Diagnostic and antibiotic stewardship lessons: an outpatient assessment of symptomatic reflex urinalysis ordering accuracy using an electronic best-practice alert.

BACKGROUND: It is not well known how reliably clinicians order reflex urinalysis to microscopy and culture (rUA-cx) for outpatient urinary tract infection (UTI) workup. Antibiotic appropriateness cannot be fully appreciated until the prevalence of UTIs and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) are realized. OBJECTIVE: This quality improvement study has two major aims, first to determine UTI symptom accuracy for rUA-cx ordering and second, to confirm UTI and ASB cases by integrating rUA-cx and cascaded urinalysis results. Antibiotic utilization and diagnostic coding were secondarily linked to UTIs and ASB. METHODS: An electronic best-practice alert informed the ordering of two rUA-cx options: symptomatic- rUA-cx specifically for dysuria, frequency, urgency, costovertebral pain, suprapubic pain or fever versus non-specific-rUA-cx for vague complaints. UTI symptoms were verified by chart review. Confirmed UTI was defined as a significant culture with UTI symptoms and ASB as a significant culture without UTI symptoms. RESULTS: rUA-cx (2065) were prospectively collected over 6 months from female patients at risk for uncomplicated UTIs. Symptomatic-rUA-cx and non-specific-rUA-cx were associated with UTI symptoms for 53% (809/1527) and 20% (107/538), respectively. Overall, 44% (916/2065) of all rUA-cx had UTI symptoms. rUA-cx were overordered by a factor of 9 (2065/225) for every confirmed UTI. The UTI-to-ASB relative ratio was 2.6 (225/86). Regarding UTI-relevant antibiotics, 39% (214/553) were appropriately associated with UTI whereas only 22% (74/339) of inappropriate antibiotics were captured by the ASB definition, underestimating the problem 4-fold. CONCLUSIONS: UTI and ASB remain challenging to categorize despite a meticulous method that applied acceptable criteria.

Asymptomatic Bacteriuria: Prevalence, Diagnosis, Management, and Current Antimicrobial Stewardship Implementations.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is a common clinical condition that often leads to unnecessary treatment. It has been shown that incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria increases with age and are more prominent in women than men. In older women, the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria is recorded to be more than 15%. This number increased up to 50% for those who reside in long-term care facilities. In most scenarios, asymptomatic bacteriuria does not lead to urinary tract infections, and therefore, antibiotic treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria has not been shown to improve patient outcomes. In 2019, the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) updated its asymptomatic bacteriuria management guidelines, which emphasized on the risks and benefits of treating the condition. Women who are pregnant should be screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria in the first trimester and treated, if positive. Individuals who are undergoing endoscopic urologic procedures should be screened and treated appropriately for asymptomatic bacteriuria as well. Treating asymptomatic bacteriuria in individuals with diabetes, neutropenia, spinal cord injuries, indwelling urinary catheters, and so on has not been found to improve clinical outcomes. Furthermore, unnecessary treatment is often associated with unwanted consequences including but not limited to increased antimicrobial resistance, Clostridioides difficile infection, and increased health care cost. As a result, multiple antibiotic stewardship programs around the US have implemented protocols to appropriately reduce unnecessary treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. It is important to appropriately screen and treat asymptomatic bacteriuria only when there is evidence of potential benefit.

