Clinical characteristics and outcomes of immunocompromised critically ill patients with cytomegalovirus end-organ disease: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients with cellular immune deficiencies is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, data on CMV end-organ disease (CMV-EOD) in critically ill, immunocompromised patients are scarce. Our objective here was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CMV-EOD in this population. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, international, retrospective, observational study in adults who had CMV-EOD and were admitted to any of 18 intensive care units (ICUs) in France, Israel, and Spain in January 2010-December 2021. Patients with AIDS were excluded. We collected the clinical characteristics and outcomes of each patient. Survivors and non-survivors were compared, and multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for hospital mortality. RESULTS: We studied 185 patients, including 80 (43.2%) with hematologic malignancies, 55 (29.7%) with solid organ transplantation, 31 (16.8%) on immunosuppressants, 16 (8.6%) with solid malignancies, and 3 (1.6%) with primary immunodeficiencies. The most common CMV-EOD was pneumonia (n = 115, [62.2%] including 55 [47.8%] with a respiratory co-pathogen), followed by CMV gastrointestinal disease (n = 64 [34.6%]). More than one organ was involved in 16 (8.8%) patients. Histopathological evidence was obtained for 10/115 (8.7%) patients with pneumonia and 43/64 (67.2%) with GI disease. Other opportunistic infections were diagnosed in 69 (37.3%) patients. Hospital mortality was 61.4% overall and was significantly higher in the group with hematologic malignancies (75% vs. 51%, P = 0.001). Factors independently associated with higher hospital mortality were hematologic malignancy with active graft-versus-host disease (OR 5.02; 95% CI 1.15-27.30), CMV pneumonia (OR 2.57; 95% CI 1.13-6.03), lymphocytes < 0.30 × 109/L at diagnosis of CMV-EOD (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.05-5.69), worse SOFA score at ICU admission (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.04-1.35), and older age (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.07). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality was high in critically ill, immunocompromised patients with CMV-EOD and varied considerably with the cause of immunodeficiency and organ involved by CMV. Three of the four independent risk factors identified here are also known to be associated with higher mortality in the absence of CMV-EOD. CMV pneumonia was rarely proven by histopathology and was the most severe CMV-EOD.

Bacterial co-infection at hospital admission in patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: We described the current incidence and risk factors of bacterial co-infection in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Observational cohort study was performed at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (February 2020-February 2021). All patients with COVID-19 who were admitted for >48 hours with microbiological sample collection and procalcitonin (PCT) determination within the first 48 hours were included. RESULTS: A total of 1125 consecutive adults met inclusion criteria. Co-infections were microbiologically documented in 102 (9.1%) patients. Most frequent microorganisms were Streptococcus pneumoniae (79%), Staphylococcus aureus (6.8%), and Haemophilus influenzae (6.8%). Test positivity was 1% (8/803) for blood cultures, 10.1% (79/780) for pneumococcal urinary antigen test, and 11.4% (15/132) for sputum culture. Patients with PCT higher than 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 2 ng/mL had significantly more co-infections than those with lower levels (p=0.017, p=0.031, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, oxygen saturation ≤94% (OR 2.47, CI 1.57-3.86), ferritin levels <338 ng/mL (OR 2.63, CI 1.69-4.07), and PCT higher than 0.2 ng/mL (OR 1.74, CI 1.11-2.72) were independent risk factors for co-infection at hospital admission owing to COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial co-infection in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 is relatively common. However, clinicians could spare antibiotics in patients with PCT values <0.2, especially with high ferritin values and oxygen saturation >94%.

Evaluation of a multiplex panel for the diagnosis of acute infectious diarrhea in immunocompromised hematologic patients.

INTRODUCTION: Diarrhea is a frequent complication in hematologic patients, being an infectious cause frequently suspected. Rapid and accurate detection of gastrointestinal pathogens is vital in immunocompromised hosts. The aim of this study was to compare routine diagnostic methods versus a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the diagnosis of infectious diarrhea in immunocompromised hematologic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study from March 2015 to January 2016 to compare conventional methods for the diagnosis of infectious diarrhea with FIlmArray GI Panel (BioFire-bioMérieux, France). Samples from adult immunocompromised hematologic patients with acute diarrhea were collected. In cases with discordant results, a second multiplex assay was performed (Allplex, Seegene, Korea). The result was considered positive or negative when the same result was obtained by at least two of the methods. RESULTS: A total of 95 samples were obtained from 95 patients (median age of 52 years (46-64)). Sixty-one (64%) episodes were hospital-acquired and 34 (36%) were community-acquired diarrhea. Twenty-five (26%) patients had a positive microbiological result, being Clostridium difficile the most frequent pathogen, followed by Campylobacter spp and norovirus. The concordance between FilmArray methods was good (k = 0.79). The FilmArray GI panel showed a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 100% for positive results. The time required to obtain results was markedly reduced with the use of multiplex PCR methods. CONCLUSIONS: Multiplex molecular panels provide a rapid and sensitive tool for the diagnosis of infectious diarrhea, thereby allowing more timely clinical decisions in immunocompromised hematologic patients.

A European multicientre study on the comparison of HIV-1 viral loads between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and Roche COBAS® TAQMAN® HIV-1 test, Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and Siemens VERSANT HIV-1 Assay.

BACKGROUND: Viral load monitoring is essential for patients under treatment for HIV. Beckman Coulter has developed the VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the novel, automated DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System.¥ OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the clinical performance of the new quantitative VERIS HIV-1 Assay at multiple EU laboratories. STUDY DESIGN: Method comparison with the VERIS HIV-1 Assay was performed with 415 specimens at 5 sites tested with COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® HIV-1 Test, v2.0, 169 specimens at 3 sites tested with RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and 202 specimens from 2 sites tested with VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Patient monitoring sample results from 4 sites were also compared. RESULTS: Bland-Altman analysis showed the average bias between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay to be 0.28, 0.39, and 0.61 log10 cp/mL, respectively. Bias at low end levels below 1000cp/mL showed predicted bias to be <0.3 log10 cp/mL for VERIS HIV-1 Assay versus COBAS HIV-1 Test and RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and <0.5 log10cp/mL versus VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Analysis on 174 specimens tested with the 0.175mL volume VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test showed average bias of 0.39 log10cp/mL. Patient monitoring results using VERIS HIV-1 Assay demonstrated similar viral load trends over time to all comparators. CONCLUSIONS: The VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the DxN VERIS System demonstrated comparable clinical performance to COBAS® HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay.