Implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program for urinary tract infections in long-term care facilities: a cluster-controlled intervention study.

BACKGROUND: Widespread inappropriate use of antimicrobial substances drives resistance development worldwide. In long-term care facilities (LTCF), antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed medications. More than one third of antimicrobial agents prescribed in LTCFs are for urinary tract infections (UTI). We aimed to increase the number of appropriate antimicrobial treatments for UTIs in LTCFs using a multi-faceted antimicrobial stewardship intervention. METHODS: We performed a non-randomized cluster-controlled intervention study. Four LTCFs of the Geriatric Health Centers Graz were the intervention group, four LTCFs served as control group. The main components of the intervention were: voluntary continuing medical education for primary care physicians, distribution of a written guideline, implementation of the project homepage to distribute guidelines and videos and onsite training for nursing staff. Local nursing staff recorded data on UTI episodes in an online case report platform. Two blinded reviewers assessed whether treatments were adequate. RESULTS: 326 UTI episodes were recorded, 161 in the intervention group and 165 in the control group. During the intervention period, risk ratio for inadequate indication for treatment was 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.90), p = 0.025. In theintervention group, the proportion of adequate antibiotic choices increased from 42.1% in the pre-intervention period, to 45.9% during the intervention and to 51% in the post-intervention period (absolute increase of 8.9%). In the control group, the proportion was 36.4%, 33.3% and 33.3%, respectively. The numerical difference between intervention group and control group in the post-intervention period was 17.7% (difference did not reach statistical significance). There were no significant differences between the control group and intervention group in the safety outcomes (proportion of clinical failure, number of hospital admissions due to UTI and adverse events due to antimicrobial treatment). CONCLUSIONS: An antimicrobial stewardship program consisting of practice guidelines, local and web-based education for nursing staff and general practitioners resulted in a significant increase in adequate treatments (in terms of decision to treat the UTI) during the intervention period. However, this difference was not maintained in the post-intervention phase. Continued efforts to improve the quality of prescriptions further are necessary. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04798365.

Sustained Increase in Very Low Influenza Vaccination Coverage in Residents and Healthcare Workers of Long-Term Care Facilities in Austria after Educational Interventions.

Residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are particularly at risk for influenza infections. We aimed to improve influenza vaccination coverage among residents and healthcare workers (HCWs) in four LTCFs by implementing educational programs and enhanced vaccination services. We compared vaccination coverage before and after the interventions (2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons). Data on vaccination adherence were recorded during a four-year observational period (2019/20 to 2022/23 seasons). Following the interventions, vaccination coverage increased significantly from 5.8% (22/377) to 19.1% (71/371) in residents and from 1.3% (3/234) to 19.7% (46/233) in HCWs (p < 0.001). During the observational period (2019/20 to 2022/23 seasons), vaccination coverage remained high in residents but decreased in HCWs. Vaccination adherence was significantly higher in residents and HCWs in LTCF 1 compared to the other three LTCFs. Our study suggests that a bundle of educational interventions and enhanced vaccination services can be an effective method for improving influenza vaccination coverage in LTCFs in both residents and HCWs. However, vaccination rates are still well below the recommended targets and further efforts are needed to increase vaccine coverage in our LTCFs.

Closure of Temporary Ileostomy 2 Versus 12 Weeks After Rectal Resection for Cancer: A Word of Caution From a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Multicenter Trial.

