Gatifloxacin.

Background The high incidence of suboptimal antibiotic use at transitions of care represents a novel area for antimicrobial stewardship for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), urinary tract infection (UTI), and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). The objective of this study was to investigate the role of a pharmacist intervention at discharge to improve antibiotic use. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective, crossover analysis of patients admitted to general medicine units from 11/1/21 to 3/31/22 with a diagnosis of CAP, UTI, or SSTI. The study was divided into two phases separated by a one-month washout. Each two-month phase included two pre-specified units, an intervention and control. During phase 2, the intervention and control units were switched. Patients on antibiotics identified for discharge were reviewed and interventions were communicated by the pharmacist to the provider. Interventions were made based on predefined guidance for oral step-down therapy and total duration. The primary outcome, discharge antibiotic days of therapy (DOT), was compared between the intervention and control cohorts. Secondary outcomes included total DOT, hospital length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmission, and appropriateness of drug selection, dose, and duration. Results Records of 161 patients were included in this study, 85 in the intervention cohort (47 in phase 1, 38 in phase 2) and 76 in the control (41 in phase 1, 35 in phase 2). Overall discharge DOT was 3 (IQR 0–4.5) in the intervention cohort and 3 (IQR 0-5) in the control cohort (P = 0.8), and overall total DOT was 7 (IQR 5-9) and 7 (IQR 5-10) respectively (P = 0.27). Patients in the intervention group were more likely to have appropriate total duration (61.2% vs 44.7%, P = 0.001) and discharge duration of antibiotics (67.1% vs 53.9%, P = 0.013) for all three indications based on predefined guidance. Hospital LOS was 4 (IQR 3-5) vs 5 days (IQR 3-6.3) in the intervention and control cohorts (P = 0.001) respectively, and a lower 30-day readmission (14.1% vs. 23.7%, resp.). Conclusion Despite similar antibiotic DOTs, pharmacist intervention at discharge appeared to improve overall antibiotic total duration and discharge duration for CAP, UTI, and SSTI. Opportunities to improve discharge stewardship processes should be further explored. Disclosures Joseph L. Kuti, PharmD, Abbvie: Honoraria|bioMeriuex: Advisor/Consultant|bioMeriuex: Grant/Research Support|Contrafect: Grant/Research Support|Entasis: Grant/Research Support|Merck and Co: Grant/Research Support|Roche Diagnostics: Grant/Research Support|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Grant/Research Support|Shionogi: Honoraria|Summit: Grant/Research Support David P. Nicolau, PharmD, Shionogi: Grant/Research Support.

BackgroundThe objective of the present study was to describe the knowledge regarding the antibiotic therapy of students of three medical schools in Medellín, Colombia.MethodsThe study population comprised medical students who were enrolled in three universities. The instrument contained questions regarding their current academic term, the university, the perceived quality of the education received on antibiotic therapy and bacterial resistance, and specific questions on upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and skin and soft tissue infections. The information was analyzed by calculating frequencies and measures of dispersion and central tendency. Knowledge regarding the treatment for each type of infection was compared using the Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis H test.ResultsWe included 536 medical students, of which 43.5% students consider that the university has not sufficiently trained them to interpret antibiograms and 29.6% students consider that the quality of information received on the subject at their university ranges from regular to poor. The mean score for knowledge regarding antibiotic therapy for upper respiratory tract infections was 44.2 (9.9) on a scale from 0 to 100. The median score with regard to the treatment of pneumonia was 52.9 (14.7), that of urinary tract infection was 58.7 (14.8), and that of skin and soft tissue infections was 63.1 (19.4). The knowledge regarding antibiotic therapy for upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection does not improve with the academic term, the university, or perceived quality of the education received.ConclusionA large proportion of medical students perceive that the training received from the university is insufficient with regard to antibiotic use and bacterial resistance, which is consistent with the limited knowledge reflected in the selection of antibiotic treatment for respiratory, urinary tract, and skin and soft tissue infections. Overall, the situation was identical among all universities, and it did not significantly increase with the completion of an academic term.

Frequency of pathogen occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility among community-acquired respiratory tract infections in the respiratory surveillance program study: microbiology from the medical office practice environment

