Association of Body Mass Index with Multiple Organ Failure in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: This study examines whether excessive adipose tissue, as measured by the body mass index (BMI), is associated with higher systemic markers of inflammation and higher risk of severe acute organ failure among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of 1370 hospitalized adults (18 years or older) with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. Patient-level variables were extracted from the electronic medical record. The primary predictor variable was the BMI at time of hospital admission, in accordance with the World Health Organization classification. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined the association of BMI with the composite of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as defined by the use of high-flow nasal canula, non-invasive ventilation, or mechanical ventilation, severe acute kidney injury (AKI), as defined by acute dialysis requirement, or in-hospital death. Results: After adjustment for important cofounders, the BMI stratum of > 40 kg/m2 (compared to the BMI < 25 kg/m2 reference group) was associated with higher odds for the composite of ARDS, severe AKI, or in-hospital death (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI]1.03, 2.78). As a continuous variable, BMI (per 5-kg/m2 increase) remained independently associated with the composite outcome (ORadj 1.13; 95% CI 1.03, 1.23); patients in higher BMI categories exhibited significantly higher peak levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a systemic marker of inflammation (P = .01). In a sub-cohort of 889 patients, the association of BMI with the composite outcome was no longer significant after adjustment for the peak level of CRP. Conclusions: Among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, a higher BMI is associated with higher risk of severe organ failure or in-hospital death, which dissipates after adjustment for CRP level. This supports the hypothesis that inflammation is a downstream mediator of adipose tissue on acute organ dysfunction.

Evolving therapies for hepatitis C virus in chronic kidney disease: the beginning of a new era.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current review highlights recent advances in treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection using new classes of agents, direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), with a focus on the evidence for their use in the setting of chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 4-5, hemodialysis, and kidney transplantation. RECENT FINDINGS: DAA agents target-specific proteins involved in the hepatitis C virus life cycle and interrupt viral replication. Sustained virologic response, a marker of viral eradication, occurs in more than 90% of patients treated with DAA agents in the general population. Emerging data demonstrate similar sustained virologic response rates for specific DAA-based regimens in patients with CKD stages 4-5, hemodialysis patients, and kidney-transplant recipients. SUMMARY: High sustained virologic response rates are seen with DAA agents in CKD populations. A thoughtful approach to the timing of treatment is required to facilitate timely access to kidney transplantation.

Recent Trends in Infective Endocarditis Among Patients with and Without Injection Drug Use: An Eight-Year Single Center Study.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Given the opioid crisis and emergence of drug-resistant organisms, we sought to examine annual trends in hospitalization rates for IE and potential epidemiologic shift in the causative microorganisms among patients with and without injection drug use (IDU). METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of hospitalized adults with IE. Annual trends in hospitalization rates were calculated (2011-2018), and patient characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared according to IDU status. RESULTS: Our cohort of 244 hospitalized patients with IE had a subset of 112 with IDU. The annual hospitalization rate for IE increased almost four-fold and was most notable among patients with IDU. The highest increase occurred in patients with Staphylococcus aureus-associated IE. Patients with IDU were younger, and more likely to be women with tricuspid valve vegetations and have IE due to methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Patients without IDU were more likely to have central venous catheters with mitral and aortic valve vegetations and have IE due to Streptococcus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species. Patients without IDU had a higher requirement for cardiac surgery and higher 90-day mortality. Age was the only independent variable associated with 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The rising incidence of IE in younger and older persons is driven in part by the opioid public health crisis and higher prevalence of indwelling central venous catheters, respectively. Timely treatment of opioid use disorders and stewardship surrounding use of central venous catheters is urgently needed.

A Rare Cause of a Scrotal Abscess due to the Symbiotic Infection of Gardnerella vaginalis and Prevotella bivia in an Adult Male.

Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis) is the major bacteria detected in women with bacterial vaginosis (BV). Prevotella bivia (P. bivia) has been demonstrated to show a symbiotic relationship with G. vaginalis. Some men have been shown to be colonized with G. vaginalis in their urogenital or anorectal tracts, however genitourinary infections in males, including balanitis and urethritis, due to this organism appear to be much less common. In this report, we summarize previous cases of men with G. vaginalis infection, and we present a rare and unusual case of a unilateral scrotal abscess caused by G. vaginalis in co-infection with P. bivia.

