Clostridioides Difficile: A Concise Review of Best Practices and Updates.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common and severe nosocomial infections worldwide. It can also affect healthy individuals in the community. The incidence of CDI has been on the rise globally for the past decade, necessitating a proactive approach to combat its spread; new strategies are being developed to enhance diagnostic accuracy and optimize treatment outcomes. Implementing the 2-step testing has increased diagnostic specificity, reducing the usage of CD-specific antibiotics with no concomitant increase in surgical complication rates. In 2021, the Infectious Diseases Society of America/Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (IDSA/SHEA) shifted its preference for initial treatment to fidaxomicin over vancomycin and metronidazole due to its lower recurrence rate. It also prioritized fidaxomicin for the treatment of recurrent CDI. There are new developments on the frontiers of fecal microbiota therapies, with RBX2660 and SER-109 approved recently by the FDA for prevention, with other microbiome-based therapies in various development and clinical trials. This review offers providers an updated and practical guide for CDI management.

Clinical and Radiological Characterization of Central Nervous System Involvement in Nocardiosis: A 20-Year Experience.

Background This study aimed to present the clinical and radiological characteristics and the outcomes of patients with Nocardia infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Methodology We conducted a retrospective review of patients aged 18 and older admitted between August 1998 and November 2018 with culture-proven nocardiosis and CNS involvement. Results Out of 110 patients with nocardiosis, 14 (12.7%) patients had CNS involvement. The median age was 54.5 (27, 86) years, and 12 (85.7%) patients were male. Overall, 12 (85.7%) patients were immunosuppressed on high doses of glucocorticoids; seven (50%) patients were solid organ transplant recipients. Only eight (57.1%) patients had neurological symptoms at presentation, and the rest were diagnosed with CNS involvement after imaging surveillance. Three distinct radiologic patterns were identified, namely, single or multiple abscesses, focal cerebritis, and small, septic embolic infarcts. All isolates of Nocardia were susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and amikacin, with susceptibility to linezolid and carbapenems being 90.9% and 79.5%, respectively. Despite receiving antibiotic therapy, six (42.8%) patients died, most of them within weeks of initial admission. All surviving patients underwent prolonged antimicrobial therapy until the resolution of MRI abnormalities. All solid organ transplant recipients recovered. Conclusions Nocardia CNS infection was a rare condition, even among a large, immunosuppressed patient population. CNS imaging surveillance is paramount for immunosuppressed patients with nocardiosis, as CNS involvement influences the choice and duration of therapy. Nocardia antibiotic susceptibility varied widely between strains and the empiric therapy should consist of multiple classes of antimicrobials with CNS penetration. Mortality was high, but all solid organ transplant recipients recovered.

Clinical Characteristics and Computed Tomography Findings in Adult Patients With an Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the prevalence and possible features associated with symptoms in adult patients diagnosed with an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA). METHODS: In this single-center retrospective study, 386 adult patients were diagnosed with ARSA on chest CT scans performed between June 2016 and April 2021. Patients were grouped by the presence of symptoms, which included dysphagia, shortness of breath, cough, and upper airway wheezing. Four cardiothoracic radiologists reviewed the chest CT scans to assess features of ARSA. Agreement and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine interobserver variability and features associated with the presence of symptoms, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of ARSA was 1.02% and 81.3% of patients were asymptomatic. Shortness of breath (74.6%) was the most common symptom. Interobserver agreement was acceptable with most variables having an interclass correlation coefficient or κ >0.80. A patient's height > 158 cm (OR: 2.50, P = 0.03), cross-sectional area > 60 mm 2 of ARSA at the level of the esophagus (OR: 2.39, P = 0.046), and angle >108 degrees formed with the aortic arch (OR: 1.99, P = 0.03) were associated with the presence of symptoms on multivariable logistic regression. A distance increase per 1 mm between ARSA and trachea (OR: 0.85, P = 0.02) was associated with decreased odds of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Aberrant right subclavian artery is an incidental finding in most adult patients. The cross-sectional area at the level of the esophagus, angle formed with the medial wall of the aortic arch, distance between the ARSA and the trachea, and a patient's height were features associated with the presence of symptoms.