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia is a differential diagnosis of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); further both have similar pathogenic spectra. Both the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society follow similar empirical antibiotic choices for the two conditions. However, there are some differences in the bacterial spectra between the two conditions, particularly when the severity of the disease differs. In the present study, we want to study the differences in the clinical features, bacteriological spectra, and antibiotic susceptibilities in patients with community-acquired pneumonia versus patients with COPD exacerbation and provide a scientific basis for antibiotic selection. Aims: 1. To analyze the differences in the pathogenic spectra and antibiotic sensitivity profile between COPD exacerbation and community acquired pneumonia. 2. To study the differences in the clinical features and outcomes of the two conditions. Subjects and Methods: The study was a prospective observational study conducted from November 2019 to May 2020 in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute on 30 patients diagnosed with acute exacerbation of COPD and 30 patients diagnosed with community acquired pneumonia. Detailed history, physical examination, and standard laboratory tests were taken on admission. The presence of new consolidation on chest radiograph was recorded. Sputum specimens collected by expectoration and tracheal suctioning or bronchoalveolar lavage were analyzed by Gram staining and microscopy and also by culture. The isolates were also tested for antibiotic sensitivity. The severity of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation was assessed by the DECAF score and the severity of the CAP group was assessed by the Pneumonia Severity Index. The differences between the two groups were analyzed. The progression of the disease and the outcomes were observed. Results: Out of 30 (100%) participants in each group, both pneumonia and COPD participants had higher percentage of male participants; 24 (80%) and 26 (86.7%) participants, respectively. The COPD-exacerbation group was significantly older than the community-acquired pneumonia group (63.20 ± 11.82 vs. 43.73 ± 16.58). Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Escherichia Coli were the most commonly isolated species in COPD subjects, whereas S. pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, and other organisms were more commonly isolated from pneumonia participants. The drug-resistance rates of S. pneumoniae to penicillin, macrolide and quinolone antibiotics commonly used empirically to treat community acquired pneumonia was 52.6%, 79% and 79% respectively. The sensitivity of Pseudomonas to Carbapenems was 50% and to fluoroquinolones was 16.7% while all the strains were found to be resistant to Aminoglycosides, Penicillin, Cephalosporins, and Macrolides. Conclusions: In our study, we found that K. pneumoniae was the most common pathogen in patients with an exacerbation of COPD while S. pneumoniae was the most common pathogen in patients with community acquired pneumonia. In our study the organisms responsible for community acquired pneumonia were largely resistant to penicillins, macrolides, and tetracyclines, which are the antibiotics of choice for empirical treatment. Similarly, in patients with exacerbation of COPD, the organisms isolated had a far greater degree of resistance to the above-mentioned antibiotics than that seen in our patients with pneumonia. We conclude that antibiotic regimens should be culture driven rather than empirical to be effective while also countering drug resistance.

Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in acute respiratory infections

Short-course antibiotics for common infections: what do we know and where do we go from here?

<p>Supplementary Figure S5: Antibiotics use in relation to overall and cancer-specific survival in stage I-III colorectal cancer patients by antibiotics classes, typical indications and specific antibiotics drugs. The hazards ratios (HR) are derived from the Cox proportional hazards models, stratified by tumour sites (proximal colon/distal colon/rectum/unspecified colorectum categories) and tumour stage (stage I-III), age at diagnosis (</≥ 50 years), prediagnostic Charlson comorbidity index (no/any CCI), family history of colorectal cancer (0/1/≥2 first degree relatives ), and adjusted for: age and calendar year of diagnosis and prediagnostic Charlson comorbidity index as continuous variables, and sex, place of birth, county of residence, marital status, level of education and income status as categorical variables, defined as presented in Table 1. Antibiotics use during one year before colorectal cancer diagnosis was excluded to account for potential use due to undiagnosed but clinically manifest colorectal cancer. Any use of specific antibiotics class was compared with no use of the specific antibiotics class (reference category). Antibiotics that primarily or only affect aerobic bacteria were categorized as aerobic antibiotics. Antibiotics with effect on both anaerobic and aerobic bacteria, and metrodinazoles and/or tinidazoles (which only affect anaerobic bacteria) were categorized as anti-anaerobic antibiotics. Phenoxymethylpenicillin is presented as a specific antibiotic drug but was also the sole typical drug for the indication uncomplicated respiratory infections and some skin and soft tissue infections. Clindamycin is presented as a specific antibiotic drug but was also the sole typical drug for the indication complicated skin and soft tissue and deep-seated infections. Amoxicillin includes amoxicillin with beta-lactamase inhibitor. UTI = urinary tract infection, CI = confidence interval. Detailed antibiotics classification and typical indications are presented in Supplementary Table S1.</p></p>

