Evaluation of hospital-onset bacteraemia and fungaemia in the USA as a potential healthcare quality measure: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Hospital-onset bacteraemia and fungaemia (HOB) is being explored as a surveillance and quality metric. The objectives of the current study were to determine sources and preventability of HOB in hospitalised patients in the USA and to identify factors associated with perceived preventability. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of HOB events at 10 academic and three community hospitals using structured chart review. HOB was defined as a blood culture on or after hospital day 4 with growth of one or more bacterial or fungal organisms. HOB events were stratified by commensal and non-commensal organisms. Medical resident physicians, infectious disease fellows or infection preventionists reviewed charts to determine HOB source, and infectious disease physicians with training in infection prevention/hospital epidemiology rated preventability from 1 to 6 (1=definitely preventable to 6=definitely not preventable) using a structured guide. Ratings of 1-3 were collectively considered 'potentially preventable' and 4-6 'potentially not preventable'. RESULTS: Among 1789 HOB events with non-commensal organisms, gastrointestinal (including neutropenic translocation) (35%) and endovascular (32%) were the most common sources. Overall, 636/1789 (36%) non-commensal and 238/320 (74%) commensal HOB events were rated potentially preventable. In logistic regression analysis among non-commensal HOB events, events attributed to intravascular catheter-related infection, indwelling urinary catheter-related infection and surgical site infection had higher odds of being rated preventable while events with neutropenia, immunosuppression, gastrointestinal sources, polymicrobial cultures and previous positive blood culture in the same admission had lower odds of being rated preventable, compared with events without those attributes. Of 636 potentially preventable non-commensal HOB events, 47% were endovascular in origin, followed by gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary sources; approximately 40% of those events would not be captured through existing healthcare-associated infection surveillance. DISCUSSION: Factors identified as associated with higher or lower preventability should be used to guide inclusion, exclusion and risk adjustment for an HOB-related quality metric.

Long-Term Effects of a Stepwise, Multimodal, Non-Restrictive Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme for Reducing Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Use in the ICU.

Information on the long-term effects of non-restrictive antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) strategies is scarce. We assessed the effect of a stepwise, multimodal, non-restrictive AMS programme on broad-spectrum antibiotic use in the intensive care unit (ICU) over an 8-year period. Components of the AMS were progressively implemented. Appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing was also assessed by monthly point-prevalence surveys from 2013 onwards. A Poisson regression model was fitted to evaluate trends in the reduction of antibiotic use and in the appropriateness of their prescription. From 2011 to 2019, a total of 12,466 patients were admitted to the ICU. Antibiotic use fell from 185.4 to 141.9 DDD per 100 PD [absolute difference, -43.5 (23%), 95% CI -100.73 to 13.73; p = 0.13] and broad-spectrum antibiotic fell from 41.2 to 36.5 [absolute difference, -4.7 (11%), 95% CI -19.58 to 10.18; p = 0.5]. Appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing rose by 11% per year [IRR: 0.89, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.00; p = 0.048], while broad-spectrum antibiotic use showed a dual trend, rising by 22% until 2015 and then falling by 10% per year since 2016 [IRR: 0.90, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.99; p = 0.03]. This stepwise, multimodal, non-restrictive AMS achieved a sustained reduction in broad-spectrum antibiotic use in the ICU and significantly improved appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing.

