Convalescent plasma transfusion for immunocompromised viremic patients with COVID-19: A retrospective multicenter study.

This study aims to assess the safety, virological, and clinical outcomes of convalescent plasma transfusion (CPT) in immunocompromised patients hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study that included all immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19 and RNAemia from May 2020 to March 2023 treated with CPT. We included 81 patients with hematological malignancies (HM), transplants, or autoimmune diseases (69% treated with anti-CD20). Sixty patients (74%) were vaccinated, and 14 had pre-CPT serology >264 BAU/mL. The median delay between symptom onset and CPT was 23 days [13-31]. At D7 post-CPT, plasma PCR was negative in 43/64 patients (67.2%), and serology became positive in 25/30 patients (82%). Post-CPT positive serology was associated with RNAemia negativity (p < 0.001). The overall mortality rate at D28 was 26%, being higher in patients with non-B-cell HM (62%) than with B-cell HM (25%) or with no HM (11%) (p = 0.02). Patients receiving anti-CD20 without chemotherapy had the lowest mortality rate (8%). Positive RNAemia at D7 was associated with mortality at D28 in univariate analysis (HR: 3.05 [1.14-8.19]). Eight patients had adverse events, two of which were severe but transient. Our findings suggest that CPT can abolish RNAemia and ameliorate the clinical course in immunocompromised patients with COVID-19.

Characteristics and Prognosis Factors of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia According to Underlying Disease: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PcP) remains associated with high rates of mortality, and the impact of immunocompromising underlying disease on the clinical presentation, severity, and mortality of PcP has not been adequately evaluated. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does the underlying disease and immunosuppression causing PcP impact the outcome and clinical presentation of the disease? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective observational study, conducted from January 2011 to December 2021, all consecutive patients admitted with a proven or probable diagnosis of PcP according to the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer consensus definitions were included to assess the epidemiology and impact of underlying immunosuppressive diseases on overall and 90-day mortality. RESULTS: Overall, 481 patients were included in the study; 180 (37.4%) were defined as proven PcP and 301 (62.6%) were defined as probable PcP. Patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) or solid tumors had a statistically poorer prognosis than other patients with PcP at day 90. In multivariate analysis, among the HIV-negative population, solid tumor underlying disease (OR, 5.47; 95% CI, 2.16-14.1; P < .001), IMIDs (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.05-4.60; P = .037), long-term corticosteroid exposure (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.03-4.31; P = .045), cysts in sputum/BAL smears (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.02-3.62; P = .043), and SOFA score at admission (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.39-1.82; P < .001) were independently associated with 90-day mortality. Prior corticotherapy was the only immunosuppressant associated with 90-day mortality (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.03-2.71; P = .035), especially for a prednisone daily dose ≥ 10 mg (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.14-2.85; P = .010). INTERPRETATION: Among patients who were HIV-negative, long-term corticosteroid prior to PcP diagnosis was independently associated with increased 90-day mortality, specifically in patients with IMIDs. These results highlight both the needs for PcP prophylaxis in patients with IMIDs and to early consider PcP curative treatment in severe pneumonia among patients with IMIDs.

Patient reported outcomes of patients with Gaucher disease type 1 treated with eliglustat in real-world settings: The ELIPRO study.

