Empirical antibiotic therapy modalities for Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infections in older patients and their impact on mortality: a multicentre retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Enterobacteriaceae (EB) bloodstream infections (BSI) are frequent and serious in older patients. Physicians are faced with the dilemma of prescribing early appropriate empirical antibiotics to limit the risk of death, and sparing broad-spectrum antibiotic prescription. The aim of the study was to assess the rate of appropriate empirical antibiotics prescription to treat EB BSI in older patients and its impact on survival. METHODS: This study conducted in 49 centres enrolled retrospectively up to the 10 last consecutive patients aged 75 years and over and treated for EB BSI. Factors related to in-hospital death were investigated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Among the 487 enrolled patients (mean age 86 ± 5.9 years), 70% had at least one risk factor of being infected by third-generation cephalosporins (3GC)-resistant strain; however, only 13.8% of EB strains were resistant to 3GC. An empirical antimicrobial treatment was initiated for 418 patients (85.8%), and for 86% (n = 360/418) of them, it was considered appropriate. In-hospital mortality was 12.7% (n = 62) and was related to the severity of infection (OR 3.17, CI 95% 1.75-5.75), while a urinary portal of entry was protective (OR 0.34, CI 95% 0.19-0.60). Neither the absence of nor inappropriate empirical antibiotics prescription was associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSION: While patients enrolled in this study were at risk of being infected by multidrug-resistant bacteria, yet mainly treated with 3GC, empirical antibiotics prescription was appropriate in most cases and did not influence mortality.

The Relationship Between Forgiveness and Health Outcomes Among People Living with HIV: A Cross-Sectional Study in France.

Research to date has shown that HIV infection is a highly stressful experience for individuals, and one of the key adaptive resources after such painful experiences may be forgiveness. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between dispositional forgiveness (assessed using Mullet's Forgivingness Questionnaire and Toussaint's Forgiveness Scale), perceived stress (single-item measure of stress symptoms), health perception (EuroQol visual analogue version of the scale) and life satisfaction (Satisfaction With Life Scale) in people living with HIV (PLWH) in France. Paper surveys were completed by 222 PLWH aged 18-78 (57% male). Multiple regression analysis revealed that sensitivity to circumstances, unconditional forgiveness, self-forgiveness, and forgiveness of others were significant predictors of health and happiness. Mediation analysis showed that these relationships are completely mediated by perceived stress. The present findings suggest that forgiveness and perceived stress may be important variables for healing in PLWH. Interventions designed to improve forgiveness and self-forgiveness may result in improved health and life satisfaction in PLWH.

The association between body mass index class and coronavirus disease 2019 outcomes.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A growing body of data suggests that obesity influences coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Our study's primary objective was to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) categories and critical forms of COVID-19. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Data on consecutive adult patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 at Amiens University Hospital (Amiens, France) were extracted retrospectively. The association between BMI categories and the composite primary endpoint (admission to the intensive care unit or death) was probed in a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: In total, 433 patients were included, and BMI data were available for 329: 20 were underweight (6.1%), 95 have a normal weight (28.9%), 90 were overweight (27.4%), and 124 were obese (37.7%). The BMI category was associated with the primary endpoint in the fully adjusted model; the odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for overweight and obesity were respectively 1.58 [0.77-3.24] and 2.58 [1.28-5.31]. The ORs [95% CI] for ICU admission were similar for overweight (3.16 [1.29-8.06]) and obesity (3.05 [1.25-7.82]) in the fully adjusted model. The unadjusted ORs for death were similar in all BMI categories while obesity only was associated with higher risk after adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that overweight (and not only obesity) is associated with ICU admission, but overweight is not associated with death.

Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients with and without diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly progressing pandemic, with four million confirmed cases and 280 000 deaths at the time of writing. Some studies have suggested that diabetes is associated with a greater risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19. The primary objective of the present study was to compare the clinical features and outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with vs without diabetes. METHODS: All consecutive adult patients admitted to Amiens University Hospital (Amiens, France) with confirmed COVID-19 up until April 21st, 2020, were included. The composite primary endpoint comprised admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and death. Both components were also analysed separately in a logistic regression analysis and a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A total of 433 patients (median age: 72; 238 (55%) men; diabetes: 115 (26.6%)) were included. Most of the deaths occurred in non-ICU units and among older adults. Multivariate analyses showed that diabetes was associated neither with the primary endpoint (odds ratio (OR): 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66-1.90) nor with mortality (hazard ratio: 0.73; 95%CI: 0.40-1.34) but was associated with ICU admission (OR: 2.06; 95%CI 1.09-3.92, P = .027) and a longer length of hospital stay. Age was negatively associated with ICU admission and positively associated with death. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes was prevalent in a quarter of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19; it was associated with a greater risk of ICU admission but not with a significant elevation in mortality. Further investigation of the relationship between COVID-19 severity and diabetes is warranted.

Abnormal laboratory findings and plasma concentration monitoring of lopinavir and ritonavir in COVID-19.

