Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0024312 (lymphopenia)
 4,859 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We used the data from a retrospective case controlled study to identify risk factors for methicillin-resistant staphylococcal wound infection after spinal surgery. Thirty-five cases and 35 uninfected control patients were matched for indication for initial surgery and approximate operative date. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors were examined. At our institution between 1989 and 1995, 35 adult patients developed spinal wound infection requiring operative debridement; 16 infections were caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS). Significant risk factors for MRS infection were lymphopenia, history of chronic infections, alcohol abuse, recent hospitalization, and prolonged postoperative wound drainage. Patients with MRS infections were also somewhat less likely to have received vancomycin prophylaxis. In contrast, the only factor associated with infection caused by other pathogens was alcohol abuse. A number of preoperative risk factors were significantly associated with subsequent MRS spinal wound infection. Chemoprophylaxis with vancomycin should be targeted to patients at increased risk, because overuse may promote the emergence of vancomycin-resistant pathogens.
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PMID:Risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant staphylococcal wound infection after spinal surgery. 1038 70

Sepsis-induced lymphopenia is a major cause of morbidities in intensive care units and in populations with chronic conditions such as renal failure, diabetes, HIV and alcohol abuse. Currently, other than supportive care and antibiotics, there are no treatments for this condition. We developed an in vitro assay to understand the role of the ER-stress-mediated apoptosis process in lymphocyte death during polymicrobial sepsis, which was reproducible in in vivo mouse models. Modulating ER stress using chemical chaperones significantly reduced the induction of the pro-apoptotic protein Bim both in vitro and in mice. Furthermore, in a 'two-hit' pneumonia model in mice, we have been able to demonstrate that administration of the chemical chaperone TUDCA helped to maintain lymphocyte homeostasis by significantly reducing lymphocyte apoptosis and this correlated with four-fold improvement in survival. Our results demonstrate a novel therapeutic opportunity for treating sepsis-induced lymphopenia in humans.
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PMID:Chemical chaperone TUDCA prevents apoptosis and improves survival during polymicrobial sepsis in mice. 2769 27