INTRODUCTION: Gaucher disease type 1 (GD1) is a rare genetic lysosomal storage disorder. Eliglustat is a first-line oral therapy for adult patients with GD1. The aim of the ELIPRO (ELIglustat Patient Reported Outcomes) study was to assess real-world outcomes of eliglustat treatment for over 1 year in patients with GD1, with a focus on patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including treatment adherence. METHODS: This was a non-interventional, prospective, multicentric study. Patients were stratified according to their previous time on eliglustat: >6 months (Group1) and ≤ 6 months (Group2). The primary endpoint was adherence to eliglustat, measured by the eight-items Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8; scale of 0-8) at 6 months in Group2. Secondary endpoints were quality of life (QoL) measured by patient input using the European Quality of Life five-dimensional three-level [EQ-5D-3L] questionnaire, fatigue and pain measured by numeric rating scale [NRS; on a scale of 0-10], the evaluation of patient satisfaction level regarding eliglustat treatment measured by Likert scale [scale of 0-7] and treatment adherence at 12 months in both groups. The study also evaluated the safety and effectiveness of eliglustat in the adult GD1 population. RESULTS: Sixty patients with GD1 (approximatively 52% male, mean age: 46.6 ± 13.9 years) were analyzed: 29 in Group1 and 31 in Group2. GD1 was mostly of mild severity (90%) and 95% of patients had extensive CYP2D6 metabolizer phenotype. Fifty-seven patients had previously received treatment for GD1 (91% enzyme replacement therapy) and 15% were splenectomized. Groups1 and 2 were not necessarily matching for all characteristics. At 6 months, 58% of Group2 patients showed medium adherence (6 < MMAS-8 < 7.75) while 21% showed high adherence (MMAS-8: 8) (mean MMAS-8: 6.7 ± 1.0); similar results were obtained in Group1 (50% showed high compliance, 35% showed medium compliance; mean MMAS-8: 6.8 ± 1.4). The mean MMAS-8 for Group1 and Group2 were 7.1 ± 1.2 (vs 7.0 ± 1.0 at baseline) and 6.5 ± 1.0, respectively, at 12 months. At 12 months, the mean NRS scores in Group1 and Group2 were 72.0 ± 18.5 and 77.3 ± 13.7 for QoL (vs. 71.7 ± 18.4 and 80.2 ± 12.4, respectively at baseline), 4.8 ± 2.6 and 3.6 ± 2.7 for fatigue (vs. 4.6 ± 2.7 and 3.6 ± 2.6, respectively at baseline) and 3.3 ± 2.7 and 2.3 ± 2.3 for pain (vs. 3.3 ± 2.7 and 2.0 ± 2.4, respectively at baseline). GD1 assessments (biological, clinical and imaging parameters) remained stable during 12 months in both groups. At the end of the study, majority (97.4%) of patients were satisfied with their treatment with eliglustat (satisfaction score over 5 out of 7). Sixty-six percent of patients (n = 41) experienced mostly mild adverse events (AE) (including four study withdrawals), of whom 27.4% (n = 17) of patients experienced eliglustat-related AEs. Treatment adherence remained stable during 12 months in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Eliglustat treatment compliance was good and sustained, along with overall health state, fatigue and pain levels, which was consistent with overall patients' clinical status. Eliglustat was well tolerated, and had a good safety profile, aligned with a good patient satisfaction. Our study should encourage greater use of PROs for evaluation of impact of the GD treatment on patient's symptoms and well-being.

The Mortality of Infective endocarditis with and without Surgery in Elderly (MoISE) Study.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is increasingly affecting older patients. However, data on their management are sparse, and the benefits of surgery in this population are unclear. METHODS: We included patients with left-sided IE (LSIE) aged ≥ 80 years enrolled in a prospective endocarditis cohort managed in Aquitaine, France, from 2013 to 2020. Geriatric data were collected retrospectively to identify factors associated with the 1-year risk of death using Cox regression. RESULTS: We included 163 patients with LSIE (median age, 84 years; men, 59%; rate of prosthetic LSIE, 45%). Of the 105 (64%) patients with potential surgical indications, 38 (36%) underwent valve surgery: they were younger, more likely to be men with aortic involvement, and had a lower Charlson comorbidity index. Moreover, they had better functional status at admission (ie, the ability to walk unassisted and a higher median activities of daily living [ADL] score; n = 5/6 vs 3/6, P = .01). The 1-year mortality rate in LSIE patients without surgical indications was 28%; it was lower in those who were operated on compared with those who were not despite a surgical indication (16% vs 66%, P < .001). Impaired functional status at admission was strongly associated with mortality regardless of surgical status. In patients unable to walk unassisted or with an ADL score <4, there was no significant surgical benefit for 1-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery improves the prognosis of older patients with LSIE and good functional status. Surgical futility should be discussed in patients with altered autonomy. The endocarditis team should include a geriatric specialist.