Comparative effectiveness of daptomycin versus vancomycin among patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSIs), vancomycin stands as the prevalent therapeutic agent. Daptomycin remains an alternative antibiotic to treat MRSA BSIs in cases where vancomycin proves ineffective. However, studies have conflicted on whether daptomycin is more effective than vancomycin among patients with MRSA BSI. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of daptomycin and vancomycin for the prevention of mortality among adult patients with MRSA BSI. METHODS: Systematic searches of databases were performed, including Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) were used to assess the quality of individual observational and randomized control studies, respectively. Pooled odd ratios were calculated using random effects models. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included based on a priori set inclusion and exclusion criteria. Daptomycin treatment was associated with non-significant lower mortality odds, compared to vancomycin treatment (OR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.62, 1.06). Sub-analyses based on the time patients were switched from another anti-MRSA treatment to daptomycin demonstrated that switching to daptomycin within 3 or 5 days was significantly associated with 55% and 45% decreased odds of all-cause mortality, respectively. However, switching to daptomycin any time after five days of treatment was not significantly associated with lower odds of mortality. Stratified analysis based on vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) revealed that daptomycin treatment among patients infected with MRSA strains with MIC≥1 mg/L was significantly associated with 40% lower odds of mortality compared to vancomycin treatment. CONCLUSION: Compared with vancomycin, an early switch from vancomycin to daptomycin was significantly associated with lower odds of mortality. In contrast, switching to daptomycin at any time only showed a trend towards reduced mortality, with a non-significant association. Therefore, the efficacy of early daptomycin use over vancomycin against mortality among MRSA BSIs patients may add evidence to the existing literature in support of switching to daptomycin early over remaining on vancomycin. More randomized and prospective studies are needed to assess this association.

Voriconazole Pharmacokinetics in Critically Ill Patients and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support: A Retrospective Comparative Case-Control Study.

Voriconazole, an antifungal agent, displays high intra- and inter-individual variability. The predictive pharmacokinetic (PK) index requires a minimum plasma concentration (Cmin) in patient serum of between 1-5.5 mg/L. It is common to encounter fungal infections in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, and data regarding voriconazole PK changes during ECMO are scarce. Our study compared voriconazole PKs in patients with and without ECMO support in a retrospective cohort of critically-ill patients. Fifteen patients with 26 voriconazole Cmin determinations in the non-ECMO group and nine patients with 27 voriconazole Cmin determinations in the ECMO group were recruited. The ECMO group had lower Cmin (0.38 ± 2.98 vs. 3.62 ± 3.88, p < 0.001) and higher infratherapeutic Cmin values (16 vs. 1, p < 0.001) than the non-ECMO group. Multivariate analysis identified ECMO support (-0.668, CI95 -0.978--0.358) and plasma albumin levels (-0.023, CI95 -0.046--0.001) as risk factors for low Cmin values. When comparing pre- and post-therapeutic drug optimisation samples from the ECMO group, the dose required to achieve therapeutic Cmin was 6.44 mg/kg twice a day. Therapeutic drug optimisation is essential to improve target attainment.

Leveraging a nationwide infection surveillance program to implement a colorectal surgical site infection reduction bundle: a pragmatic, prospective, and multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Bundled interventions usually reduce surgical site infection (SSI) when implemented at single hospitals, but the feasibility of their implementation at the nationwide level and their clinical results are not well established. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pragmatic interventional study to analyze the implementation and outcomes of a colorectal surgery care bundle within a nationwide quality improvement program. The bundle consisted of antibiotic prophylaxis, oral antibiotic prophylaxis (OAP), mechanical bowel preparation, laparoscopy, normothermia, and a wound retractor. Control group (CG) and Intervention group (IG) were compared. Overall SSI, superficial (S-SSI), deep (D-SSI), and organ/space (O/S-SSI) rates were analyzed. Secondary endpoints included microbiology, 30-day mortality, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: A total of 37 849 procedures were included, 19 655 in the CG and 18 194 in the IG. In all, 5462 SSIs (14.43%) were detected: 1767 S-SSI (4.67%), 847 D-SSI (2.24%), and 2838 O/S-SSI (7.5%). Overall SSI fell from 18.38% (CG) to 10.17% (IG), odds ratio (OR) of 0.503 [0.473-0.524]. O/S-SSI rates were 9.15% (CG) and 5.72% (IG), OR of 0.602 [0.556-0.652]. The overall SSI rate was 16.71% when no measure was applied and 6.23% when all six were used. Bundle implementation reduced the probability of overall SSI (OR: 0.331; CI 95 : 0.242-0.453), and also O/S-SSI rate (OR: 0.643; CI 95 : 0.416-0.919). In the univariate analysis, all measures except normothermia were associated with a reduction in overall SSI, while only laparoscopy, OAP, and mechanical bowel preparation were related to a decrease in O/S-SSI. Laparoscopy, wound retractor, and OAP decreased overall SSI and O/S-SSI in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, the application of a specific care bundle within a nationwide nosocomial infection surveillance system proved feasible and resulted in a significant reduction in overall and O/S-SSI rates in the elective colon and rectal surgery. The OR for SSI fell between 1.5 and 3 times after the implementation of the bundle.

