Yuan-Ti Lee

Clinical outcomes of tigecycline alone or in combination with other antimicrobial agents for the treatment of patients with healthcare-associated multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections

Tigecycline (TG) has been shown to be active in vitro against Acinetobacter baumannii, although data on the clinical efficacy of TG alone or in combination for the treatment of infections due to multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB) remain limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of patients with healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by MDRAB who were treated with imipenem/cilastatin and sulbactam, and TG alone or in combination with other antibiotics. A total of 386 patients with HAIs caused by MDRAB were retrospectively analyzed and grouped into TG and non-TG groups, depending on whether they received TG treatment. Of the 266 patients in the TG group, 108 were treated with TG alone and 158 were treated with TG in combination with ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, piperacillin/tazobactam, or a carbapenem. All 120 patients in the non-TG group were treated with imipenem/cilastatin and sulbactam. The primary outcome measure was 30-day mortality after TG treatment and the secondary outcome was clinical outcome. There were no significant differences in survival rates between the two groups. However, the rate of unfavorable outcome was significantly lower (p < 0.05) among patients in the TG group than among patients in the non-TG group. The most significant predictor of unfavorable outcome was sepsis, whereas TG treatment and microbial eradication were the most significant predictors of favorable outcomes. Our study represents the largest study of patients with MDRAB infection treated with TG and expands our understanding of the role of TG therapy alone or in combination with other agents for the treatment of HAI caused by MDRAB.

The impact of number of drugs prescribed on the risk of potentially inappropriate medication among outpatient older adults with chronic diseases

BACKGROUND Older patients with chronic diseases often take multiple prescription drugs, increasing their risk of adverse health events. However, polypharmacy remains ill-defined. AIM To investigate the impact of number of drugs prescribed on potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) and the associated risk factors in older outpatients with chronic diseases. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study. METHODS We retrospectively assessed 780 older patients (mean, 75.5 ± 7.1 years) with long-term (≥ 28 days) prescriptions for chronic diseases at the geriatric clinics of a university hospital from January to June 2012 using the Screening Tool of Older Persons potentially inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP). Clinical information for each patient was analyzed. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were performed; number needed to harm (NNH) was also estimated. RESULTS According to STOPP criteria, 302 patients (39%) had at least one PIM. Multivariate analysis revealed that PIM risk was associated with the number of medications prescribed (P < 0.001) and the presence of cardiovascular (P < 0.001) or gastrointestinal disease (P = 0.003). The estimated area under the ROC for the number of medications needed to predict PIM risk was 0.680 (P < 0.001) with the optimal cut-off value of five medications. After adjusting covariates, patients prescribed ≥ 5 drugs [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 5.4; adjusted NNH = 4.25; P < 0.001] and those prescribed 4 drugs (adjusted OR = 3.5; adjusted NNH = 6.88; P = 0.003) had significantly higher PIM risk than those prescribed ≤ 2 drugs. CONCLUSIONS The number of prescribed medications can be an index of PIM risk in older patients with chronic diseases. Clinicians should suspect high PIM risk in older outpatients with ≥ 5 prescriptions.

Antibiotic therapy for necrotizing fasciitis caused by Vibrio vulnificus: retrospective analysis of an 8 year period

OBJECTIVES To compare the effectiveness of a third-generation cephalosporin alone, a third-generation cephalosporin plus minocycline, and a fluoroquinolone in patients with necrotizing fasciitis (NF) caused by Vibrio vulnificus. METHODS A retrospective review of case notes was performed for 89 patients who presented with NF caused by V. vulnificus and underwent surgical intervention within 24 h of admission between 2003 and 2010. Data on comorbidities, clinical manifestations, laboratory studies, treatments and outcomes were extracted for analysis. These patients were grouped according to the antimicrobials prescribed: those who received only a third-generation cephalosporin (Group 1; n = 18); a third-generation cephalosporin plus minocycline (Group 2; n = 49); or a fluoroquinolone with/without minocycline (Group 3; n = 22). RESULTS The mean age of the 89 patients included in the study was 64.0 ± 12.0 years (range 33-89 years); 55% of the patients were male. There were no differences in age, sex or clinical characteristics among the three groups except that patients in Group 3 had a higher frequency of underlying chronic renal insufficiency than those in Groups 1 and 2 (P = 0.009). Groups 2 and 3 each had a significantly lower case fatality rate than Group 1 (61% in Group 1 versus 14% in Group 2, P = 0.0003; 61% in Group 1 versus 14% in Group 3, P = 0.0027), while no difference in case fatality rate was noted between Groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggested that, in addition to primary surgery, fluoroquinolones or third-generation cephalosporins plus minocycline are the best option for antibiotic treatment of NF caused by V. vulnificus.