Cost-effectiveness of bacteriuria screening before urogynecologic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is controversy over who requires preoperative screening for bacteriuria in the urogynecologic population and whether treating asymptomatic bacteriuria reduces postoperative urinary tract infection rates. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of selective, universal, and no preoperative bacteriuria screening protocols in women undergoing surgery for prolapse or stress urinary incontinence. STUDY DESIGN: A simple decision tree model was created from a societal perspective to evaluate cost and effectiveness of 3 strategies to prevent postoperative urinary tract infection: (1) a universal protocol where all women undergoing urogynecologic surgery are screened for bacteriuria and receive preemptive treatment if bacteriuria is identified; (2) a selective protocol, where only women with a history of recurrent urinary tract infection are screened and treated for bacteriuria; and (3) a no-screening protocol, where no women are screened for bacteriuria. Our primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, calculated in cost per quality-adjusted life-years. Secondary outcomes were the number of urine cultures, postoperative urinary tract infections, and pyelonephritis associated with each strategy. Costs were derived from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Clinical estimates were derived from published literature and data from a historic surgical cohort. Quality-of-life-associated utilities for urinary tract infection (0.73), pyelonephritis (0.66), and antibiotic use (0.964) were derived from the published literature using the HALex scale, reported directly by affected patients. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed over the range of reported values. RESULTS: In the base case scenario, selective screening is more costly (no screen: $101.69, selective: $101.98) and more effective (no screen: 0.096459 quality-adjusted-life-year, selective: 0.096464 quality-adjusted-life-year) than no screening, and is cost-effective, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $49,349 per quality-adjusted-life-year. Both selective screening and no screening dominate universal screening in being less costly (universal: $111.92) and more effective (universal: 0.096446 quality-adjusted-life-year), with a slightly higher rate of postoperative urinary tract infection (no screen: 17.1%, selective: 16.9%, universal: 16.6%). In 1-way sensitivity analyses, selective screening is no longer cost-effective compared with no screening when the cost of a urine culture exceeds $12, cost of a preoperative urinary tract infection exceeds $93, the cost of a postoperative urinary tract infection is below $339, the specificity of a urine culture is less than 96%, or preoperative bacteriuria rates in those without symptoms but a history of recurrent urinary tract infection is <23%. Universal screening only becomes cost-effective when the postoperative urinary tract infection rate increases to >50% in those without risk factors and untreated preoperative bacteriuria. When compared with no screening, selective screening costs an additional $104 per urinary tract infection avoided and $2607 per pyelonephritis avoided. Compared with selective screening, universal screening costs $4609 per urinary tract infection avoided and $115,223 per pyelonephritis avoided. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a selective preoperative bacteriuria protocol is cost-effective in most scenarios and associated with only a <1% increase in the 30-day postoperative urinary tract infection rate. No screening is cost-effective when cost of a preoperative urinary tract infection is high and the rate of preoperative bacteriuria in those without risk factors is low.

Assessment and management of urinary tract infections in aged care facilities.

OBJECTIVES: To compare assessment and management of urinary tract infections (UTI) for residents in aged care facilities (ACF) with evidence-based infection criteria and recommended therapy. METHODS: A retrospective clinical audit was conducted for all short-course antibiotics (SCA) prescribed to treat presumed UTIs (p-UTIs). Surveillance, microbiological and dispensing data determined whether p-UTIs met the revised McGeer criteria for infection and the extent to which SCAs complied with guideline recommendations. RESULTS: Ten out of 74 (14%) p-UTIs were confirmed infections, that is met both the clinical and microbiological criteria for infection. Thirty-four out of 74 (46%) p-UTIs were classified as asymptomatic bacteriuria. The dose and frequency of the prescribed SCA were concordant with guideline recommendations for 87% and 85% of the courses, respectively; however, only 42% of the SCAs followed the recommended duration of therapy. CONCLUSION: Overdiagnosis of UTIs and consequent overprescribing of antibiotics, specifically extended duration, are consistent with similar studies.

Organizational readiness assessment in acute and long-term care has important implications for antibiotic stewardship for asymptomatic bacteriuria.