Impact of 18F-FDG-PET/CT on the management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of 18F-FDG-PET/CT on the diagnosis and management of patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB). METHODS: Post hoc analysis of a prospective cohort of consecutive adult patients diagnosed with SAB (January 2013-December 2017). Patients who underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT at the discretion of the attending physician were included. Endpoints were the identification of previously unknown infectious foci and changes in clinical management, defined as changes in the duration or class of antibiotic therapy, a surgical procedure on the source of infection or a change in the decision to remove or retain an implantable device. RESULTS: We included 39 patients (median age: 69 years, IQR:60-79). Fifteen (39%) patients did not have an infectious focus identified before 18F-FDG-PET/CT). Thirty new infectious foci were detected in 22/39 (56%) patients. In 11/15 (73%) patients without an identified focus at least one infectious focus was detected by 18F-FDG-PET/CT. In 22/26 (85%) patients with implantable devices, 18F-FDG-PET/CT confirmed or ruled out infection or detected local complications. Out of 13 device infections, 10 were detected by 18F-FDG-PET/CT (7/10 for the first time). In 19/39 (49%) patients 18F-FDG-PET/CT results led to changes in clinical management (15 changes in antibiotic therapy, 2 device removals, 2 surgical procedures, 1 avoidance of a surgical procedure). CONCLUSIONS: 18F-FDG-PET/CT may be a useful asset in the management of selected SAB cases, allowing the identification of previously undetected infectious foci and optimization of therapy, particularly in patients with endovascular devices. Indication should be made on a case-by-case basis.

Global Emergence of Resistance to Fluconazole and Voriconazole in Candida parapsilosis in Tertiary Hospitals in Spain During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Candida parapsilosis is a frequent cause of candidemia worldwide. Its incidence is associated with the use of medical implants, such as central venous catheters or parenteral nutrition. This species has reduced susceptibility to echinocandins, and it is susceptible to polyenes and azoles. Multiple outbreaks caused by fluconazole-nonsusceptible strains have been reported recently. A similar trend has been observed among the C. parapsilosis isolates received in the last 2 years at the Spanish Mycology Reference Laboratory. Methods: Yeast were identified by molecular biology, and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing protocol. The ERG11 gene was sequenced to identify resistance mechanisms, and strain typing was carried out by microsatellite analysis. Results: We examined the susceptibility profile of 1315 C. parapsilosis isolates available at our reference laboratory between 2000 and 2021, noticing an increase in the number of isolates with acquired resistance to fluconazole, and voriconazole has increased in at least 8 different Spanish hospitals in 2020-2021. From 121 recorded clones, 3 were identified as the most prevalent in Spain (clone 10 in Catalonia and clone 96 in Castilla-Leon and Madrid, whereas clone 67 was found in 2 geographically unrelated regions, Cantabria and the Balearic Islands). Conclusions: Our data suggest that concurrently with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, a selection of fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis isolates has occurred in Spain, and the expansion of specific clones has been noted across centers. Further research is needed to determine the factors that underlie the successful expansion of these clones and their potential genetic relatedness.

