https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Index en-au 5 https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:36092 Chlamydophila pneumoniae (Cpn). The objective of the current study is to determine the effect of a combined antibiotic protocol (CAP) on the venous flow in MS patients as measured by a quantitative duplex ultrasound examination (QDUS). Method: A non-randomised before-after cohort study was conducted to investigate differences in blood flow volumes pre and 6-months post antibiotic treatment for Cpn infection. Flow volume data were measured by QDUS across affected and unaffected sides from multiple veins segments, including internal jugular vein (IJV) segments J2 and J3, and vertebral vein (VV), as well as global arterial blood flow (GABF). Results: 91 patients were included in the study. 64 (70%) were found to have positive Cpn serology. There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference seen for the affected side of Cpn infected patients (mean difference = 56 mL/min, p = 0.02). There was a non-significant increase seen for the affected side of uninfected patients (mean difference = 23 mL/min, p = 0.2). The difference in these effects (34 mL/min) was not statistically significant (p = 0.3). The mean flow rate decreased in the unaffected side for both infected (-27 mL/min, p = 0.5) and uninfected patients (-69 mL/min, p = 0.01). There was a statistically significant post-treatment increase in GABF for the infected patients (mean difference = 90 mL/min, p = 0.02) and a difference of 76 mL/min for non-infected patients (p = 0.01). Conclusion: A CAP appears to improve the extra-cranial circulation in patients diagnosed with MS. This effect is statistically significant in patients with positive Cpn serology, although patients with negative Cpn serology also show some benefit, betraying a lack of specificity of this effect.]]> Wed 05 Feb 2020 14:51:07 AEDT ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:14338 18 years presenting to John Hunter Hospital (JHH), Newcastle, Australia, from January 2007 until July 2007 requiring arterial blood gas sampling had a peripheral venous blood gas performed simultaneously. A survey of JHH trauma clinicians and members of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma was performed to determine a clinically relevant difference between two serial base deficit measurements. Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman tests were performed. During the 7-month period, 127 patients (79% men, mean age, 46.3 [±18.4 years] and median injury severity score of 15 [interquartile range, 8–23; range, 1–75]) were included into the study. The average peripheral ABD (pABD) and pVBD were −2.2 mmol/L ± 3.8 mmol/L and −1.3 mmol/L ± 3.8 mmol/L, respectively. The average difference between measurements was 0.9 (range, −1.7 to +3.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.7–1.0) with pVBD > pABD. The Pearson test showed highly significant correlation (r = 0.97, p < 0.0001). The survey of 11 JHH and 56 American Association for the Surgery of Trauma clinicians determined 2 mmol/L as clinically relevant difference between two base deficit measurements. All individual paired sample's difference sat within the clinically relevant limits and >95% (121 of 127) of samples sat within the 1.96 standard deviation acceptable by the Bland-Altman plot. There is near perfect correlation and clinically acceptable agreement between pABD and pVBD values on simultaneous testing. pVBD is an acceptable test to assess trauma patients' initial metabolic status when occult blood loss suspected.]]> Sat 24 Mar 2018 08:21:25 AEDT ]]>