Design and implementation of an academic enrichment program to improve performance on the internal medicine in-training exam.

The internal medicine In-Training Exam (ITE) is administered at residency training programs to assess medical knowledge. Our internal medicine residency program witnessed a performance decline on the ITE between 2011 and 2014. The goal of this quality improvement project was to improve medical knowledge among residents as measured by an improvement in performance on the ITE, through the design and implementation of an Academic Enrichment Program (AEP). The AEP was designed in 2014-2015, and entailed a multipronged approach, including strengthening and tailoring of the didactic curriculum, establishment of a minimum conference attendance rate, and adoption of the New England Journal of Medicine Knowledge-Plus Internal Medicine Board Review platform. Residents performing below a pre-specified percentile rank cutoff on the previous year's ITE in any of the 12 content areas were required to complete a pre-specified percentage of the question bank in that specific topic. We examined a total of 164 residents enrolled in our program under the categorical training track. The mean (± SEM) ITE percentile for the 12 content areas increased significantly from calendar years 2011-2014 to 2015-2018, reflecting implementation of the AEP (p < 0.001). In brief, compared to the AEP-unexposed graduating classes of residents, the AEP-exposed graduating classes of residents displayed a significant improvement in the mean ITE percentile rank. This quality improvement project was carried out at a single institution. The implementation of a structured academic enrichment program significantly improves performance on the ITE.

Hepatitis B virus vaccine immune response and mortality in dialysis patients: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine factors associated with HBV immune response in dialysis patients, and the association between the immune response to the HBV vaccine and mortality. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for studies of dialysis patients that compared the characteristics of HBV vaccine responders and non-responders. Mortality was also analyzed according to the vaccine immune response (defined by hepatitis B surface antibody titer > 10 mIU/mL). Random-effects model meta-analyses were performed to compute a weighted mean difference (WMD), a pooled odds ratio (OR), and a pooled risk ratio (RR) between groups. RESULTS: We identified 61 studies with a total of 6628 dialysis patients who completed the course of HBV vaccination, 4582 responders (69%) and 2046 non-responders (31%). By meta-analysis, relative to non-responders, HBV vaccine responders had a higher dialysis adequacy as measured by Kt/V (WMD 0.08, P < 0.001), a higher serum albumin (WMD 0.12 gm/dL, P < 0.001), a higher normalized protein catabolic rate (WMD 0.12 gm/kg/day, P = 0.001), a higher hemoglobin (WMD 0.15 gm/L, P = 0.03), and a higher parathyroid hormone level (WMD 44 pg/mL, P = 0.004). HBV vaccine responders were younger (WMD - 4.68 years, P < 0.001), had been on dialysis for longer (WMD 2.60 months, P < 0.001), were less likely to have diabetes mellitus (pooled OR 0.65, P < 0.001), and were less likely to carry the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DR3 (pooled OR 0.38, P = 0.01). Compared to non-responders, HBV vaccine responders had lower risk for all-cause mortality (pooled RR 0.64, P < 0.001), and lower risk for cardiovascular-related mortality (pooled RR 0.74, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: In dialysis patients, the lack of immune response to the HBV vaccine is associated with older age, diabetes mellitus, HLA-DR3 status, shorter time on dialysis, lower nutritional status, lower hemoglobin, lower PTH level, and lower dialysis adequacy. Tackling some of these modifiable factors might improve the HBV vaccine immune response.

A quality improvement project to reduce overutilization of blood tests in a teaching hospital.

