Infecciones del tracto urinario bajo en adultos y embarazadas: consenso para el manejo empírico / Lower Urinary Tract Infections in Adults and Pregnant Women: A Consensus for Empirical Treatment

Introducción: La infección no complicada del tracto urinario bajo y la bacteriuria asintomática son causas frecuentes de consulta médica ambulatoria y en el servicio de urgencias en Colombia y el mundo. La falta de pautas y consenso para el manejo, así como la emergencia de resistencia a las múltiples opciones terapéuticas disponibles en los uropatógenos provenientes de la comunidad, hacen necesario elaborar unas recomendaciones que orienten al clínico sobre el abordaje óptimo de estas entidades. Objetivo: Definir un consenso sobre el manejo empírico de la bacteriuria asintomática y la infección del tracto urinario (ITU) bajo en adultos y mujeres embarazadas en Colombia. Metodología: Se lleva a cabo una metodología de consenso con expertos en urología, infectología, medicina interna, ginecología y microbiología basada en la revisión de las referencias bibliográficas disponibles en los términos de búsqueda relacionados, haciendo énfasis en estudios locales. Resultados: Se elaboró un algoritmo de manejo para el tratamiento empírico de la ITU baja no complicada en adultos con antisépticos urinarios como nitrofurantoína y fosfomicina trometamol como primera línea, con recomendaciones terapéuticas específicas para el tratamiento de la bacteriuria asintomática en mujeres embarazadas. Adicionalmente, se formuló un algoritmo de decisión para el procesamiento de cultivos de orina. La recurrencia o recaída frecuente justifica remisión a urología e infectología. Conclusiones: Se generan recomendaciones prácticas de fácil implementación en el diagnóstico y manejo de la ITU bajo en adultos y embarazadas, y de los casos donde es necesario tratar la bacteriuria asintomática, con opciones terapéuticas efectivas y de espectro reducido.

Background: Uncomplicated infection of the lower urinary tract and asymptomatic bacteriuria are frequent causes of visits to outpatient clinics and emergency departments in Colombia and worldwide. The lack of guidelines and a consensus for their management, and the emergence of resistance of community-based uropathogens to the available therapeutic options, make it necessary to develop recommendations to guide clinicians on the optimal approach to these entities. Objective: Define a consensus for the empiric management of asymptomatic bacteriuria and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in adults and pregnant women in Colombia. Methods: We carried out a consensus methodology with experts in urology, infectious diseases, internal medicine, gynecology and clinical microbiology; based on reviewing the available literature on the related terms, and emphasizing local studies. Results: We developed a management algorithm for the empirical treatment of uncomplicated lower UTI in adults with urinary antiseptics such as nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin trometamol as first line, with specific therapeutic recommendations for the treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women. Additionally, we created a decision algorithm for processing urine cultures. Frequent recurrence or relapse justifies referral to urology and infectious disease professionals. Conclusions: We generated straightforward and easy-to-implement recommendations for the diagnosis and management of UTI in adults and pregnant women, and in cases where it is necessary to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria, with effective therapeutic and narrow spectrum options.

Differences in hospital- and ventilator-associated pneumonia due to Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant) between Europe and Latin America: a comparison of the EUVAP and LATINVAP study cohorts.