Is Tocilizumab Plus Dexamethasone Associated with Superinfection in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients?

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone and tocilizumab are used to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). We explored whether combination therapy increased the risk of superinfection compared to dexamethasone alone. METHODS: This observational, retrospective study included critically ill COVID-19 adult patients admitted to our ICU because of respiratory failure. Patients received dexamethasone with (Group 1) or without (Group 2) tocilizumab. Data were collected from electronic medical files. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients were included, of whom 150 received dexamethasone and tocilizumab, while 96 received dexamethasone alone. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was evident on admission in 226 patients, 56 of whom required mechanical ventilation (MV). Superinfections, mainly respiratory, were diagnosed in 59 patients, including 34/150 (23%) in Group 1 and 25/96 (26%) in Group 2 (p = 0.32). After multivariate analysis, the factors associated with a higher risk of superinfection included hematological malignancy (hazard ratio (HR): 2.47 (1.11-5.47), p = 0.03), MV (HR: 3.74 (1.92-7.26), p = 0.0001), and a higher SAPS-II score on admission (HR: 1.03 (1.01-1.06), p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: In critically ill COVID-19 patients, the addition of tocilizumab to dexamethasone was not associated with an increased risk of superinfection.

Avdoralimab (Anti-C5aR1 mAb) Versus Placebo in Patients With Severe COVID-19: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (FOR COVID Elimination [FORCE]).

OBJECTIVES: Severe COVID-19 is associated with exaggerated complement activation. We assessed the efficacy and safety of avdoralimab (an anti-C5aR1 mAb) in severe COVID-19. DESIGN: FOR COVID Elimination (FORCE) was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. SETTING: Twelve clinical sites in France (ICU and general hospitals). PATIENTS: Patients receiving greater than or equal to 5 L oxygen/min to maintain Sp o2 greater than 93% (World Health Organization scale ≥ 5). Patients received conventional oxygen therapy or high-flow oxygen (HFO)/noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in cohort 1; HFO, NIV, or invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in cohort 2; and IMV in cohort 3. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive avdoralimab or placebo. The primary outcome was clinical status on the World Health Organization ordinal scale at days 14 and 28 for cohorts 1 and 3, and the number of ventilator-free days at day 28 (VFD28) for cohort 2. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We randomized 207 patients: 99 in cohort 1, 49 in cohort 2, and 59 in cohort 3. During hospitalization, 95% of patients received glucocorticoids. Avdoralimab did not improve World Health Organization clinical scale score on days 14 and 28 (between-group difference on day 28 of -0.26 (95% CI, -1.2 to 0.7; p = 0.7) in cohort 1 and -0.28 (95% CI, -1.8 to 1.2; p = 0.6) in cohort 3). Avdoralimab did not improve VFD28 in cohort 2 (between-group difference of -6.3 (95% CI, -13.2 to 0.7; p = 0.96) or secondary outcomes in any cohort. No subgroup of interest was identified. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized trial in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, avdoralimab did not significantly improve clinical status at days 14 and 28 (funded by Innate Pharma, ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04371367).

Epidemiology and Clinical Impact of Respiratory Coinfections at Diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: The role of respiratory coinfections at diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PcP) on clinical impact has been underestimated. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted January 2011 to April 2019 to evaluate respiratory coinfections at diagnosis of PcP patients in 2 tertiary care hospitals. Coinfection was defined by identification of pathogens from P. jirovecii-positive samples. RESULTS: Of 7882 respiratory samples tested for P. jirovecii during the 8-year study, 328 patients with diagnosis of PcP were included. Mean age was 56.7 (SD 14.9) years, 193 (58.8%) were male, 74 (22.6%) had positive HIV serology, 125 (38.1%) had viral coinfection, 76 (23.2%) bacterial coinfection, and 90-day mortality was 25.3%. In the overall population, 90-day mortality was independently associated with solid tumor underlying disease (odds ratio [OR], 11.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.90-78.0; P = .008), sepsis-related organ failure assessment score (SOFA) at admission (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.34-2.05; P< .001), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) respiratory coinfection (OR, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.24-2.90; P = .02). Among HIV-negative patients, respiratory CMV coinfection was associated with worse prognosis, especially when treated with adjunctive corticosteroid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory CMV coinfection at PcP diagnosis was independently associated with increased 90-day mortality, specifically in HIV-negative patients.