Patients with skin and soft tissue infection are often admitted to hospital despite compelling evidence that many can be managed safely as outpatients. This quality improvement study reports the outcomes of an outpatient skin and soft tissue infection programme implemented at an academic acute-care hospital in Toronto, Canada. The intervention was an outpatient care pathway for patients with suspected skin and soft tissue infection who may otherwise have required admission to hospital. The programme was implemented within the existing general internal medicine outpatient clinic and primarily involved the addition of part-time advanced practice wound care nurses. The main outcome was the number of hospital inpatient days for skin and soft tissue infection. Data were analysed for 4 years pre-intervention (June 2016-May 2020) and 2 years post-intervention (June 2020-May 2022). Another acute-care hospital in the same network which did not undergo the intervention was included as a control. During the 2-year post-intervention period there were 465 clinic visits with the programme (mean of 19/month). The median number of inpatient days for skin and soft tissue infection decreased from 224 per month before the intervention to 148 per month after the intervention (a reduction of 34%). There was no reduction in inpatient days for skin and soft tissue infection at the control site or among all diagnoses at the intervention site. The implementation of an outpatient skin and soft tissue infection programme was associated with a sustained 34% reduction in inpatient days for skin and soft tissue infection. This study demonstrates the benefits of enhancing an existing outpatient internal medicine clinic through the creation of a streamlined care pathway and adding interdisciplinary expertise.

Should the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage status be used as a guide to treatment for skin and soft tissue infections?

Background: Knowledge about the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections in injecting drug users in countries with a low prevalence of antibiotic resistance is limited. We investigated bacterial antibiotic resistance and treatment of skin and soft tissue infections in Norwegian drug users.Methods: We performed a two year clinical cross-sectional observational study in a Norwegian hospital. Data were collected retrospectively from hospital records. We examined bacteriological findings and antibiotic resistance, and evaluated compliance to treatment guidelines and appropriateness of empirical antibiotic therapy relative to results of cultures and susceptibility testing. Descriptive and univariate analyses were performed.Results: Hundred and thirty-five injecting drug users were admitted with skin and soft tissue infection in the study period. Cultures were obtained from 103 (77%) abscesses and eight (24%) erysipelas and cellulitis, with bacterial growth in 80 (78%) and five (63%), respectively. Streptococci and staphylococci were the most prevalent bacteria, but methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was found in only one patient. Compliance to hospital antibiotic guidelines was 70%. Ninety-one per cent of patients in the compliant and 79% in the non-compliant group were given effective empirical antibiotics (p = .334). In the non-compliant group, significantly more patients received broad-spectrum empirical antibiotics (p < .001). In 30 cases where adjustment of antibiotic therapy was possible according to susceptibility testing, this was performed in only 14 cases.Conclusions: Bacteria and resistance patterns did not differ significantly from the skin and soft tissue infections in the general population in Norway. Compliance to antibiotic guidelines led to significantly less use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and to good bacterial coverage. General guidelines for treatment should be applied to injecting drug users with skin and soft tissue infections.

Board-certified emergency physicians' treatment of skin and soft tissue infections in the community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus era

ABSTRACTAcute exacerbations and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are severe complications in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study, we analyzed inflammatory parameters in serum including C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and serum neopterin (NPT) to determine their potential to differentiate between patients with CAP+COPD and with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) without pneumonia. 102 (39 women and 63 men) patients were included in this retrospective study, of whom 48 presented with CAP without underlying COPD, 20 with CAP+COPD and 34 with AECOPD. CRP, PCT, and blood counts were determined by routine automated tests, and NPT concentrations were determined by ELISA. The ratios of CRP to NPT levels were calculated. Upon patient admission, CRP, PCT, and NPT levels were significantly higher in patients with CAP compared to those in AECOPD patients. CRP/NPT ratio was lower in AECOPD compared to CAP (+/−COPD) patients. Positive correlations were found between duration of hospitalization and CRP levels and the CRP/NPT ratio at study entry. Patients who were readmitted within 30 days tended to have higher NPT levels at initial presentation. Patients under ongoing corticosteroid treatment presented with lower inflammatory parameters. The CRP/NPT-ratio was suited well to discriminate between AECOPD and CAP on the basis of COPD, a CRP/NPT cutoff of 0.346 provided a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 79%. The combinatory use of inflammatory patterns might help to differentiate patients with AECOPD from those with CAP on the basis of COPD.

BackgroundAmoxicillin-clavulanic acid is one of the most prescribed antimicrobial combinations in India. However, data on its real-world prescribing trends, effectiveness, and safety remain limited.ObjectiveTo evaluate prescribing patterns, dosing practices, adjuvant use, clinical effectiveness, and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid across Indian healthcare settings.MethodsA retrospective, questionnaire-based multicentric study was conducted using anonymized data from 30,654 patients prescribed Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid under protocol IND/ACL/01. Parameters assessed included demographics, indications, prescriber specialty, dose, duration, adjuvant use, and outcomes. Descriptive statistics were applied.ResultsAmong the analyzed prescriptions, upper respiratory tract infections (52.4%) and lower respiratory tract infections (19.5%) were the most common indications, followed by urinary tract infections (10.0%), Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-associated gastritis (6.8%), skin and soft tissue infections (5.0%), and dental infections (3.0%). Clinical resolution was achieved in 82.5% of patients, with effectiveness particularly notable in respiratory and dental infections. Adverse drug reactions, mostly mild gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and nausea, were reported in 21.6% of cases. Treatment duration averaged 7.5±2.8 days, with shorter courses showing similar clinical success. The most common regimen was amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 500/125 mg twice daily for seven to 10 days. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) were co-prescribed in 53.9% of cases, mainly rabeprazole, along with probiotics (23.3%).ConclusionsAmoxicillin-clavulanic acid demonstrated high clinical effectiveness across common indications such as respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, as well as in dental infections and H. pylori-associated gastritis. Clinical resolution was achieved in over 80% of cases, with a favorable safety profile characterized mainly by mild gastrointestinal adverse events in about 20% of patients. These real-world results underscore its valuable role in diverse Indian healthcare settings, supporting evidence-based prescribing for optimized outcomes.