BACKGROUND: Prior to implementing an antibiotic stewardship intervention for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), we assessed institutional barriers to change using the Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment. METHODS: Surveys were self-administered on paper in inpatient medicine and long-term care units at 4 Veterans Affairs facilities. Participants included providers, nurses, and pharmacists. The survey included 7 subscales: evidence (perceived strength of evidence) and six context subscales (favorability of organizational context). Responses were scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale. RESULTS: One hundred four surveys were completed (response rate = 69.3%). Overall, the evidence subscale had the highest score; the resources subscale (mean 2.8) was significantly lower than other subscales (P < .001). Scores for budget and staffing resources were lower than scores for training and facility resources (P < .001 for both). Pharmacists had lower scores than providers for the staff culture subscale (P = .04). The site with the lowest scores for resources (mean 2.4) also had lower scores for leadership and lower pharmacist effort devoted to stewardship. CONCLUSIONS: Although healthcare professionals endorsed the evidence about nontreatment of ASB, perceived barriers to antibiotic stewardship included inadequate resources and leadership support. These findings provide targets for tailoring the stewardship intervention to maximize success.

Prevalence, impact, and management strategies for asymptomatic bacteriuria in the acute care elderly patient: a review of the current literature.

Introduction: It is unclear how to prevent the negative impact of inappropriate urine cultures in older acute care patients who have a high rate of asymptomatic bacteriuria.Areas covered: A nonsystematic literature review of the definition, impact, and management of elderly acute care patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB).Expert opinion: In the elderly, patients with ASB include those with extra-urinary tract diseases (e.g. pneumonia) and those with symptoms/signs that resolve without antibiotic therapy, but the diagnosis of ASB is unclear in febrile patients responding to antibiotics. We consider four management strategies that could decrease the negative impact of culturing the urine including unnecessary antibiotic therapy in those with ASB: (1) Prevent urine testing in patients with extra-urinary tract reasons for their acute care (2) Cancel urine cultures if the urine dipstick is negative. (3) Avoid catheterization in stable patients who cannot provide a urine specimen on demand and (4) Withhold antibiotics in stable non-febrile elderly patients who do not have new local urinary tract symptoms or decompensation on follow-up, and pursue further investigations for another etiology/diagnosis.

Impact of asymptomatic bacteriuria incidence and management post-kidney transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most commonly occurring infectious complication following kidney transplantation. Questions remain regarding whether asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) should be treated. The aim was to evaluate the incidence and management of ASB in kidney transplant recipients at a large academic medical center. METHODS: All subjects receiving an isolated kidney transplant between September 2012 and October 2016, and with at least one ASB episode were included. Demographics, symptomatology, and urine culture data were collected on subjects with bacteriuria in the first year post-transplant. Cultures were classified by symptoms, ASB treatment trends were analyzed, and ASB-to-UTI progression was compared between ASB treatment and non-treatment. RESULTS: A total of 527 subjects were transplanted with 64 developing at least one ASB episode. The incidence of ASB was 12.1% and treated 74.6% of the time. Neither lack of ASB treatment (P = 0.463) nor ASB within the first month post-transplant (P = 0.303) were associated with ASB-to-UTI progression. CONCLUSION: Despite high ASB treatment rate, this was not found to be protective against ASB-to-UTI progression. ASB within the first month post-transplant also did not correlate with increased progression risk. These results suggest minimization of ASB treatment in kidney transplant recipients remains an important antimicrobial stewardship target.

Very rapid flow cytometric assessment of antimicrobial susceptibility during the apparent lag phase of microbial (re)growth.