Antimicrobial use and aetiology of bloodstream infections in critically ill patients during early stages of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Background: During early stages of COVID-19 pandemic, antimicrobials were commonly prescribed. Aim: To describe clinical, microbiological and antimicrobial use changes in bloodstream infections (BSI) of ICU patients during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-COVID-19 era. Methods: Observational cohort study of patients admitted to ICU of Bellvitge University Hospital was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (March-June 2020) and before COVID-19 pandemic (March-June 2019). Differences in clinical characteristics, antimicrobial consumption and incidence and aetiology of BSI were measured. Findings: COVID-19 patients had significantly less comorbidities with obesity the only risk factor that increased in frequency. COVID-19 patients more frequently required invasive supportive care measures, had longer median ICU stay and higher mortality rates. The incidence of BSIs was higher in COVID-19 period (RR 3.2 [95%CI 2.2-4.7]), occurred in patients who showed prolonged median ICU stay (21days) and was associated with high mortality rate (47%). The highest increases in the aetiological agents were observed for AmpC-producing bacteria (RR 11.1 [95%CI 2.6-47.9]) and non-fermenting rods (RR 7.0 [95%CI 1.5-31.4]). The emergence of bacteraemia caused by Gram-negative rods resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate, which was used as empirical therapy during early stages of the pandemic, led to an escalation towards broader-spectrum antimicrobials such as meropenem and colistin which was also associated with the emergence of resistant isolates. Conclusions: The epidemiological shift towards resistant phenotypes in critically ill COVID-19 patients was associated with the selective use of antimicrobials. Our study provides evidence of the impact of empirical therapy on the selection of bacteria and their consequences on BSI over the subsequent months.

The Effectiveness of Combination Therapy for Treating Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: A Systematic Literature Review and a Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combination therapy for treating MSSA bacteremia. METHODS: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and clinicaltrials.gov for studies including adults with MSSA bacteremia. The monotherapy group used a first-line antibiotic active against MSSA and the combination group used a first-line antibiotic plus additional antibiotic/s. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included persistent bacteremia, duration of bacteremia, relapse, and adverse events. Random-effects models with inverse variance weighting were used to estimate pooled risk ratios (pRR). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 value and the Cochrane's Q statistic. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies (6 randomized controlled trials [RCTs]) were included. Combination therapy did not significantly reduce 30-day mortality (pRR 0.92, 95% CI, 0.70-1.20), 90-day mortality (pRR 0.89, 95% CI, 0.74-1.06), or any-time mortality (pRR 0.91, 95% CI, 0.76-1.08). Among patients with deep-seated infections, adjunctive rifampicin may reduce 90-day mortality (3 studies with moderate-high risk of bias; pRR 0.62, 95% CI, 0.42-0.92). For secondary outcomes, combination therapy decreased the risk of relapse (pRR 0.38, 95% CI, 0.22-0.66), but this benefit was not maintained when pooling RCTs (pRR 0.54, 95% CI, 0.12-2.51). Combination therapy was associated with an increased risk of adverse events (pRR 1.74, 95% CI, 1.31-2.31). CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy not only did not decrease mortality in patients with MSSA bacteremia, but also increased the risk of adverse events. Combination therapy may reduce the risk of relapse, but additional high-quality studies are needed.

Empirical use of ß-lactam/ß-lactamase inhibitor combinations does not increase mortality compared with cloxacillin and cefazolin in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a propensity-weighted cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of empirical therapy with ß-lactam/ß-lactamase inhibitor combinations (BL/BLICs) for MSSA bacteraemia. METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analysis of all adult patients with MSSA bacteraemia who were hospitalized at a Spanish university hospital between 2013 and 2018. We compared 30 day mortality among patients receiving initial therapy with BL/BLICs (de-escalated to cloxacillin or cefazolin within 96 h) versus cloxacillin or cefazolin, using propensity score analysis with the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method. RESULTS: We evaluated 373 patients with MSSA bacteraemia. Among them, 198 patients met the eligibility criteria, including 127 patients in the BL/BLICs group and 71 patients in the cloxacillin/cefazolin group. Patients in the BL/BLICs group had a higher Charlson comorbidity index (median, 2 [IQR, 1-4.5] versus 2 [IQR, 0-4]); an increased proportion of high-risk sources (i.e. endocarditis, respiratory sources and bacteraemia of unknown origin [34.6% versus 18.3%]); and an earlier start of antibiotic treatment (median, 0 days [IQR, 0-0] versus 1 day [IQR, 1-2]). Thirty day mortality did not significantly differ between the BL/BLICs and the cloxacillin/cefazolin groups (27 patients [21.3%] versus 13 patients [18.3%]; IPTW-adjusted OR = 0.53 [95% CI, 0.18-1.51]). For secondary outcomes, 7 day mortality and 90 day relapse were not statistically different between study groups (8.7% versus 5.6% [P = 0.62] and 6.2% versus 3.8% [P = 0.81], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: BL/BLICs might be an effective empirical treatment for MSSA bacteraemia when de-escalated to cloxacillin or cefazolin within 96 h from the index blood culture.

