encouraged, and the use of antibiotics in diarrhoeal illness is discouraged. The addition of sucrose instead of glucose to electrolyte solutions has also been adopted. Cow's milk protein intolerance, coeliac disease and chronic inflammatory bowel disease are rarely encountered. Hepatitis is common and is a major cause of morbidity among school children. Cystic fibrosis has been recognized in Jordan but is rare. JUH has been selected as the referral centre for cystic fibrosis in the Middle East.
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PMID:Gastroenterological problems in childhood in Jordan. 618 81

Infectivity of certain enteric viruses including rotavirus is profoundly affected by proteolytic enzymes. To test whether cystic fibrosis patients, possessing chronically decreased levels of pancreatic enzymes, show altered susceptibility to gastroenteritis viruses, we examined sera from patients and controls for antibodies to two major pathogens. In cystic fibrosis patients, normal rotavirus antibody levels were found and Norwalk virus antibody prevalence was unchanged.
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PMID:Antibodies to gastroenteritis viruses in cystic fibrosis patients. 628 70

The diagnostic value of gliadin antibody determination using the fluorescent immunosorbent test was examined in a prospective multicenter study comprising 251 children with malabsorptive disorders. Antibodies to gliadin were found in all 72 patients (100%) with active celiac disease (29 children with celiac disease proved by challenge, 43 with probable celiac disease). All children up to the age of 7 years had antibodies in high titers. By contrast, 96 (84%) of 114 children with other malabsorptive disorders and a normal mucosa or with partial villous atrophy had no gliadin antibodies, 14 (12%) had a low titer, and only four (3.5%) showed moderate to high titers. Four children with gastrointestinal tract symptoms of cow milk intolerance and a flat mucosa also showed no antibodies. In 24 of 29 children (83%) with cystic fibrosis and six of seven children with Crohn disease (biopsies not performed in either group), no antibodies could be detected. The others had low or elevated titers. In 25 children with acute gastroenteritis (not biopsied) antibodies were not found at hospital admission nor six weeks later after reintroduction of gluten. The determination of antibodies to gliadin with the fluorescent immunosorbent test is a reliable screening test for childhood celiac disease. In our series there were no false negative results in children with untreated celiac disease. A positive gliadin antibody titer is not proof of celiac disease. In each child the diagnosis must be confirmed by small intestinal biopsy even if the gliadin antibody titer is high. The detection of high titers of cow milk antibodies in 27% of patients with celiac disease is of no value.
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PMID:A reliable screening test for childhood celiac disease: fluorescent immunosorbent test for gliadin antibodies. A prospective multicenter study. 634 29

Since the introduction of the floroquinolones for clinical use in the late 1980s, they have been used successfully for a large number of clinical situations. As experience accumulates, the indications and optimal use of these agents gradually become more clear. Unfortunately, two of the pathogens for which these agents were most promising--methicillin-resistant S. aureus and P. aeruginosa--have developed resistance. Currently, the quinolones are excellent agents for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections, including those caused by P. aeruginosa. In addition, they should be considered as initial therapy for the treatment of severe bacterial gastroenteritis. The quinolones should also be considered when attempting to eradicate the chronic stool carriage of S. typhi. These agents also offer significant advantages in the treatment of osteomyelitis and prostatitis caused by gram-negative bacilli that frequently require prolonged antimicrobial therapy. Treatment of STDs, especially gonorrhea, is another clear indication for their use. Ciprofloxacin should be considered as initial therapy in patients with malignant otitis externa and in cystic fibrosis patients with exacerbations secondary to P. aeruginosa in the sputum. The role of the quinolones for soft tissue and respiratory tract infections is less clear and their use probably should be limited to certain situations in which there is a clear advantage over beta-lactams, macrolides, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The new quinolones, fleroxacin, perfloxacin, sparfloxacin, and tosufloxacin, which are being developed and tested for clinical use, will offer advantages in once-a-day dosing and better gram-positive antimicrobial activity. Because the inappropriate or heavy use of the fluoroquinoles has resulted in considerable development of resistance, it is imperative that they be used only when there is a distinct advantage over conventional therapy in terms of efficacy, safety, or cost. Otherwise, the rapid development of resistance will jeopardize the potentially bright future for this entire class of compounds.
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PMID:Fluoroquinolones. 749 Apr 40

The fluoroquinolones represent an important addition to the antimicrobial armamentarium. They are, however, commonly overused. It is estimated that in 1989, ciprofloxacin was prescribed for 1 in every 44 Americans. This observation demonstrates not only the overusage, but the economic incentive for development of additional fluoroquinolones. In some situations, oral fluoroquinolone therapy can reduce costs by eliminating the need for parenteral therapy and reducing the need for or the duration of hospitalization. In most situations where oral antimicrobial agents are being considered, however, the fluoroquinolones are among the most expensive alternatives. In addition to concerns about cost factors, it is important to reiterate concern that widespread overuse of these agents will promote the development of microbial resistance and ultimately limit their usefulness. The clinical usefulness of the fluoroquinolones is summarized in Table 4. As can be seen, the fluoroquinolones are the "possibly preferred agent" in very few infections: complicated urinary tract infections due to Gram-negative bacilli resistant to other oral antimicrobial agents, severe bacterial gastroenteritis, exacerbations of lower respiratory tract infection in patients with cystic fibrosis, osteomyelitis due to Gram-negative bacilli sensitive to the fluoroquinolones, and invasive external otitis. They are alternative agents in a number of other infections when sensitive Gram-negative bacilli are the identified pathogens. A considerable literature exists on using these agents in these and other circumstances, but one must remain wary of limited reports of efficacy in comparison to known efficacy of established and less expensive agents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Symposium on antimicrobial therapy. VII. The fluoroquinolones. 838 6

The occurrence of chronic diarrhea in infants younger than three months suggests disaccharidase deficiency, cow's milk or soy protein intolerance, cystic fibrosis or an immunodeficiency state, while chronic diarrhea in children three to 18 years of age suggests celiac disease, late-onset primary lactose deficiency and inflammatory bowel disease. Gastrointestinal infection is the most common cause of chronic diarrhea in children of all ages. Diarrhea that develops after the introduction of cow's milk, cereals and fruits suggests an enzyme deficiency or protein intolerance. Watery, explosive stools suggest sugar intolerance, and foul-smelling, greasy, bulky stools suggest fat malabsorption. Marked weight loss suggests malabsorption, inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism or malignancy. The presence of neutrophils or red blood cells in the stool indicates bacterial gastroenteritis or inflammatory bowel disease, while the presence of eosinophils suggests protein intolerance or parasitic infestation. A toddler who is thriving and cheerful despite having diarrhea may have chronic nonspecific diarrhea of childhood.
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PMID:Evaluating the child with chronic diarrhea. 862 43


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