Rapid changes in the number and flow cytometric behaviour of cells of E. coli taken from a stationary phase and inoculated into rich medium.Cells of E. coli were grown in LB medium, taken from a stationary phase of 2-4 h, and re-inoculated into fresh media at a concentration (105 ml-1 or lower) characteristic of bacteriuria. Flow cytometry was used to assess how quickly we could detect changes in cell size, number, membrane energization (using a carbocyanine dye) and DNA distribution. It transpired that while the lag phase observable macroscopically via bulk OD measurements could be as long as 4 h, the true lag phase could be less than 15-20 min, and was accompanied by many observable biochemical changes. Antibiotics to which the cells were sensitive affected these changes within 20 min of re-inoculation, providing the possibility of a very rapid antibiotic susceptibility test on a timescale compatible with a visit to a GP clinic. The strategy was applied successfully to genuine potential urinary tract infection (UTI) samples taken from a doctor's surgery. The methods developed could prove of considerable value in ensuring the correct prescription and thereby lowering the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Assessment of practices in screening and treating women with bacteriuria.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based screening and treatment for bacteriuria is crucial to prevent increasing antibiotic resistance. The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) previously released guidelines on the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women. The study's objective was to assess physicians' practices in managing women with bacteriuria relative to these guideline recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional data from physicians were collected using an anonymous questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified independent predictors of adherence to guidelines. RESULTS: Data were collected from 260 physicians. Over half of physicians surveyed were unfamiliar with IDSA guidelines and overtreat ASB. Variables independently associated with overtreatment of ASB included a non-academic practice and practicing as an OBGYN. Nearly one third (30.1%) of physicians reported prescribing an antibiotic other than a recommended first-line agent for uncomplicated cystitis. Relative to internists, OBGYNs and urologists were more likely to prescribe a recommended first-line agent to women with uncomplicated cystitis. Of those who correctly selected a first-line agent, 29.8% prescribed a longer than recommended duration of therapy. IDSA guideline awareness was not associated with physicians' practices in managing women with bacteriuria. CONCLUSIONS: Most physicians surveyed were unfamiliar with guidelines related to managing ASB and uncomplicated UTIs in women, likely contributing to overscreening and overtreatment of ASB and the use of inappropriate antibiotic regimens in treating uncomplicated cystitis. However, optimal antibiotic prescribing was not associated with knowledge of IDSA guidelines, suggesting that guideline dissemination alone may not alter practice patterns among physicians managing women with bacteriuria.

Modified Reporting of Positive Urine Cultures to Reduce Inappropriate Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Among Nonpregnant, Noncatheterized Inpatients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

DESIGNWe conducted a randomized, parallel, unblinded, superiority trial of a laboratory reporting intervention designed to reduce antibiotic treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB).METHODSResults of positive urine cultures from 110 consecutive inpatients at 2 urban acute-care hospitals were randomized to standard report (control) or modified report (intervention). The standard report included bacterial count, bacterial identification, and antibiotic susceptibility information including drug dosage and cost. The modified report stated: "This POSITIVE urine culture may represent asymptomatic bacteriuria or urinary tract infection. If urinary tract infection is suspected clinically, please call the microbiology laboratory … for identification and susceptibility results." We used the following exclusion criteria: age <18 years, pregnancy, presence of an indwelling urinary catheter, samples from patients already on antibiotics, neutropenia, or admission to an intensive care unit. The primary efficacy outcome was the proportion of appropriate antibiotic therapy prescribed.RESULTSAccording to our intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, the proportion of appropriate treatment (urinary tract infection treated plus ASB not treated) was higher in the modified arm than in the standard arm: 44 of 55 (80.0%) versus 29 of 55 (52.7%), respectively (absolute difference, -27.3%; RR, 0.42; P = .002; number needed to report for benefit, 3.7).CONCLUSIONSModified reporting resulted in a significant reduction in inappropriate antibiotic treatment without an increase in adverse events. Safety should be further assessed in a large effectiveness trial before implementationTRIAL REGISTRATION. clinicaltrials.gov#NCT02797613Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;814-819.

No. 276-Management of Group B Streptococcal Bacteriuria in Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To provide information regarding the management of group B streptococcal (GBS) bacteriuria to midwives, nurses, and physicians who are providing obstetrical care. OUTCOMES: The outcomes considered were neonatal GBS disease, preterm birth, pyelonephritis, chorioamnionitis, and recurrence of GBS colonization. EVIDENCE: Medline, PubMed, and the Cochrane database were searched for articles published in English to December 2010 on the topic of GBS bacteriuria in pregnancy. Bacteriuria is defined in this clinical practice guideline as the presence of bacteria in urine, regardless of the number of colony-forming units per mL (CFU/mL). Low colony counts refer to <100 000 CFU/mL, and high (significant) colony counts refer to ≥100 000 CFU/mL. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and relevant observational studies. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to February 2011. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology assessment-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. VALUES: Recommendations were quantified using the evaluation of evidence guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table). BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS: The recommendations in this guideline are designed to help clinicians identify pregnancies in which it is appropriate to treat GBS bacteriuria to optimize maternal and perinatal outcomes, to reduce the occurrences of antibiotic anaphylaxis, and to prevent increases in antibiotic resistance to GBS and non-GBS pathogens. No cost-benefit analysis is provided.

