Positive Culture and Prognosis in Patients With Sepsis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To analyze the prognostic role of positive cultures in patients with sepsis. METHODS: A prospective cohort study in a tertiary referral hospital in Medellín, Colombia. Adults older than 18 years of age with a bacterial infection diagnosis according to Centers for Disease Control criteria and sepsis (evidence of organ dysfunction) were included. A logistic regression model was used to determine the association between positive cultures and hospital mortality, and a Cox regression with a competing risk modeling approach was used to determine the association between positive cultures and hospital stay as well as secondary infections. RESULTS: Overall, 408 patients had positive cultures, of which 257 were blood culture, and 153 had negative cultures. Patients with positive cultures had a lower risk of mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.68), but this association was not maintained after adjusting for confounding factors (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.31-1.01). No association was found with the hospital stay (adjusted subhazard ratio [SHR], 1.06; 95% CI, 0.83-1.35). There was no association between positive cultures and the presence of secondary infections (adjusted SHR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.58-1.71). CONCLUSION: Positive cultures are not associated with prognosis in patients with sepsis.

Antimicrobial agent prescription: a prospective cohort study in patients with sepsis and septic shock.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the true association between appropriate prescription of antibiotics and prognosis in patients with sepsis, a key issue in health care and quality improvement strategies. METHODS: Prospective cohort study in three university hospitals to determine whether the empirical prescription of antibiotics was adequate or inadequate, and to compare hospital death rates and length of stay according to different classifications of antibiotics prescription. Logistic regression models for risk estimation were fitted. RESULTS: A total of 705 patients with severe sepsis were included. No differences were found in positive-culture patients (n = 545) regarding the risk of death with insufficient spectrum antibiotics, compared to patients who received adequate spectrum antibiotics (OR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.55-1.48). Delay in initiating antibiotics was not associated with the risk of death in patients with adequate spectrum of antibiotics, either with positive (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 0.99-1.08) or negative cultures (OR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.92-1.04). There were no differences in the length of hospital stay, according to the antibiotic prescription (median 11 days, IQR = 7-18 days for the whole cohort). CONCLUSIONS: No associations were found between inadequate antibiotic prescription or delay to initiate therapy and mortality or length of stay.

[Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, predisposing factors and associated mortality in a tertiary-care hospital in Colombia]. / Klebsiella pneumoniae multi-resistente, factores predisponentes y mortalidad asociada en un hospital universitario en Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a serious public health problem that is increasing worldwide. Resistant (R) Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the main pathogens isolated in nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to explore risk factors associated with the acquisition of infection by R-K. pneumoniae and mortality. METHODS: Prospective cohort study conducted in a hospital of high complexity of Medellin, October/2009-April/2010. The exposed group was defined as patients infected with R-K. pneumoniae (producing b-lactamases or carbapenemases). In order to identify risk factors associated with infection by R-K. pneumoniae and 30 day mortality, logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used. RESULTS: 243 patients were included in the study, 84 infected with R-K. pneumoniae and 159 infected with susceptible K. pneumoniae. Female sex (OR = 2.51 95% 1.37 to 4.6), the co-existence of cardiovascular disease (OR = 2.13 95% CI 1.14 to 3.99), previous use of ceftriaxone (OR = 9.52 95% CI 2.63 to 34.46) and carbapenems (OR = 4.23 95% CI 2.41 to 7.42) were risk factors associated to infection with R-K. pneumoniae. Some predictors of mortality were malignant neoplasia (HR = 4.43 95% CI 2.13 to 9.22) and mechanical ventilation (HR = 3.81 95% CI 1.99 to 7.28). There was no difference in 30-day mortality when comparing patients in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Female gender, cardiovascular disease and previous use of antimicrobials were associated with infection by R-K. pneumoniae. Thirty-day mortality was similar in both groups of patients.

Klebsiella pneumoniae multi-resistente, factores predisponentes y mortalidad asociada en un hospital universitario en Colombia / Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, predisposing factors and associated mortality in a tertiary-care hospital in Colombia

Introduction: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a serious public health problem that is increasing worldwide. Resistant (R) Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the main pathogens isolated in nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to explore risk factors associated with the acquisition of infection by R-K. pneumoniae and mortality. Methods: Prospective cohort study conducted in a hospital of high complexity of Medellin, October/2009-April/2010. The exposed group was defined as patients infected with R-K. pneumoniae (producing b-lactamases or carbapenemases). In order to identify risk factors associated with infection by R-K. pneumoniae and 30 day mortality, logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used. Results: 243 patients were included in the study, 84 infected with R-K. pneumoniae and 159 infected with susceptible K. pneumoniae. Female sex (OR = 2.51 95% 1.37 to 4.6), the co-existence of cardiovascular disease (OR = 2.13 95% CI 1.14 to 3.99), previous use of ceftriaxone (OR = 9.52 95% CI 2.63 to 34.46) and carbapenems (OR = 4.23 95% CI 2.41 to 7.42) were risk factors associated to infection with R-K. pneumoniae. Some predictors of mortality were malignant neoplasia (HR = 4.43 95% CI 2.13 to 9.22) and mechanical ventilation (HR = 3.81 95% CI 1.99 to 7.28). There was no difference in 30-day mortality when comparing patients in both groups. Conclusions: Female gender, cardiovascular disease and previous use of antimicrobials were associated with infection by R-K. pneumoniae. Thirty-day mortality was similar in both groups of patients.