Diagnostic Value of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography in Prosthetic Pulmonary Valve Infective Endocarditis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performances of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients with pulmonary prosthetic valve or conduit endocarditis (PPVE) suspicion. BACKGROUND: PPVE is a major issue in the growing CHD population. Diagnosis is challenging, and usual imaging tools are not always efficient or validated in this specific population. Particularly, the diagnostic yield of 18F-FDG PET/CT remains poorly studied in PPVE. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study was conducted in 8 French tertiary centers. Children and adult CHD patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT in the setting of PPVE suspicion between January 2010 and May 2020 were included. The cases were initially classified as definite, possible, or rejected PPVE regarding the modified Duke criteria and finally by the Endocarditis Team consensus. The result of 18F-FDG PET/CT had been compared with final diagnosis consensus used as gold-standard in our study. RESULTS: A total of 66 cases of PPVE suspicion involving 59 patients (median age 23 years, 73% men) were included. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in PPVE suspicion were respectively: 79.1% (95% CI: 68.4%-91.4%), 72.7% (95% CI: 60.4%-85.0%), 91.9% (95% CI: 79.6%-100.0%), and 47.1% (95% CI: 34.8%-59.4%). 18F-FDG PET/CT findings would help to correctly reclassify 57% (4 of 7) of possible PPVE to definite PPVE. CONCLUSIONS: Using 18F-FDG PET/CT improves the diagnostic accuracy of the Duke criteria in CHD patients with suspected PPVE. Its high positive predictive value could be helpful in routine to shorten diagnosis and treatment delays and improve clinical outcomes.

Impact of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) rectal carriage in cancer patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

Little data is available on extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) rectal colonization in cancer patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to describe the epidemiology of ESBL-E in cancer patients hospitalized in the ICU compared with non-cancer patients. ESBL-E colonization was detected in 6.6% of 1,013 cancer patients and 6.4% of 1625 non-cancer patients. At admission, among the 172 colonized patients: 48/67 cancer patients and 78/105 non-cancer patients developed an infection, documented with an ESBL-E for 21% and 24% of them, respectively. The in-hospital mortality rate among colonized patients was 33% in cancer patients and 12% in non-cancer patients. In cancer patients, ESBL-E infections are rare but systematic rectal screening identifies high-risk population and guides empirical antibiotic therapy. It also contributes to being aware of the ICU microbiological ecology.

High-resolution Free-breathing late gadolinium enhancement Cardiovascular magnetic resonance to diagnose myocardial injuries following COVID-19 infection.

