Virginia Commonwealth University

About: Virginia Commonwealth University is a education organization based out in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 23822 authors who have published 49587 publications receiving 1787046 citations. The organization is also known as: VCU.

Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci: Pathogens Associated with Medical Progress

Abstract: Coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia and infections of prosthetic medical devices have become major clinical problems. Efforts to differentiate contaminating from infecting isolates consume the time of microbiology laboratory personnel; decisions over when and with what to institute therapy for multiresistant isolates consume the energy of clinicians; and the need to institute expensive parenteral antimicrobial therapy consumes the hospital pharmacy budget. It is clear that the increased incidence of coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections is the result of medical progress and is due to the use of invasive and indwelling medical devices. Multiresistant organisms have evolved that will survive in the presence of antimicrobial agents designed to eradicate more traditional pathogens. They have an ecological niche on human skin from which they are difficult to eradicate, and they have adapted themselves to survive on inert devices designed to persist indefinitely in the human body. Since it is likely that the use of prosthetic medical devices will continue to increase, we need to device innovative strategies for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infections of these indwelling foreign bodies. Studies that will address these issues should be a major goal of future research on hospital-acquired infections.

Genetic risk, number of previous depressive episodes, and stressful life events in predicting onset of major depression.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The association between stressful life events and the onset of major depression decreases as the number of previous depressive episodes increases. How do genetic risk factors for major depression impact on this “kindling” phenomenon? In particular, do those at high genetic risk exhibit an increase in the speed of kindling, or are they “prekindled”? METHOD: Using discrete-time survival analysis, the authors examined the interaction between genetic risk, number of previous depressive episodes, and life event exposure in the prediction of episodes of major depression in female-female twin pairs from a population-based registry. The twins were interviewed four times over a 9-year period, producing 92,521 person-months of exposure. RESULTS: The decline in the association between stressful life events and risk for major depression as the number of previous depressive episodes increased was strongest in those at low genetic risk and was weak to absent in those at high genetic risk. In the absence of p...

Osteoporosis in men: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline.

Abstract: Objective: The aim was to formulate practice guidelines for management of osteoporosis in men. Evidence: We used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to describe the strength of recommendations and evidence quality. Consensus Process: Consensus was guided by systematic evidence reviews, one in-person meeting, and multiple conference calls and e-mails. Task Force drafts were reviewed successively by The Endocrine Society's Clinical Guidelines Subcommittee and Clinical Affairs Core Committee; representatives of ASBMR, ECTS, ESE, ISCD; and members at large. At each stage, the Task Force received written comments and incorporated needed changes. The reviewed document was approved by The Endocrine Society Council before submission for peer review. Conclusions: Osteoporosis in men causes significant morbidity and mortality. We recommend testing higher risk men [aged ≥70 and men aged 50–69 who have risk factors (e.g. low body weight, prior fracture as an adult, s...