Introducción: La resistencia bacteriana a antimicrobianos es un grave problema de salud pública que va aumentando en el mundo. Klebsiella pneumoniae resistente (R) es uno de los principales patógenos aislado en infecciones hospitalarias. El objetivo de este estudio fue explorar factores de riesgo asociados con la adquisición de infección por K. pneumoniae R y con mortalidad. Metodología: Estudio de cohorte prospectivo realizado en un hospital de alta complejidad de Medellín, octubre/2009-abril/2010. El grupo expuesto se definió como pacientes infectados por K. pneumoniae R (productora de β-lactamasas de espectro extendido o carbapenemasas). Se hicieron regresión logística para identificar los factores de riesgo asociados con infección por K. pneumoniae R, y regresión de riesgos proporcionales de Cox para identificar los factores asociados con mortalidad a 30 días. Resultados: Se incluyeron 243 pacientes al estudio, 84 infectados con K. pneumoniae R y 159 con K. pneumoniae sensible.El sexo femenino (OR = 2,51 IC95% 1,37-4,6), la co-existencia de enfermedad cardiovascular (OR = 2,13 IC 95% 1,14-3,99), uso previo de ceftriaxona (OR = 9,52 IC95% 2,63-34,46) y carbapenémicos (OR = 4,23 IC95% 2,41-7,42) fueron factores de riesgo asociados con la probabilidad de infectarse por K. pneumoniae R. Algunos factores predictores de mortalidad fueron las neoplasias malignas (HR = 4,43 IC95% 2,13-9,22) y la ventilación mecánica (HR = 3,81 IC95% 1,99-7,28). No hubo diferencia en la mortalidad a 30 días al comparar los pacientes de ambos grupos. Conclusiones: El sexo femenino, la enfermedad cardiovascular y el uso previo de antimicrobianos se vieron asociados con infección por K. pneumoniae R. La mortalidad a 30 días fue similar en ambos grupos de pacientes.

Nueva Mutacion en cardiomiopatia hipertrofica familiar / New mutation in familiar hipertrophic cardiomyopathy

Objetivo: describir las características clínicas, las pruebas diagnósticas (electrocardiográficas y ecocardiográficas), y el comportamiento genético (herencia, penetrancia y expresividad) y molecular (tipo de mutación específica y localización de ésta) en una familia con antecedente de muerte súbita y cardiomiopatía hipertrófica. Materiales y métodos: se realizó una descripción retrospectiva y prospectiva de 144 individuos pertenecientes a una familia con antecedente de muerte súbita a edades tempranas. Se determinaron las características clínicas y genéticas (patrón de herencia) en los individuos fallecidos (30). Entre los individuos vivos estudiados, en total 96, se determinaron en forma prospectiva las características fenotípicas (historia clínica, electrocardiograma, ecocardiograma, potenciales tardíos y Holter). Las características genotípicas de estos 96 individuos se obtuvieron luego de realizar la secuenciación de ADN. Resultados: se identificó una mutación aún no descrita en la literatura médica, Aspártico 190 Glicina, localizada en el gen de la troponina I (TNNI3), en catorce de todos los individuos estudiados. Se encontró que la disnea era el síntoma más común en los pacientes que presentaban la mutación. Se halló que la penetrancia de la mutación fue del 92.85 por ciento detectada por electrocardiografía, 76.92 por ciento por ecocardiografía, y combinando las dos pruebas fue del 76.92 por ciento. La sensibilidad electrocardiográfíca, ecocardiográfíca y la combinación de ambas pruebas para detectar la mutación, fue del 100 por ciento, 83.33 por ciento y 83.33 por ciento, respectivamente. La especificidad del electrocardiograma, el ecocardiograma y la combinación, fue del 100 por ciento, 98.21 por ciento y 98.18 por ciento, respectivamente. Se documentó muerte súbita en trece individuos entre los 14 y 40 años. Ningún individuo mayor de 40 años murió súbitamente. Conclusiones: esta es la primera descripción de una nueva mutación, Aspártico 190 Glicina, la cual es la causa de cardiomiopatía hipertrófica en esta familia. Dicha mutación se caracteriza por un comportamiento clínico agresivo