PURPOSE: High-resolution free-breathing late gadolinium enhancement (HR-LGE) was shown valuable for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes with non-obstructed coronary arteries. The method may be useful to detect COVID-related myocardial injuries but is hampered by prolonged acquisition times. We aimed to introduce an accelerated HR-LGE technique for the diagnosis of COVID-related myocardial injuries. METHOD: An undersampled navigator-gated HR-LGE (acquired resolution of 1.25 mm3) sequence combined with advanced patch-based low-rank reconstruction was developed and validated in a phantom and in 23 patients with structural heart disease (test cohort; 15 men; 55 ± 16 years). Twenty patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection associated with troponin rise (COVID cohort; 15 men; 46 ± 24 years) prospectively underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with the proposed sequence in our center. Image sharpness, quality, signal intensity differences and diagnostic value of free-breathing HR-LGE were compared against conventional breath-held low-resolution LGE (LR-LGE, voxel size 1.8x1.4x6mm). RESULTS: Structures sharpness in the phantom showed no differences with the fully sampled image up to an undersampling factor of x3.8 (P > 0.5). In patients (N = 43), this acceleration allowed for acquisition times of 7min21s ± 1min12s at 1.25 mm3 resolution. Compared with LR-LGE, HR-LGE showed higher image quality (P = 0.03) and comparable signal intensity differences (P > 0.5). In patients with structural heart disease, all LGE-positive segments on LR-LGE were also detected on HR-LGE (80/391) with 21 additional enhanced segments visible only on HR-LGE (101/391, P < 0.001). In 4 patients with COVID-19 history, HR-LGE was definitely positive while LR-LGE was either definitely negative (1 microinfarction and 1 myocarditis) or inconclusive (2 myocarditis). CONCLUSIONS: Undersampled free-breathing isotropic HR-LGE can detect additional areas of late enhancement as compared to conventional breath-held LR-LGE. In patients with history of COVID-19 infection associated with troponin rise, the method allows for detailed characterization of myocardial injuries in acceptable scan times and without the need for repeated breath holds.

Impact of a 5-year antimicrobial stewardship program focusing on fluoroquinolone prescriptions.

OBJECTIVES: Within the context of the wide use of fluoroquinolones (FQs) and the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, French recommendations concerning the appropriate use of systemic FQs in adults were published in 2015. This study assessed the impact of antibiotic stewardship intervention on the use of FQs over a 5-year period. METHODS: Five annual audits were performed to evaluate FQ prescriptions. Following the baseline audit, a campaign of appropriate antibiotic use was initiated with courses on antibiotics including FQs. All audits included quantitative and qualitative evaluations to calculate an index of therapeutic adequacy (ITA) with six criteria: indication, molecule type, dosage, duration, route of administration and association. These audits were performed annually from 2015 to 2019. KEY FINDINGS: The number of prescriptions decreased substantially from 90 in 2015 to 17 in 2019. This reduction was consistent with consumption data, such that the defined daily dose for 1000 bed days diminished from 67 in 2015 to 42 in 2019. Between 2015 and 2016, the ITA decreased significantly from 3.27 to 1.79 (P = 0.001), corresponding to an improvement in prescription quality. The ITA stabilised between 2016 and 2019. Moreover, improvements were observed in the proportion of entirely conforming prescriptions, conformity of indications, choice of molecule type among FQs and proportion of prescriptions with non-conforming treatment durations. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2015 and 2019, we observed quantitative and qualitative improvements in FQ prescriptions within the hospital. Prescription follow-up through annual audits, combined with training courses, contributed to consistent results.

A prospective, observational study of fidaxomicin use for Clostridioides difficile infection in France.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics, management and outcomes of hospitalised patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) treated with and without fidaxomicin. METHODS: This prospective, multicentre, observational study (DAFNE) enrolled hospitalised patients with CDI, including 294 patients treated with fidaxomicin (outcomes recorded over a 3-month period) and 150 patients treated with other CDI therapies during three 1-month periods. The primary endpoint was baseline and CDI characteristics of fidaxomicin-treated patients. RESULTS: At baseline, the fidaxomicin-treated population included immunocompromised patients (39.1%) and patients with severe (59.2%) and recurrent (36.4%) CDI. Fidaxomicin was associated with a high rate of clinical cure (92.2%) and low CDI recurrence (16.3% within 3 months). Clinical cure rates were ≥90% in patients aged ≥65 years, those receiving concomitant antibiotics and those with prior or severe CDI. There were 121/296 (40.9%) patients with adverse events (AEs), 5.4% with fidaxomicin-related AEs and 1.0% with serious fidaxomicin-related AEs. No fidaxomicin-related deaths were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Fidaxomicin is an effective and well-tolerated CDI treatment in a real-world setting in France, which included patients at high risk of adverse outcomes.Trial registration: Description of the use of fidaxomicin in hospitalised patients with documented Clostridium difficile infection and the management of these patients (DAFNE), NCT02214771, www.ClinicalTrials.gov.