Assessment of Guideline Discordance With Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Best Practices for Common Urologic Procedures.

Importance: The American Urological Association guidelines recommend 24 or fewer hours of antimicrobial prophylaxis for most urologic procedures. Continuing antimicrobial therapy beyond 24 hours may carry more risks than advantages. Objectives: To assess guideline discordance of antimicrobial prophylaxis for common urologic endoscopic procedures, and to identify opportunities for improving antimicrobial prescribing through future stewardship interventions. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter cohort study conducted manual audits of medical records of 375 patients who underwent 1 of 3 urologic procedures (transurethral resection of bladder tumor [TURBT], transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP], and ureteroscopy [URS]) at 5 Veterans Health Administration facilities from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017. Antimicrobial prescribing practices across the national Veterans Health Administration system were assessed using the administrative data for 29 530 records. Main Outcomes and Measures: Guideline discordance was assessed in the medical record review. Excessive postprocedural antimicrobial use was measured in the national administrative data analysis. Results: The medical records of a total of 375 patients were manually reviewed. Among the 375 patients, 366 (97.6%) were male and 9 (2.4%) were female, with a mean (SD) age of 64.2 (10.9) years and a predominantly white race/ethnicity (289 [77.1%]). In addition, 29 530 patient records in the national administrative database were assessed. Among the patient records, 28 938 (98.0%) were male and 592 (2.0%) were female with a mean (SD) age of 69.1 (10.2) years and a predominantly white race/ethnicity (23 297 [78.9%]). Among the manually reviewed medical records, periprocedural or postprocedural antimicrobial prescribing was guideline discordant in 217 patients (57.9%). Postprocedural antimicrobial agents were continued beyond 24 hours in 211 patients (56.3%) and were guideline discordant in 177 patients (83.9%), with a median (interquartile range) duration of 3 (3-5) days of unnecessary antimicrobial therapy. In the analysis of national administrative data, excessive postprocedural antimicrobial agents were prescribed in 10 988 of 29 350 patient records (37.2%), with a median (interquartile range) of 3 (2-6) excess days. For any given facility, a statistically significant correlation was observed in the frequency of postprocedural antimicrobial prescribing between any 2 procedures, indicating that facilities with higher rates of excessive use for 1 procedure also had higher rates for another procedure: TURP and TURBT (ρ = 0.719; 95% CI, 0.603-0.803; P < .001), TURP and URS (ρ = 0.629; 95% CI, 0.476-0.741; P < .001), and TURBT and URS (ρ = 0.813; 95% CI, 0.724-0.873; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of patients who underwent common urologic procedures, the rate of guideline-discordant antimicrobial use was high mostly because of overprescribing of postprocedural antimicrobial agents; future antimicrobial stewardship interventions should target the postprocedural period.