Oral Antibiotic Prophylaxis Lowers Surgical Site Infection in Elective Colorectal Surgery: Results of a Pragmatic Cohort Study in Catalonia.

BACKGROUND: The role of oral antibiotic prophylaxis (OAP) and mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) in the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) after colorectal surgery is still controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of a bundle including both measures in a National Infection Surveillance Network in Catalonia. METHODS: Pragmatic cohort study to assess the effect of OAP and MBP in reducing SSI rate in 65 hospitals, comparing baseline phase (BP: 2007-2015) with implementation phase (IP: 2016-2019). To compare the results, a logistic regression model was established. RESULTS: Out of 34,421 colorectal operations, 5180 had SSIs (15.05%). Overall SSI rate decreased from 18.81% to 11.10% in BP and IP, respectively (OR 0.539, CI95 0.507-0.573, p < 0.0001). Information about bundle implementation was complete in 61.7% of cases. In a univariate analysis, OAP and MBP were independent factors in decreasing overall SSI, with OR 0.555, CI95 0.483-0.638, and OR 0.686, CI95 0.589-0.798, respectively; and similarly, organ/space SSI (O/S-SSI) (OR 0.592, CI95 0.494-0.710, and OR 0.771, CI95 0.630-0.944, respectively). However, only OAP retained its protective effect at both levels at multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: oral antibiotic prophylaxis decreased the rates of SSI and O/S-SSI in a large series of elective colorectal surgery.

Infectious diseases experts as part of the antibiotic stewardship team in primary care: protocol for a cluster-randomised blinded study (IDASP).

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic overuse is directly related to antibiotic resistance, and primary care is one of the main reasons for this overuse. This study aims to demonstrate that including experts on infectious diseases (ID) within the antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programme team in primary care settings achieves higher reductions in overall antibiotic consumption and increases the quality of prescription. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A multicentre, cluster-randomised, blinded clinical trial will be conducted between 2021 and 2023. Six primary care centres will be randomly assigned to an advanced or a standard AMS programme. The advanced AMS programme will consist of a standard AMS programme combined with the possibility that general practitioners (GP) will discuss patients' therapies with ID experts telephonically during working days and biweekly meetings. The main endpoint will be overall antibiotic consumption, defined as daily defined dose per 1000 inhabitants per day (DHD). Secondary end-points will be: (1) unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in patients diagnosed with upper respiratory tract or urinary tract infection, (2) adequacy of antibiotic prescription, (3) reattendance to GP or emergency room within 30 days after the initial GP visit and (4) hospital admissions for any reason within 30 days after the GP visit. Two secondary endpoints (unnecessary antibiotic therapy and adequacy of therapy) will be evaluated by blinded investigators.We will select three clusters (centres) per arm (coverage of 147 644 inhabitants) which will allow the rejection of the null hypothesis of equal consumption with a power of 80%, assuming a moderate intracluster correlation of 0.2, an intracluster variance of 4 and a mean difference of 1 DHD. The type I error will be set at 5%. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol was reviewed and approved by local ethics committees. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at medical conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04848883.