Feasibility of convalescent plasma therapy in severe COVID-19 patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 viremia.

This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) in COVID-19 critically ill patients with protracted severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNAemia. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in intensive care unit (ICU). All patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia for whom RNAemia remained positive more than 14 days after onset of the infection were included and given CPT. The primary objective was to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia 7 days (D7) after CPT. A total of 14 patients were included and they received a median CPT volume of 828 ml (range: 817-960). CPT was administered in a median time of 14 days after ICU admission. At D7, 13/14 patients had negative SARS-CoV-2 blood PCR and one patient had negative blood PCR 11 days after CPT. At D7 and at D14, the clinical status was improved in 7/14 and 11/14 patients, respectively. The 28-day mortality rate was 14%. No CPT-related adverse effects had been reported. CPT is safe and may be efficient in patients with protracted RNAemia admitted in ICU for severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results.

Comparative outcomes of cefazolin versus antistaphylococcal penicillins in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis: a post hoc analysis of a prospective multicentre French cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Current guidelines recommend cefazolin as an alternative to antistaphylococcal penicillins (ASPs) in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infective endocarditis despite the lack of comparative study. The objective of this study was to evaluate the comparative outcomes of cefazolin vs. ASPs in MSSA infective endocarditis. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of an observational multicentre cohort study using prospectively collected data from patients with MSSA endocarditis confirmed by endocarditis team and treated either with cefazolin or ASPs between July 2013 and December 2018. Patients were excluded if they received both treatments. The primary outcome was 90-day all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Of 210 patients included, 53 patients (25.2%) received cefazolin and 157 (74.8%) received ASPs. The overall 90-day mortality rate was 27.6% (58/210 patients), 24.5% (13/53) in the cefazolin group vs. 28.7% (45/157) in the ASP group (p 0.561). Premature antimicrobial discontinuation due to adverse events occurred less frequently with cefazolin than with ASPs (0/53 vs. 13/157 patients; p 0.042). In multivariate analysis, there was no difference in 90-day mortality between cefazolin and ASPs (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.2; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.49-2.91; p 0.681), while age (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03-1.09; p < 0.001), Charlson comorbidity index (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.36 p 0.023), cerebral embolism (aOR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.33-6.14; p 0.007) and intensive care unit admission (aOR, 4.16; 95% CI, 1.89-9.59; p 0.001) were factors significantly associated with higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Cefazolin seems to be a possible alternative to ASPs in MSSA endocarditis. More studies are needed to confirm these results and determine which treatment should be recommended as first-line therapy.

Reduce Mortality and Morbidity in Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Hyperleukocytosis With Early Admission in Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients presenting with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at diagnosis are at high risk of severe complications and death, particularly with high white blood cell (WBC) count. In this retrospective study, we evaluate interest of early and systematic support in the intensive care unit (ICU) for AML with hyperleukocytosis (AML-HL) at diagnosis. METHODS: Patients with AML-HL, defined by WBC > 50 × 109/L, primary referred in ICU ("Early ICU") without organ failure and before initiating chemotherapy induction were compared to patients first admitted in the Hematology Department who required a secondary transfer in ICU ("Late ICU") or not ("No ICU"). Primary end point was mortality during the first month, and secondary end points were the use of life-sustaining therapies in ICU and risk factors for ICU transfer and mortality. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-four patients were included: 77 (50%) to the group "No ICU", 18 (12%) to "Late ICU" and 59 (38%) to "Early ICU". Mortality at day 30 was higher in "Late ICU" than in "Early ICU" and "No ICU", with 27.8%; 16.9% and 2.6% respectively (P < 0.001). "Late ICU" patients had an increased use of life-sustaining therapy comparing to "Early ICU" patients (56% vs. 29%, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Early referral to ICU reduces morbidity and seems an effective strategy to reduce short-term mortality in AML-HL at diagnosis.