Comparison of Migraine Characteristics in Patients With and Without Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Survey studies have found an increased prevalence of migraine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the clinical characteristics of migraines in this population are unknown. We conducted a retrospective medical record review study to characterize migraines in the IBD population. METHODS: Six hundred seventy-five migraine patients (280 with IBD, 395 without IBD) who were evaluated at Mayo Clinic Rochester, Mayo Clinic Arizona, or Mayo Clinic Florida between July 2009 and March 2021 were included. Patients with ICD codes for migraine and either Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) were selected. Electronic health care records were reviewed. Patients confirmed to have IBD and migraine were included. Demographic, IBD, and migraine characteristics were collected. Statistical analysis was completed using SAS. RESULTS: Patients with IBD were less often male (8.6% vs 21.3%, P < .001) and had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (>2: 24.6% vs 15.7%, P = .003); 54.6% had CD and 39.3% had UC. Patients with IBD had migraine with aura and without aura more frequently ( OR 2.20, P < .001 and OR 2.79, P < .001, respectively) than non-IBD patients. Additionally, those with IBD less commonly had chronic migraine (OR 0.23, P < .001) and less commonly had chronic migraine or treatment for migraine (ORs 0.23-0.55, P ≤ .002). CONCLUSIONS: Migraine with and without aura have increased prevalence in IBD patients. Further study of this topic will be helpful to clarify the prevalence of migraine, establish this population's response to treatment, and better understand the reason(s) for a low rate of treatment.

Invasive Nocardiosis Versus Colonization at a Tertiary Care Center: Clinical and Radiological Characteristics.

Objective: To describe the clinical and radiographic findings in a large cohort of patients with positive cultures for Nocardia emphasizing the differences between invasive disease and colonization. Patients and Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of 133 patients with a positive Nocardia isolate between August 1, 1998, and November 30, 2018, and a computed tomography (CT) of the chest within 30 days before or after the bacteria isolation date. Results: Patients with colonization were older (71 vs 65 years; P=.004), frequently with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (56.8% vs 16.9%; P<.001) and coronary artery disease (47.7% vs 27%, P=.021), and had Nocardia isolated exclusively from lung specimens (100% vs 83.1%; P=.003). On CT of the chest, they had frequent airway disease (84.1% vs 51.7%; P<.001). Patients with invasive nocardiosis had significantly (P<.05) more diabetes, chronic kidney disease, solid organ transplant, use of corticosteroids, antirejection drugs, and prophylactic sulfa. They had more fever (25.8% vs 2.3%; P<.001), cutaneous lesions (14.6% vs 0%; P=.005), fatigue (18% vs 0%; P=.001), pulmonary nodules (52.8% vs 27.3%; P=.006), and free-flowing pleural fluid (63.6% vs 29.4%; P=.024). The patterns of nodule distribution were different-diffuse for invasive nocardiosis and peribronchiolar for Nocardia colonization. Conclusion: The isolation of Nocardia in sputum from a patient with respiratory symptoms does not equal active infection. Only by combining clinical and chest CT findings, one could better differentiate between invasive nocardiosis and Nocardia colonization.

Assessment of Knowledge Regarding Risks and Benefits of the Use of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants.