Impact of two-step urine culture ordering in the emergency department: a time series analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence against the use of antimicrobials for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), they are frequently prescribed leading to unnecessary adverse events. Prior studies have shown that reducing unnecessary urine cultures (UCs) results in decreased antimicrobial utilisation for ASB. Emergency departments (EDs) submit the largest volume of UCs, yet efforts to limit overordering in this patient setting have had limited success. METHODS: A new two-step model of care for urine collection, using a novel UC collection container, was implemented in the ED of a large community hospital. The collection system contains a preservative allowing UCs to be held at room temperature for up to 48 hours before processing. UCs were collected by front-line staff, but only processed in the microbiology lab if requested by ED physicians after clinical assessment. RESULTS: Following implementation there was a decrease in the percentage of weekly ED visits associated with a processed UC (5.97% vs 4.68%, p<0.001), a decrease in the percentage of monthly ED visits requiring a callback for positive urine culture (1.84% to 1.12%, p<0.001) and a decrease in antimicrobial prescriptions for urinary indication among admitted patients (20.6% to 10.9%, p<0.01). There was a false omission rate of 1.35% (95% CI 0.7% to 2.2%), yet no identified cases of untreated urinary tract infection (UTI), or significant change in repeat ED visits or ED length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Changing to two-step urine culture ordering in the ED resulted in a decrease in UCs processed, callbacks for positive results and antimicrobial use without evidence of untreated UTIs. This model of care has strong potential to improve the use of hospital resources while minimising detection and inappropriate treatment of ASB.

Assessment of the comparability of CLSI, EUCAST and Stokes antimicrobial susceptibility profiles for Escherichia coli uropathogenic isolates.

BACKGROUND: As many clinical laboratories convert between Stokes, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and European Committee for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) methods, the problem of comparing differently derived sets of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) data with each other arises, owing to a scarcity of knowledge of inter-method comparability. The purpose of the current study was to determine the comparability of CLSI, EUCAST and Stokes AST methods for determining susceptibility of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, trimethoprim, cephradine/cephalexin, ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin. METHODS: A total of 100 E. coli isolates were obtained from boric acid urine samples from patients attending GP surgeries. For EUCAST and CLSI, the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was used and results interpreted using the respective breakpoint guidelines. For the Stokes method, direct susceptibility testing was performed on the urine samples. RESULTS: The lowest levels of agreement were for amoxicillin-clavulanate (60%) and ciprofloxacin (89%) between the three AST methods, when using 2017 interpretive guidelines for CLSI and EUCAST. A comparison of EUCAST and CLSI without Stokes showed 82% agreement for amoxicillin-clavulanate and 94% agreement for ciprofloxacin. Discrepancies were compounded by varying breakpoint susceptibility guidelines issued during the period 2011-2017, and through the inclusion of a definition of intermediate susceptibility in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that the discrepancies generated through using different AST methods and different interpretive guidelines may result in confusion and inaccuracy when prescribing treatment for urinary tract infection.

Overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is widespread and may result in antibiotic side-effects, excess costs to the healthcare system, and may potentially trigger antimicrobial resistance. According to international management guidelines, ASB is not an indication for antibiotic treatment (with few exceptions). AIM: To determine reasons for using antibiotics to treat ASB in the absence of a treatment indication. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Switzerland during 2011. We interviewed 21 internal medicine residents and attending physicians selected by purposive sampling, using a semi-structured questionnaire. Responses were analysed in an inductive thematic content approach using dedicated software (MAXQDA(®)). FINDINGS: In the 21 interviews, the following thematic rationales for antibiotic overtreatment of ASB were reported (in order of reporting frequency): (i) treating laboratory findings without taking the clinical picture into account (N = 17); (ii) psychological factors such as anxiety, overcautiousness, or anticipated positive impact on patient outcomes (N = 13); (iii) external pressors such as institutional culture, peer pressure, patient expectation, and excessive workload that interferes with proper decision-making (N = 9); (iv) difficulty with interpreting clinical signs and symptoms (N = 8). CONCLUSION: In this qualitative study we identified both physician-centred factors (e.g. overcautiousness) and external pressors (e.g. excessive workload) as motivators for prescribing unnecessary antibiotics. Also, we interpreted the frequently cited practice of treating asymptomatic patients based on laboratory findings alone as lack of awareness of evidence-based best practices.

Poor ED lab tracking and reporting system results in sepsis treatment delay.