BACKGROUND: The optimum timing for temporary ileostomy closure after low anterior resection is still open. OBJECTIVE: This trial aimed to compare early (2 wk) versus late (12 wk) stoma closure. DESIGN: The study included 2 parallel groups in a multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at 3 Swiss hospitals. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing low anterior resection and temporary ileostomy for cancer were included. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly allocated to early or late stoma closure. Before closure, colonic anastomosis was examined for integrity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary efficacy outcome was the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index 6 weeks after resection. Secondary end points included safety (morbidity), feasibility, and quality of life 4 months after low anterior resection. RESULTS: The trial was stopped for safety concerns after 71 patients were randomly assigned to early closure (37 patients) or late closure (34 patients). There were comparable baseline data between the groups. No difference in quality of life occurred 6 weeks (mean Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index: 99.8 vs 106.0; p = 0.139) and 4 months (108.6 vs 107.1; p = 0.904) after index surgery. Intraoperative tendency of oozing (visual analog scale: 35.8 vs 19.3; p = 0.011), adhesions (visual analog scale: 61.3 vs 46.2; p = 0.034), leak of colonic anastomosis (19% vs 0%; p = 0.012), leak of colonic or ileal anastomosis (24% vs 0%; p = 0.002), and reintervention (16% vs 0%; p = 0.026) were significantly higher after early closure. The concept of early closure failed in 10 patients (27% vs 0% in the late closure group (95% CI for the difference, 9.4%-44.4%)). LIMITATIONS: The trial was prematurely stopped because of safety issues. The aimed group size was not reached. CONCLUSIONS: Early stoma closure does not provide better quality of life up to 4 months after low anterior resection but is afflicted with significantly adverse feasibility and higher morbidity when compared with late closure. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B665. CIERRE DE LA ILEOSTOMA TEMPORAL VERSUS SEMANAS POSTERIOR A LA RESECCIN RECTAL POR CNCER UNA ADVERTENCIA DE UN ESTUDIO MULTICNTRICO CONTROLADO RANDOMIZADO PROSPECTIVO: ANTECEDENTES:El momento óptimo para el cierre temporal de la ileostomía posterior a la resección anterior baja es aun controversial.OBJETIVO:Este estudio tuvo como objetivo comparar el cierre del estoma temprano (2 semanas) versus tardío (12 semanas).DISEÑO:Estudio clínico controlado, randomizado, multicéntrico, de dos grupos paralelos.ENTORNO CLINICO:El estudio se llevó a cabo en 3 hospitales suizos.PACIENTES:Se incluyeron pacientes sometidos a resección anterior baja e ileostomía temporal por cáncer.INTERVENCIONES:Los pacientes fueron asignados aleatoriamente al cierre del estoma temprano o tardío. Antes del cierre, se examinó la integridad de la anastomosis colónica.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE VALORACION:El principal resultado de eficacia fue el Índice de Calidad de Vida Gastrointestinal 6 semanas después de la resección. Los criterios secundarios incluyeron la seguridad (morbilidad), factibilidad y calidad de vida 4 meses posterior a la resección anterior baja.RESULTADOS:El estudio se detuvo por motivos de seguridad después de que 71 pacientes fueron asignados aleatoriamente a cierre temprano (37 pacientes) o cierre tardío (34 pacientes). Hubo datos de referencia comparables entre los grupos. No se produjeron diferencias en la calidad de vida 6 semanas (índice de calidad de vida gastrointestinal, media 99,8 vs. 106; p = 0,139) y 4 meses (108,6 vs 107,1, p = 0,904) después de la cirugía inicial. Tendencia intraoperatoria de supuración (escala analógica visual 35,8 vs 19,3, p = 0,011), adherencias (escala analógica visual 61,3 vs 46,2, p = 0,034), fuga de anastomosis colónica (19% vs 0%, p = 0,012), fuga de anastomosis colónica o ileal (24% vs 0%, p = 0,002) y reintervención (16% vs 0%, p = 0,026) fueron significativamente mayores después del cierre temprano. El concepto de cierre temprano fracasó en 10 pacientes (27% vs ninguno en el grupo de cierre tardío (intervalo de confianza del 95% para la diferencia: 9,4% a 44,4%)).LIMITACIONES:El estudio se detuvo prematuramente debido a problemas de seguridad. No se alcanzó el tamaño del grupo previsto.CONCLUSIÓN:El cierre temprano del estoma no proporciona una mejor calidad de vida hasta 4 meses posterior a una resección anterior baja, esto se ve afectado por efectos adversos significativos durante su realización y una mayor morbilidad en comparación con el cierre tardío. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B665.

Prospective Surveillance of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Residents in Four Long-Term Care Facilities in Graz, Austria.