Impact of timing of surgery on outcome of Vibrio vulnificus–related necrotizing fasciitis

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of timing of surgery on mortality risk in patients with necrotizing fasciitis (NF) caused by Vibrio vulnificus infection. METHODS Medical records of 121 patients (mean age, 65.2 ± 11.6 years) with V vulnificus-related NF who underwent surgical intervention between July 1998 and June 2011 were collected and reviewed retrospectively. These patients were divided into 3 groups according to the time between admission and surgical treatment as follows: those who received surgical treatment less than 12 hours after admission, those who received treatment 12 to 24 hours after admission, and those who received treatment more than 24 hours after admission. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the effect of the timing of surgery after admission on mortality risk across the 3 groups by adjusting for potential confounding covariates. RESULTS During their hospitalization, 35 patients died, yielding a case-fatality rate of 29%. After adjustment for potential confounding covariates (age, sex, duration of prodrome before admission, severity of illness on admission, the presence of primary septicemia, hepatic disorders, chronic renal insufficiency, blood pressure less than 90/60 mm Hg on admission, surgical and antibiotic modalities, and intensive care needed), patients who underwent surgery less than 12 hours after admission had a significantly lower mortality risk compared with those who had surgery either 12 to 24 hours after admission (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], .064; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6 × 10⁻⁷ to .25; P = .037) or more than 24 hours after admission (adjusted HR, .0043; 95% CI, 2.1 × 10⁻⁵ to .0085; P = .002). There was no difference in mortality risk between patients who underwent surgery 12 to 24 hours after admission and those who had surgery more than 24 hours after admission (P = .849). CONCLUSIONS Our data provide important clinically based evidence for the beneficial effects of surgical treatment within 12 hours of admission for V vulnificus-related NF.

The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score for discernment of necrotizing fasciitis originated from Vibrio vulnificus infections

BACKGROUND The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) score has been verified as a useful diagnostic tool for detecting necrotizing fasciitis (NF). Its application, however, is mainly for NF types I and II. The practical relevance of the LRINEC score for Vibro vulnificus–related skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) was hardly ever investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of the LRINEC scoring system and to identify NF-predicting factors in patients with V. vulnificus–caused SSTI. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted, enrolling 125 consecutive patients diagnosed with V. vulnificus–related SSTI who were admitted to a teaching hospital between January 2003 and December 2011. Demographics, laboratory data, comorbidities, treatment, and outcomes were collected for each patient and extracted for analysis. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed. RESULTS The mean (SD) age of the 125 patients was 63.0 (10.9) years; 58% of the patients were male. The mean (SD) LRINEC score at admission was 2.4 (1.9) points. Of the 125 patents, 72 (58%) had NF. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of hemorrhagic bullous lesions (p = 0.002) and higher LRINEC scores at admission (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with the presence of NF. In addition, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the LRINEC scoring model for detecting NF was 0.783 (p < 0.0001). An optimal cutoff LRINEC score of 2 or greater had a sensitivity of 71%, a specificity of 83%, and a positive predictive value of 85%, with an 11.9-fold increased risk for the presence of NF (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION We have demonstrated that the LRINEC score and hemorrhagic bullous/blistering lesions are significant predictors of NF in patients with V. vulnificus–related SSTI. V. vulnificus–infected patients having hemorrhagic bullous/blistering lesions or with an LRINEC score of 2 or greater should be thoughtfully evaluated for the presence of NF. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Diagnostic test study, level II.

Significant elevation of plasma cathepsin B and cystatin C in patients with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND We identified the relationship between plasma level changes of cathepsin B and cystatin C before and after antibiotic treatment in hospitalized adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS We collected blood specimens from 61 adult patients with CAP before and after antibiotic treatment and from 60 healthy controls and measured the plasma concentrations of cathepsin B and cystatin C expression using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The APACHE II, CURB-65, and Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) scores were determined to assess CAP severity in patients upon initial hospitalization. RESULTS The results showed a decline in the number of WBCs and neutrophils, with decreases in the concentrations of CRP, cathepsin B, cystatin C, and the cathepsin B/cystatin C ratio being observed after antibiotic treatment. The plasma concentration of cathepsin B correlated with severity of CAP with the PSI score (r=0.290, p=0.025) and the CURB-65 score (r=0.258, p=0.047), respectively. The plasma concentration of cystatin C correlated with the APACHE II score (r=0.523, p<0.001), severity of CAP in the PSI score (r=0.721, p<0.001) and the CURB-65 score (r=0.609, p<0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Cathepsin B and cystatin C may play a role in the diagnosis and clinical assessment of the severity of CAP, which could potentially guide the development of treatment strategies.

First identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MLST types ST5 and ST45 and SCCmec types IV and Vt by multiplex PCR during an outbreak in a respiratory care ward in central Taiwan

We used molecular typing methods to investigate an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in a respiratory care ward in Taiwan. From March to June 2006, the incidence of MRSA infection increased 3.75-fold. The overall carrier rates among the health care workers (HCWs) were 31.3% (total S. aureus), 16.4% (MRSA), and 14.9% (methicillin-sensitive SA, MSSA). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), antibiograms derived from susceptibility testing of MRSA isolates, and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) provided strong epidemiologic and microbiologic evidence that the outbreak of MRSA infections at our hospital was linked to the same PFGE pulsotype A SCCmec type II, pvl-negative, MLST ST5 strain of MRSA isolated from seven HCWs and five patients. The outbreak was controlled by application of topical fucidin ointment to the anterior nares in all colonized HCWs. Multiplex PCR combined with PFGE and MLST is a feasible method for outbreak investigations in routine clinical laboratories.

Prognostic factors for primary septicemia and wound infection caused by Vibrio vulnificus

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive factors for mortality in primary septicemia or wound infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus. METHODS A retrospective review of 90 patients 18 years and older who were hospitalized due to V vulnificus infection between January 2000 and December 2006 was performed. Clinical characteristics, laboratory studies, treatments, and outcomes retrieved from medical records were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed. RESULTS Of 90 patients identified as V vulnificus infections, 39 had primary septicemia and 51 had wound infection. The mean age was 63.0 +/- 11.9 years. The mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) and Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) scores on admission were 11.1 +/- 4.9 and 5.5 +/- 3.8, respectively. Fifteen patients died, yielding an in-hospital mortality rate of 17%. Multivariate analysis revealed that higher APACHE II (odds ratio, 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-1.8; P< .0001) and MEDS (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6; P = .0201) scores on admission were significantly associated with mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves values for APACHE II and MEDS in predicting in-hospital mortality were 0.928 (95% CI, 0.854-0.972) and 0.830 (95% CI, 0.736-0.901), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The APACHE II and MEDS scores on admission are significant prognostic indicators in primary septicemia or wound infections caused by V vulnificus. A further prospective study to strengthen this point is required.

Decline in the incidence of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) correlates with deceased antimicrobial consumption at a tertiary care hospital in Taiwan, 2001–2009

Abstract The present study investigated the long-term impact of antibiotic use policy on the rates of consumption (expressed as daily-defined doses/1000 patient-days) of various parenteral antibiotics and on the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the incidence of healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) infection at a tertiary care hospital from 2001 to 2009. During this time, consumption of all antimicrobials for systemic use decreased by 33%. This change was driven by a 44% decrease in the consumption of unrestricted antibacterials, which was offset by a 42% increase in the consumption of restricted agents. The trends in MRSA prevalence (number of isolates/1000 patient-days) and HA-MRSA incidence (number of HA-MRSA-infected persons/1000 patient-days) correlated with the trend in overall consumption of antimicrobials. Significant positive correlations were observed between MRSA prevalence and the consumption of extended-spectrum and β-lactamase-resistant penicillins, first-generation cephalosporins, macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramins, aminoglycosides, and glycopeptides. Significant positive correlations were found between the incidence of HA-MRSA infection and the consumption of tetracyclines, extended-spectrum and β-lactamase-resistant penicillins, sulfonamides and trimethoprim, macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramins, and aminoglycosides. In conclusion, we have documented the ongoing successful reduction in total consumption of antimicrobials associated with a decrease in the incidence of HA-MRSA and the prevalence of MRSA over a 9-year period.

Rapid Emergency Medicine Score as a main predictor of mortality in Vibrio vulnificus–related patients

OBJECTIVES Vibrio vulnificus causes potentially life-threatening and rapidly progressing infections. Therefore, the severity-of-illness assessment appears to be important for V vulnificus-infected patients at the time of admission. The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of the severity-of-illness scoring model on admission in V vulnificus-infected patients. METHODS One hundred seventy-one consecutive patients (mean age: 63.1 ± 12.3 years) with V vulnificus infection who were admitted to a teaching hospital between January 1999 and June 2010 were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, illness severity on admission, treatment, and outcomes were collected for each patient and extracted for analysis. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed. RESULTS The mean Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) on admission was 6.5 ± 3.0 points. During hospitalization, 68 patients (40%) required intensive care. The overall case-fatality rate was 25%. In multivariate analysis, the presence of underlying liver disease (P = .002), hemorrhagic bullous lesions/necrotizing fasciitis (P = .012), and higher REMS values on admission (P < .0001) were associated with increased mortality risk; a time span <24 hours between arrival and surgical treatment was associated with a decreased mortality risk (P = .007). Additionally, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the REMS in predicting mortality risk was 0.895 (P < .0001). An optimal cut-off REMS ≥8 had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 85%, with a 26.6-fold mortality risk (P < .0001) and a 12.5-fold intensive care unit admission risk (P < .0001). CONCLUSION The REMS could provide clinicians with an effective adjunct risk stratification tool for V vulnificus-infected patients.