This case underscores the need to have reliable systems in place to ensure that EDs have: policies in place fore re-assessing patients at discharge, a procedure for describing how vital signs are assessed prior to disposition and how abnormal findings are addressed, a requirement to document the review of vital signs prior to disposition; a requirement for documenting the rationale for continuing with the planned course of action if the vital signs and lab reports that are subsequently reported show anything that is abnormal. Patient re-evaluation is central to high-quality care and to strengthen the physician's ability to make an accurate and timely diagnosis in the ED setting. It is important to understand the significance of ongoing patient monitoring and reassessment, maintaining reliable diagnostic tracking and reporting systems, managing timely call-back systems, and ensuring that the ED team of staff and physicians are well-trained and oriented to hospital policies, procedures, and technology.

Costs and effects of screening and treating low risk women with a singleton pregnancy for asymptomatic bacteriuria, the ASB study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy is 2-10% and is associated with both maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes as pyelonephritis and preterm delivery. Antibiotic treatment is reported to decrease these adverse outcomes although the existing evidence is of poor quality. METHODS/DESIGN: We plan a combined screen and treat study in women with a singleton pregnancy. We will screen women between 16 and 22 weeks of gestation for ASB using the urine dipslide technique. The dipslide is considered positive when colony concentration ≥105 colony forming units (CFU)/mL of a single microorganism or two different colonies but one ≥105 CFU/mL is found, or when Group B Streptococcus bacteriuria is found in any colony concentration. Women with a positive dipslide will be randomly allocated to receive nitrofurantoin or placebo 100 mg twice a day for 5 consecutive days (double blind). Primary outcomes of this trial are maternal pyelonephritis and/or preterm delivery before 34 weeks. Secondary outcomes are neonatal and maternal morbidity, neonatal weight, time to delivery, preterm delivery rate before 32 and 37 weeks, days of admission in neonatal intensive care unit, maternal admission days and costs. DISCUSSION: This trial will provide evidence for the benefit and cost-effectiveness of dipslide screening for ASB among low risk women at 16-22 weeks of pregnancy and subsequent nitrofurantoin treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Dutch trial registry: NTR-3068.

Management of group B streptococcal bacteriuria in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To provide information regarding the management of group B streptococcal (GBS) bacteriuria to midwives, nurses, and physicians who are providing obstetrical care. OUTCOMES: The outcomes considered were neonatal GBS disease, preterm birth, pyelonephritis, chorioamnionitis, and recurrence of GBS colonization. EVIDENCE: Medline, PubMed, and the Cochrane database were searched for articles published in English to December 2010 on the topic of GBS bacteriuria in pregnancy. Bacteriuria is defined in this clinical practice guideline as the presence of bacteria in urine, regardless of the number of colony-forming units per mL (CFU/mL). Low colony counts refer to < 100 000 CFU/mL, and high (significant) colony counts refer to ≥ 100 000 CFU/mL. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and relevant observational studies. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to February 2011. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology assessment-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. VALUES: Recommendations were quantified using the evaluation of evidence guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table). BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS: The recommendations in this guideline are designed to help clinicians identify pregnancies in which it is appropriate to treat GBS bacteriuria to optimize maternal and perinatal outcomes, to reduce the occurrences of antibiotic anaphylaxis, and to prevent increases in antibiotic resistance to GBS and non-GBS pathogens. No cost-benefit analysis is provided. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Treatment of any bacteriuria with colony counts ≥ 100 000 CFU/mL in pregnancy is an accepted and recommended strategy and includes treatment with appropriate antibiotics. (II-2A) 2. Women with documented group B streptococcal bacteriuria (regardless of level of colony-forming units per mL) in the current pregnancy should be treated at the time of labour or rupture of membranes with appropriate intravenous antibiotics for the prevention of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal disease. (II-2A) 3. Asymptomatic women with urinary group B streptococcal colony counts < 100 000 CFU/mL in pregnancy should not be treated with antibiotics for the prevention of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes such as pyelonephritis, chorioamnionitis, or preterm birth. (II-2E) 4. Women with documented group B streptococcal bacteriuria should not be re-screened by genital tract culture or urinary culture in the third trimester, as they are presumed to be group B streptococcal colonized. (II-2D).