BACKGROUND: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) have replaced vitamin K antagonist (VKA) oral anticoagulants as the first-line treatment option for stroke prevention in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation. With VKA therapy, disease and treatment-related knowledge is associated with improved adherence and outcomes. There is concern that due to the lack of need for ongoing visits for laboratory monitoring in patients on NOACs, there is less opportunity for education, leading to poor disease- and treatment-related knowledge in this patient group. METHODS: One hundred ninety-nine (199) patients presenting to 2 primary care clinics on NOAC therapy were surveyed regarding atrial fibrillation and their knowledge regarding NOACs. Chart review was completed to determine patient characteristics and data obtained was compared with survey results to determine the accuracy of the survey responses. RESULTS: Patients with a lower degree of NOAC knowledge tended to be older (P < .001), have higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (P = .001), use apixaban more often (P = .008), and have been on NOACs for a shorter time period (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: There is an opportunity to improve NOAC-related knowledge in patients with atrial fibrillation. When developing educational interventions, patient characteristics associated with poor knowledge should be considered. Based on our results, these are patients who are older, more medically complex, are on apixaban, and have been on NOAC therapy for a shorter duration.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a known complication of upper gastrointestinal surgery and has recently been associated with bariatric surgery. Our objectives were to determine the incidence of EPI in patients who underwent bariatric surgery and to identify the type of bariatric procedure most associated with EPI. METHODS: This retrospective cohort analysis included patients age ≥18 years who underwent bariatric surgery at Mayo Clinic between 2010 and 2020. Patients with a history of other gastrointestinal or hepatobiliary resection, revision of bariatric surgery, EPI prior to surgery, and surgery greater than >10 years earlier were excluded from the study. Characteristics were compared between two groups based on type of bariatric surgery including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or gastric sleeve (GS). Characteristics were also analyzed between patients with RYGB who developed post-operative steatorrhea and those who did not. RESULTS: Of 150 patients, 126 underwent RYGB while 24 patients had GS. Thirty-one (20.6%) patients developed post-operative steatorrhea and 14 (9.3%) were diagnosed with EPI. Mean pancreatic elastase level was 287 ± 156 mcg/g and fecal fat level 31 ± 22 g/d. There was a significantly higher proportion of post-operative steatorrhea in patients who underwent RYGB compared to gastric sleeve surgery (p = 0.029). CONCLUSION: The incidence of EPI after bariatric surgery in our cohort was 9.3%. Overall, patients who underwent RYGB had higher rates of EPI (10.3%) than those who had GS (4.2%). Clinicians should be aware of EPI as a cause for steatorrhea in patients who underwent bariatric surgery and consider treatment with enzyme replacement therapy.

Systematic approach to celiac disease: a comprehensive review for primary providers.

Celiac disease is an immune-mediated illness to gluten exposure in genetically susceptible patients. It is characterized by chronic lymphocytic inflammation of the small bowel leading to villous atrophy and its associated complications. The global prevalence of celiac disease is increasing, due in part to improved screening tests and simplified diagnostic criteria. Novel therapies are being developed and include proteolytic enzymes, sequestering agents, and immunotherapies. A strict gluten-free diet, however, remains the mainstay of treatment. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the epidemiology, definitions, diagnosis, and treatment of celiac disease.

A practical review of diabetes mellitus type 2 treatment in primary care.

The treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is becoming more complex as new medications are approved. Primary care providers must maintain their medical knowledge on emerging medications for best patient care. This review simplifies the non-insulin treatments of diabetes with an emphasis on the cardio-renal protectants, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1).

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19 Pneumonia Who Developed Bradycardia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes of bradycardic patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. METHODS: The electronic medical records of 221 consecutive patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia between June and September 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient characteristics, electrocardiographic data, and clinical and laboratory information were retrospectively collected. Patients not treated with drugs that blunt chronotropic response (nodal) were analyzed separately. RESULTS: Only patients whose heart rate was <60 beats per minute (bpm) (136/221, 61.5%) were included. Serial electrocardiography revealed that most patients (130/137, 97.7%) remained in sinus rhythm. The heart rate was between 50 and 59 bpm in 75% of the patients, while 18.4% were in the 40 to 49 bpm range, and 6.6% were <40 bpm. Medians for development of bradycardia after swab polymerase chain reaction positivity and duration of bradycardia were 41 hours and 5 days, respectively. Bradycardia resolved in 81 patients (59.6%). There were no statistically significant differences in outcomes according to degree of bradycardia (<50 vs 50-59, all P ≥ 0.073). No significant differences were noted for the overall cohort when comparing COVID-19 treatments according to resolution of bradycardia; however, when considering only the patients who were not receiving a nodal agent or antiarrhythmic, treatment with lenzilumab was more common in patients with resolution of bradycardia than patients without resolution of bradycardia (12.2% vs 0.0%, P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: Sinus bradycardia occurs frequently in patients with severe COVID-19, but the degree of bradycardia does not correlate with clinical outcomes. Lenzilumab may be associated with the resolution of bradycardia.