Objective: In hospitals, physicians-in-training are major contributors to the burden of tests ordered, increasing cost and resource utilization. We implemented an intervention to discourage overutilization of the complete blood count (CBC) and the basic metabolic panel (BMP). Methods: An intervention was designed, comprising education on high-value care and burden of over-testing, encouragement of competition, and use of positive reinforcement. The intervention was monitored by a test index determined by dividing the total number of a specific laboratory test ordered for a patient by the total number of hospital days. Results: Following a 6-month intervention, the mean CBC index decreased from 1.56 ± 0.02 to 1.45 ± 0.03 (p < 0.001), and the BMP index, from 1.35 ± 0.02 to 1.14 ± 0.03 (p < 0.001). There was significant interaction between the intervention and the slope of the BMP index trend (p = 0.03), but not the CBC index trend. The intervention had no impact on hospital length of stay and mortality. Conclusion: This quality improvement intervention is an effective approach to reducing overutilization of laboratory tests.

Pharmacokinetics and drug interactions of medications used to treat hepatitis C virus infection in the setting of chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation.

Hepatitis C infection in patients with chronic kidney disease or kidney transplant carries higher morbidity and mortality compared to noninfected patients. Historically, patients with advanced kidney disease and kidney transplant recipients were undertreated given the multiple adverse effects and limited efficacy of interferon-based therapies for chronic hepatitis C. The development of direct-acting antivirals in the past few years has opened an unprecedented opportunity for treating these populations. However, the impaired renal clearance of some of these medications in patients with kidney disease, and the potential interactions of antiviral therapies with immunosuppressants after kidney transplantation, present some challenges in choosing the proper regimen. This review provides an overview of the essential pharmacokinetics and drug interactions of relevant antiviral therapies in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients with advanced kidney disease and after kidney transplantation.

Necrotizing Urethritis due to Aerococcus urinae.

A 49-year-old male presented to the emergency with hematuria and pain in the shaft of the penis for one day. The patient was found to be in a state of shock. The shaft of the penis and the scrotum were swollen and tender. No skin necrosis was observed and no crepitus was palpable. Serum white count (WBC) was 29.5 × 10(3)/µL. A CT scan showed gas in the corpus spongiosum. Antibiotics were started with IV metronidazole, vancomycin, and piperacillin/tazobactam. Metronidazole was then replaced by clindamycin. Exploration was performed but no necrotic tissue was identified. Cystourethroscopy revealed dusky looking urethra. A suprapubic tube and a urethral catheter were placed in the bladder. WBC trended down to 13.9 × 10(3)/µL on the fourth postoperative day. Urine culture grew Aerococcus urinae and blood cultures grew Alpha Hemolytic Streptococcus. On the sixth day, the patient was feeling worse and WBC increased. MRI revealed absent blood flow to the corpus spongiosum. Urethroscopy revealed necrosis of the urethra. Urethrectomy was performed via perineal approach. The patient immediately improved. The patient was discharged on the sixth postoperative day to continue ampicillin/sulbactam IV every 6 hours for a total of 4 weeks from the day of urethrectomy.

Development of an electronic medical record-based clinical decision support tool to improve HIV symptom management.

Common symptoms associated with HIV disease and its management are often underrecognized and undertreated. A clinical decision support tool for symptom management was developed within the Veterans Health Administration electronic medical record (EMR), aiming at increasing provider awareness of and response to common HIV symptoms. Its feasibility was studied in March to May 2007 by implementing it within a weekly HIV clinic, comparing a 4-week intervention period with a 4-week control period. Fifty-six patients and their providers participated in the study. Patients' perceptions of providers' awareness of their symptoms, proportion of progress notes mentioning any symptom(s) and proportion of care plans mentioning any symptom(s) were measured. The clinical decision support tool used portable electronic "tablets" to elicit symptom information at the time of check-in, filtered, and organized that information into a concise and clinically relevant EMR note available at the point of care, and facilitated clinical responses to that information. It appeared to be well accepted by patients and providers and did not substantially impact workflow. Although this pilot study was not powered to detect effectiveness, 25 (93%) patients in the intervention group reported that their providers were very aware of their symptoms versus 27 (75%) control patients (p = 0.07). The proportion of providers' notes listing symptoms was similar in both periods; however, there was a trend toward including a greater number of symptoms in intervention period progress notes. The symptom support tool seemed to be useful in clinical HIV care. The Veterans Health Administration EMR may be an effective "laboratory" for developing and testing decision supports.