Mortality in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia remains high despite adherence to quality indicators: secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between compliance with previously published quality indicators (QIs) for the management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) and 30-day mortality. METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analysis of all adult patients with SAB who were hospitalized at a Spanish university hospital between 2013 and 2018. We evaluated the compliance with 7 QIs of SAB management (i.e., Infectious Diseases consultation, follow-up blood cultures, early source control, echocardiography, early cloxacillin or cefazolin, vancomycin monitoring, and appropriate treatment duration). The QIs compliance rate was considered good if ≥75% of the QIs recommended in each patient were performed. We studied the impact of different risk factors (including QIs compliance) on 30-day all-cause mortality adjusting by multivariable modeling and propensity-matched analysis. RESULTS: We included 441 patients with SAB. The QIs compliance rate was ≥75% in 361 patients (81.9%). A total of 95 patients (21.5%) died within 30 days after the index blood culture. In the multivariable model, the variables associated with 30-day mortality were: age (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1), Charlson comorbidity index (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.4), persistent bacteraemia >72 h (OR, 6.0; 95% CI, 3.2-11.5), infective endocarditis (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2-6.7), and SAB of unknown source (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.5-7.1). We did not find an association between a global QIs compliance rate of ≥75% or any individual QI with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: SAB 30-day mortality remains high despite good adherence to previously published QIs for the management of SAB. Future research should focus on additional factors to further improve SAB-related mortality.

A comprehensive assessment of carbapenem use across 90 Veterans Health Administration hospitals with defined stewardship strategies for carbapenems.

OBJECTIVES: Carbapenems are an important target for antimicrobial stewardship (AS) efforts. In this study, we sought to compare different hospital-based strategies for improving carbapenem use. METHODS: We analysed a cohort of all patients hospitalized at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) acute care hospitals during 2016 and a mandatory survey that characterized each hospital's carbapenem-specific AS strategy into one of three types: no strategy (NS), prospective audit and feedback (PAF) or restrictive policies (RP). Carbapenem use was compared using risk-adjusted generalized estimating equations that accounted for clustering within hospitals. Two infectious disease (ID) physicians independently performed manual chart reviews in 425 randomly selected cases. Auditors assessed carbapenem appropriateness with an assessment score on Day 4 of therapy. RESULTS: There were 429 062 admissions in 90 sites (24 NS, 8 PAF, 58 RP). Carbapenem use was lower at PAF than NS sites [rate ratio (RR) 0.6 (95% CI 0.4-0.9); P = 0.01] but similar between RP and NS sites. Carbapenem prescribing was considered appropriate/acceptable in 215 (50.6%) of the reviewed cases. Assessment scores were lower (i.e. better) at RP than NS sites (mean 2.3 versus 2.7; P < 0.01) but did not differ significantly between NS and PAF sites. ID consultations were more common at PAF/RP than NS sites (51% versus 29%; P < 0.01). ID consultations were associated with lower (i.e. better) assessment scores (mean 2.3 versus 2.6; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this VHA cohort, PAF strategies were associated with lower carbapenem use and ID consultation and RP strategies were associated with more appropriate carbapenem prescribing. AS and ID consultations may work complementarily and hospitals could leverage both to optimize carbapenem use.

Comparative Effectiveness of Switching to Daptomycin Versus Remaining on Vancomycin Among Patients With Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bloodstream Infections.