PURPOSE: A comparison is made of epidemiological variables (demographic and clinical characteristics) and outcomes in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA) in the Latin American VAP (LATINVAP) vs. the European Union VAP (EUVAP) cohorts of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: The EUVAP project was a prospective, multicenter observational study reporting 827 patients with HAP/VAP in 27 ICUs from 9 European countries. The LATINVAP project was a multicenter prospective observational study, with an identical design, performed in 17 ICUs from 4 Latin American countries involving 99 patients who developed HAP/VAP. Episodes of VAP/HAP caused by S. aureus, MSSA, and MRSA were compared in both cohorts. RESULTS: Forty-five patients had S. aureus HAP/VAP in the EUVAP cohort vs. 11 patients in the LATINVAP cohort. More patients had MRSA in the LATINVAP study than in the EUVAP (45% vs. 33%). ICU mortality among patients with MSSA HAP/VAP in EUVAP was 10% vs. 50% for LATINVAP (OR=9.75, p=0.01). Fifteen patients in the EUVAP cohort developed MRSA HAP/VAP as opposed to 5 in LATINVAP. In the EUVAP study there was an ICU mortality rate of 33.3%. In the LATINVAP cohort, the ICU mortality rate was 60% (OR for death=3.0; 95%CI 0.24-44.7). CONCLUSION: MRSA pneumonia was associated with poorer outcomes in comparison with MSSA. Our study suggests significant variability among European and Latin American ICU practices that may influence clinical outcomes. Furthermore, patients with pneumonia in Latin America have different outcomes.

Use of early corticosteroid therapy on ICU admission in patients affected by severe pandemic (H1N1)v influenza A infection.

INTRODUCTION: Early use of corticosteroids in patients affected by pandemic (H1N1)v influenza A infection, although relatively common, remains controversial. METHODS: Prospective, observational, multicenter study from 23 June 2009 through 11 February 2010, reported in the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) H1N1 registry. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with completed outcome data were analyzed. Invasive mechanical ventilation was used in 155 (70.5%). Sixty-seven (30.5%) of the patients died in ICU and 75 (34.1%) whilst in hospital. One hundred twenty-six (57.3%) patients received corticosteroid therapy on admission to ICU. Patients who received corticosteroids were significantly older and were more likely to have coexisting asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic steroid use. These patients receiving corticosteroids had increased likelihood of developing hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) [26.2% versus 13.8%, p < 0.05; odds ratio (OR) 2.2, confidence interval (CI) 1.1-4.5]. Patients who received corticosteroids had significantly higher ICU mortality than patients who did not (46.0% versus 18.1%, p < 0.01; OR 3.8, CI 2.1-7.2). Cox regression analysis adjusted for severity and potential confounding factors identified that early use of corticosteroids was not significantly associated with mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.4, p = 0.4] but was still associated with an increased rate of HAP (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0-4.8, p < 0.05). When only patients developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were analyzed, similar results were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Early use of corticosteroids in patients affected by pandemic (H1N1)v influenza A infection did not result in better outcomes and was associated with increased risk of superinfections.

[Pandemic influenza A in the ICU: experience in Spain and Latin America. GETGAG/SEMICYUC/(Spanish Working Group on Severe Pandemic Influenza A/SEMICYUC)]. / Gripe A pandémica en una unidad de cuidados intensivos: experiencia en España y Latinoamérica (Grupo Español de Trabajo de Gripe A Grave/Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias).

INTRODUCTION: Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1)v infection is the first pandemic in which intensive care units (ICU) play a fundamental role. It has spread very rapidly since the first cases were diagnosed in Mexico with the subsequent spread of the virus throughout the Southern Cone and Europe during the summer season. OBJECTIVE: This study has aimed to compare the clinical presentation and outcome among the critical patients admitted to the ICU until July 31, 2009 in Spain with some series from Latin America. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Six series of critically ill patients admitted to the ICU were considered. Clinical characteristics, complications and outcome were compared between series. RESULTS: Young patients (35-45 years) with viral pneumonia as a predominant ICU admission cause with severe respiratory failure and a high need of mechanical ventilation (60-100%) were affected. Obesity, pregnancy and chronic lung disease were risk factors associated with a worse outcome, however there was a high number of patients without comorbidities (40-50%). Mortality rate was between 25-50% and higher in the Latin America series, demonstrating the specific potential pathogenesis of the new virus. The use of antiviral treatment was delayed (between 3 and 6 days) and not generalized, with greater delay in Latin America in regards to Spain. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that a more aggressive treatment strategy, with earlier and easier access to the antiviral treatment might reduce the number of ICU admissions and mortality.