Objective: In this prospective study we analyzed clinical spectrum of infections and there outcome in patients with diabetes mellitus and compared it with nondiabeticcontrols admitted in Endocrinology division of a tertiary care hospital.Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal study of 242 diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Patients were studied in terms of clinical picture, biochemical, hematological and microbiological profile, type and severity of infection, treatment received, and final outcome. There were 142 diabetic patients in group 1 and 100 nondiabetic patients in group 2 served as control. Study subjects were followed for a median period of one year (52 weeks in diabetics, 65 weeks in non-diabetics) after discharge from the ward.Results: Diabetic patients admitted because of infections were older than their non-diabetic counterparts (74% vs 51%&gt; 50 years; p&lt;0.001) and mounted a less inflammatory response in terms of fever and leucocytosis(55% vs 82%:P&lt;0.001).Urinary tract infections were the commonest infections observed among in-hospital diabetic as well as non-diabetic patients (36% vs. 30%; P&gt;0.3). Diabetics contract some specific infections exclusively, like emphysematous pyelonephritis and foot infections, while respiratory infections were more commonly seen in nondiabetic patients (31% vs. 11%; P&lt;0.001).Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism involved in soft tissue and diabetic foot infections (32% vs. 19%; P&lt;0.03). Though mean hospital stay was equal in either group it was significantly longer in diabetic subjects when statistically adjusted for APACHE score.Comparative mortality rates were higher in non-diabetics with in-hospital deaths, followup deaths and total deaths of11%, 6.1% and 17.2% vs 4.9%, 4% and 9.1% respectively but re-infections on follow-up occurred more in diabetics (15% vs.2.6%; P=0.005).Conclusion: Poor glycaemic control and less inflammatory response in terms of fever and leucocytosis, longer hospital stay with increased chances of reinfections are poor prognostic indicators for outcomes in diabetic patients admitted with infections. Urinary tract infections and soft tissue infections particularly foot infectionsare causes of concern in our diabetic patients. JMS 2018: 21 (2):84-90

BackgroundStudies have found a need for improved antimicrobial stewardship in the outpatient setting. The literature is limited by the populations and disease states studied as many focus on viral infections. This study focuses on the adult emergency departments (EDs) in a large healthcare system and quantifies the proportion of antibiotic prescriptions deemed inappropriate for common outpatient infections.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted in patients with selected common infections treated as an outpatient from the ED. Patients were reviewed for eligibility based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria in Table 1. Appropriateness was analyzed based on: need for antimicrobial therapy; agent choice, dose, duration, and directions in concordance with national guidelines and local resistance patterns; and no clinically relevant drug interactions, unnecessary dual coverage, or a better or safer alternative available. The entire prescription was marked inappropriate if any factor was deemed inappropriate. Table 1. Inclusion and Exclusion CriteriaBased on the Epic report generated, a random sample of patients were selected for manual review. Only patients who met the following criteria were eligible for inclusion in the final analysis.ResultsOf the 318 patients reviewed, 274 were included. Treatment was deemed inappropriate 64% (174/274) of the time, significantly above the estimated 30% (p < 0.001). The agent selection, duration, and dose were the most the frequent factors deeming a prescription inappropriate. The most inappropriately used agents were fluoroquinolones and azithromycin. A positive culture required modification of therapy 31% (22/70) of the time and more so when the drug was guideline recommended. For example, when empiric antibiotic selection was per urinary tract infection guidelines, 31% (14/53) required modification compared to 19% (3/16) when the agent was not. This was most apparent when cephalexin was used. ConclusionThe use of antibiotics at the studied EDs was not in concordance with guidelines in the study period. However, the cultures were sensitive less often to agents deemed appropriate per guidelines for empiric therapy. It is possible that the ideal treatments of bacterial infections in this community are not representative of national resistance patterns. Using ED-specific antibiograms to create order panels for common infections, as well as prospective pharmacist review at ED discharge, could increase appropriate utilization of preferred agents. DisclosuresAll Authors: No reported disclosures