BACKGROUND: Patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (MRSA BSI) usually receive initial treatment with vancomycin but may be switched to daptomycin for definitive therapy, especially if treatment failure is suspected. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of switching from vancomycin to daptomycin compared with remaining on vancomycin among patients with MRSA BSI. METHODS: Patients admitted to 124 Veterans Affairs Hospitals who experienced MRSA BSI and were treated with vancomycin during 2007-2014 were included. The association between switching to daptomycin and 30-day mortality was assessed using Cox regression models. Separate models were created for switching to daptomycin any time during the first hospitalization and for switching within 3 days of receiving vancomycin. RESULTS: In total, 7411 patients received vancomycin for MRSA BSI. Also, 606 (8.2%) patients switched from vancomycin to daptomycin during the first hospitalization, and 108 (1.5%) switched from vancomycin to daptomycin within 3 days of starting vancomycin. In the multivariable analysis, switching to daptomycin within 3 days was significantly associated with lower 30-day mortality (hazards ratio [HR] = 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .25, .92). However, switching to daptomycin at any time during the first hospitalization was not significantly associated with 30-day mortality (HR: 0.87; 95% CI: .69, 1.09). CONCLUSIONS: Switching to daptomycin within 3 days of initial receipt of vancomycin is associated with lower 30-day mortality among patients with MRSA BSI. This benefit was not seen when the switch occurred later. Future studies should prospectively assess the benefit of early switching from vancomycin to other anti-MRSA antibiotics.

Daptomycin Plus Fosfomycin Versus Daptomycin Alone for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia and Endocarditis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine whether daptomycin plus fosfomycin provides higher treatment success than daptomycin alone for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia and endocarditis. METHODS: A randomized (1:1) phase 3 superiority, open-label, and parallel group clinical trial of adult inpatients with MRSA bacteremia was conducted at 18 Spanish hospitals. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg/kg of daptomycin intravenously daily plus 2 g of fosfomycin intravenously every 6 hours, or 10 mg/kg of daptomycin intravenously daily. Primary endpoint was treatment success 6 weeks after the end of therapy. RESULTS: Of 167 patients randomized, 155 completed the trial and were assessed for the primary endpoint. Treatment success at 6 weeks after the end of therapy was achieved in 40 of 74 patients who received daptomycin plus fosfomycin and in 34 of 81 patients who were given daptomycin alone (54.1% vs 42.0%; relative risk, 1.29 [95% confidence interval, .93-1.8]; P = .135). At 6 weeks, daptomycin plus fosfomycin was associated with lower microbiologic failure (0 vs 9 patients; P = .003) and lower complicated bacteremia (16.2% vs 32.1%; P = .022). Adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation occurred in 13 of 74 patients (17.6%) receiving daptomycin plus fosfomycin, and in 4 of 81 patients (4.9%) receiving daptomycin alone (P = .018). CONCLUSIONS: Daptomycin plus fosfomycin provided 12% higher rate of treatment success than daptomycin alone, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. This antibiotic combination prevented microbiological failure and complicated bacteremia, but it was more often associated with adverse events. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT01898338.

Insertion site inflammation was associated with central-line-associated bloodstream infections at a tertiary-care center, 2015-2018.

There are currently no guidelines for central-line insertion site evaluation. Our study revealed an association between insertion site inflammation (ISI) and the development of central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). Automated surveillance for ISI is feasible and could help prevent CLABSI.

Antibiotic use during end-of-life care: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis measuring the burden of antibiotic use during end-of-life (EOL) care. METHODS: We searched PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCO platform), and Embase (Elsevier platform), through July 2019 for studies with the following inclusion criteria in the initial analysis: antibiotic use in the EOL care patients (advanced dementia, cancer, organ failure, frailty or multi-morbidity). If the number of patients in palliative care consultation (PCC) was available, antibiotic use data were pooled to compare the proportion of patients who received antibiotics under PCC compared to those not receiving PCC. Random-effect models were used to obtain pooled mean differences, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 value. RESULTS: Overall, 72 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review: 22 EOL studies included only patients with cancer; 17 studies included only patients with advanced dementia; and 33 studies included "mixed populations" of EOL patients. Although few studies reported antibiotic using standard metrics (eg, days of therapy), 48 of 72 studies (66.7%) reported antibiotic use in >50% of all patients. When the 3 studies that evaluated antibiotic use in PCC were pooled together, patients under PCC was more likely to receive antibiotics compared to patients not under PCC (pooled odds ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.02-2.93). CONCLUSIONS: Future studies are needed to evaluate the benefits and harms of using antibiotics for patients during EOL care in diverse patient populations.