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) are a common cause for residents' mortality and morbidity associated with a significant socio-economic burden. Data on HCAIs in Austrian long-term care facilities are scare. Therefore, we evaluated the incidence rate of HCAIs per 1000 resident days in four LTC facilities in Graz, Austria, characterized the spectrum of HCAIs and the use of antimicrobial substances. We conducted a prospective surveillance study from 1 January to 31 December 2018 in four LTCFs of the Geriatric Health Centre of the City of Graz (total of 388 beds). Nursing staff collected data on HCAIs once a week using an electronic reporting system. During the 12-month surveillance period, 252 infections of 165 residents were recorded. The overall incidence rate of HCAIs was 2.1 per 1000 resident days. Urinary tract infections were the most commonly recorded HCAIs (49%, 124/252, 1.03 per 1000 resident days), followed by skin and soft tissue infections and respiratory tract infections. Beta-lactams (ATC class J01C) were prescribed most frequently (63/212), followed by fluoroquinolones (J01M; 54/212). In conclusion, the overall incidence rate for HCAIs was relatively low at 2.1 per 1000 resident days. Our real-life data can serve as a basis for future antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention interventions.

Intraoperative mechanical measurement of bone quality with the DensiProbe.

Reduced bone stock can result in fractures that mostly occur in the spine, distal radius, and proximal femur. In case of operative treatment, osteoporosis is associated with an increased failure rate. To estimate implant anchorage, mechanical methods seem to be promising to measure bone strength intraoperatively. It has been shown that the mechanical peak torque correlates with the local bone mineral density and screw failure load in hip, hindfoot, humerus, and spine in vitro. One device to measure mechanical peak torque is the DensiProbe (AO Research Institute, Davos, Switzerland). The device has shown its effectiveness in mechanical peak torque measurement in mechanical testing setups for the use in hip, hindfoot, and spine. In all studies, the correlation of mechanical torque measurement and local bone mineral density and screw failure load could be shown. It allows the surgeon to judge local bone strength intraoperatively directly at the region of interest and gives valuable information if additional augmentation is needed. We summarize methods of this new technique, its advantages and limitations, and give an overview of actual and possible future applications.

Vortex quantum creation and winding number scaling in a quenched spinor Bose gas.

Motivated by a recent experiment, we study nonequilibrium quantum phenomena taking place in the quench of a spinor Bose-Einstein condensate through the zero-temperature phase transition separating the polar paramagnetic and planar ferromagnetic phases. We derive the typical spin domain structure (correlations of the effective magnetization) created by the quench arising due to spin-mode quantum fluctuations, and we establish a sample-size scaling law for the creation of spin vortices, which are topological defects in the transverse magnetization.

Analogue of cosmological particle creation in an ion trap.

We study phonons in a dynamical chain of ions confined by a trap with a time-dependent (axial) potential strength and demonstrate that they behave in the same way as quantum fields in an expanding or contracting Universe. Based on this analogy, we present a scheme for the detection of the analogue of cosmological particle creation which should be feasible with present day technology. In order to test the quantum nature of the particle creation mechanism and to distinguish it from classical effects such as heating, we propose to measure the two-phonon amplitude via the 2nd red sideband transition and to compare it with the one-phonon amplitude (1st red sideband).

Sweeping from the superfluid to the Mott phase in the Bose-Hubbard model.

We study the sweep through the quantum phase transition from the superfluid to the Mott state for the Bose-Hubbard model with a time-dependent tunneling rate J(t). In the experimentally relevant case of exponential decay J(t) proportional variant e -gamma t, an adapted mean-field expansion for large fillings n yields a scaling solution for the fluctuations. This enables us to analytically calculate the evolution of the number and phase variations (on-site) and correlations (off-site) for slow (gamma<>mu) sweeps, where mu is the chemical potential. Finally, we derive the dynamical decay of the off-diagonal long-range order as well as the temporal shrinkage of the superfluid fraction in a persistent ring-current setup.

Resonant cavity photon creation via the dynamical Casimir effect.

Motivated by a recent proposal for an experimental verification of the dynamical Casimir effect, the macroscopic electromagnetic field within a perfect cavity containing a thin slab with a time-dependent dielectric permittivity is quantized in terms of the dual potentials. For the resonance case, the number of photons created out of the vacuum due to the dynamical Casimir effect is calculated for both polarizations. It turns out that only TM modes can be excited efficiently.