Cladophialophora bantiana and Nocardia farcinica infection simultaneously occurring in a kidney transplant recipient: Case report and literature review.

Solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of acquiring devastating infections with unusual pathogens. Nocardia are aerobic actinomycetes that affect the lungs, brain, skin and soft tissue. Cladophialophora species are dematiaceous fungi that overwhelmingly cause infections in the brain. Both organisms carry a high mortality rate. We present the first reported renal transplant case with Cladophialophora bantiana involving the renal allograft with concurrent invasive nocardiosis involving the lungs and brain.

Treatment Approach of Refractory Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Comprehensive Review.

H. pylori is the most common infection in the world and is associated with gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal manifestations, including peptic ulcer disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and lymphoproliferative disorders. Despite being discovered less than half a century ago, antibiotic resistance, exacerbated by medication non-adherence and inefficacy of proton pump inhibitors, has grown substantially, explaining the rising incidence of refractory H. pylori infection. In this review, we discuss risk factors, treatment options, surveillance and follow-up, as well as emerging therapies for refractory H. pylori.

Invasive Nocardiosis in Transplant and Nontransplant Patients: 20-Year Experience in a Tertiary Care Center.

OBJECTIVE: To present the clinical characteristics and outcome of transplant and nontransplant patients with invasive nocardiosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 110 patients 18 years and older diagnosed with culture-proven invasive nocardiosis (defined as the presence of clinical signs and/or radiographic abnormalities) between August 1, 1998, and November 30, 2018. Information on demographic, clinical, radiographic, and microbiological characteristics as well as mortality was collected. RESULTS: One hundred ten individuals with invasive nocardiosis were identified, of whom 54 (49%) were transplant and 56 nontransplant (51%) patients. Most transplant patients were kidney and lung recipients. The overall mean age was 64.9 years, and transplant patients had a higher prevalence of diabetes and chronic kidney disease. A substantial proportion of nontransplant patients were receiving corticosteroids (39%), immunosuppressive medications (16%), and chemotherapy (9%) and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (20%), rheumatologic conditions (18%), and malignant neoplasia (18%). A higher proportion of transplant patients (28%) than nontransplant patients (4%) received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis. In both groups, the lung was the most common site of infection. Seventy percent of all Nocardia species isolated were present in almost equal proportion: N brasiliensis (16%), N farcinica (16%), N nova (15%), N cyriacigeorgia (13%), and N asteroides (11%). More than 90% of isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, linezolid, and amikacin. There was no significant difference in mortality between the 2 groups at 1, 6, and 12 months after the initial diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The frequency of invasive Nocardia infection was similar in transplant and nontransplant patients and mortality at 1, 6, and 12 months was similar in both groups. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis failed to prevent Nocardia infection.

Clostridioides difficile infection: a comprehensive review for primary providers.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an issue of great concern due to its rising incidence, recurrence, morbidity and impact on healthcare spending. Treatment guidelines have changed in the last few years, and new therapies are being considered. This is a practical review for the primary care practitioner of the latest guidelines for CDI diagnosis, treatment, and emerging therapies.

Helicobacter Pylori: a comprehensive review for primary care providers.

Helicobacter pylori is the most prevalent bacteria infecting humans resulting in a variety of gastrointestinal and extra gastrointestinal complications. Although most of the infected adults are asymptomatic, the prevalence varies in different parts of the world it is higher in Eastern and Southern Europe. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori is necessary to prevent precancerous conditions like gastric atrophy, gastric intestinal metaplasia and gastric dysplasia. This comprehensive review addresses briefly on: whom and how to test and treat including recommended first line therapies, salvage therapies, testing for eradication and strategy to be used in primary care clinics.