title: Effect of atropine on oral clearance of a radiolabeled sulfur colloid.
abstract: Physical clearance is an important oral defense mechanism against gram-negative rods. We describe a simple technique that uses commercially available technetium-99m sulfur colloid to measure oral clearance. Technetium-99m sulfur colloid was sprayed into the mouth, and clearance was measured as the percent decrease in radiolabel counts over 2 hours using a radioisotope camera. Results using this technique compared favorably with clearance data using Tc-99m radiolabeled Escherichia coli. Atropine significantly decreased oral clearance rates of the colloid. Decreased clearance may be an important risk factor in the development of gram-negative rod colonization in hospitalized patients.
mesh_terms: D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D007700:Kinetics; D009055:Mouth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012306:Risk; D012472:Salivation / Q000187:drug effects; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid / Q000378:metabolism; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid; D001285:Atropine; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m