It is not known whether the adverse events (AEs) associated with the administration of lopinavir and ritonavir (LPV/r) in the treatment of COVID-19 are concentration-dependent. In a retrospective study of 65 patients treated with LPV/r and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for severe forms of COVID-19 (median age: 67; males: 41 [63.1%]), 33 (50.8%) displayed a grade ≥2 increase in plasma levels of hepatobiliary markers, lipase and/or triglycerides. A causal relationship between LPV/r and the AE was suspected in 9 of the 65 patients (13.8%). At 400 mg b.i.d., the plasma trough concentrations of LPV/r were high and showed marked interindividual variability (median [interquartile range]: 16,600 [11,430-20,842] ng/ml for lopinavir and 501 [247-891] ng/ml for ritonavir). The trough lopinavir concentration was negatively correlated with body mass index, while the trough ritonavir concentration was positively correlated with age and negatively correlated with prothrombin activity. However, the occurrence of abnormal laboratory values was not associated with higher trough plasma concentrations of LPV/r. Further studies will be needed to determine the value of TDM in LPV/r-treated patients with COVID-19.

Comparison of nasopharyngeal and saliva swabs for the detection of RNA SARS-CoV-2 during mass screening (SALICOV study).

In the context of a second wave of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, the use of saliva sampling has become an issue of real importance. SARS-CoV-2 RNA screening was performed on nasopharyngeal and saliva swabs collected from 501 individuals from residential homes for the elderly. The saliva samples were collected at the same time as the nasopharyngeal samples. Nasopharyngeal samples yielded positive results for 26 individuals, only two of whom also tested positive with saliva swabs. In this context, saliva collected by swabbing the fluid is not an ideal sample.

Holistic Medicine Must Mean Whole: How to Deal with Spirituality.

Holistic medicine is the art and science of healing that addresses the whole person-body, mind and spirit. It is a broad discipline comprising a wide range of practices aimed at the overall health of the patient. More often than not, holistic medicine takes spirituality into account and incorporates practices like group therapy led by trained therapists. One problem, however, is that the words 'holistic' and 'medicine' are not specific, adding to the general confusion on what holistic medicine is. The aim of this review is to describe holistic medicine as a form of integrative medicine, combining both conventional and alternative medical practices. Furthermore, in light of the heterogeneous definitions and practices found in existing literature, we present arguments on the need for a proper terminology in order to create a system for fully evaluating the patient as a whole, which we call 'holology'.

Synergistic Activity of Clofazimine and Clarithromycin in an Aerosol Mouse Model of Mycobacterium avium Infection.

Infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have a poor prognosis in patients with underlying respiratory diseases. Clofazimine (CFZ) showed both experimental and clinical promising results against clinically relevant NTM. However, there are no data on CFZ in combination with the current recommended treatment; therefore, we aimed to study its in vivo activity in an aerosol mouse model of Mycobacterium avium In an aerosol infection BALB/c mouse model using M. avium strain Chester, we treated 58 mice with four combinations of rifampin (RIF) at 10 mg/kg, CFZ at 25 mg/kg, and clarithromycin (CLR) and ethambutol (EMB) at 100 mg/kg. Treatment efficacy was assessed on the basis of lung CFU counts after 2 (M2) and 4 (M4) months of treatment. At M2, CLR-RIF-EMB was slightly but significantly more efficient than CFZ-RIF-EMB (3.02 ± 0.12 versus 3.55 ± 0.28, respectively, P < 0.01), whereas CLR-CFZ-EMB and CLR-CFZ-RIF-EMB dramatically decreased lung CFU counts by 4.32 and 4.47 log10, respectively, compared to untreated group. At M4, CLR-RIF-EMB was significantly more efficient than CFZ-RIF-EMB (2 ± 0.53 versus 2.66 ± 0.22, respectively, P = 0.01). The addition of CLZ to CLR dramatically decreased the lung CFU count, with CFU counts 5.41 and 5.79 log10 lower in the CLR-CFZ-EMB and CLR-CFZ-RIF-EMB groups, respectively, than in the untreated group. The addition of CFZ to CLR seems to improve the efficacy of CLR as early as M2 and was confirmed at M4. CFZ, in addition to RIF and EMB, on the other hand, is less effective than CLR-RIF-EMB. These results need to be confirmed by similar studies along with CFZ potential for shortening treatment.

Mutations in fbiD (Rv2983) as a Novel Determinant of Resistance to Pretomanid and Delamanid in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The nitroimidazole prodrugs delamanid and pretomanid comprise one of only two new antimicrobial classes approved to treat tuberculosis (TB) in 50 years. Prior in vitro studies suggest a relatively low barrier to nitroimidazole resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but clinical evidence is limited to date. We selected pretomanid-resistant M. tuberculosis mutants in two mouse models of TB using a range of pretomanid doses. The frequency of spontaneous resistance was approximately 10-5 CFU. Whole-genome sequencing of 161 resistant isolates from 47 mice revealed 99 unique mutations, of which 91% occurred in 1 of 5 genes previously associated with nitroimidazole activation and resistance, namely, fbiC (56%), fbiA (15%), ddn (12%), fgd (4%), and fbiB (4%). Nearly all mutations were unique to a single mouse and not previously identified. The remaining 9% of resistant mutants harbored mutations in Rv2983 (fbiD), a gene not previously associated with nitroimidazole resistance but recently shown to be a guanylyltransferase necessary for cofactor F420 synthesis. Most mutants exhibited high-level resistance to pretomanid and delamanid, although Rv2983 and fbiB mutants exhibited high-level pretomanid resistance but relatively small changes in delamanid susceptibility. Complementing an Rv2983 mutant with wild-type Rv2983 restored susceptibility to pretomanid and delamanid. By quantifying intracellular F420 and its precursor Fo in overexpressing and loss-of-function mutants, we provide further evidence that Rv2983 is necessary for F420 biosynthesis. Finally, Rv2983 mutants and other F420H2-deficient mutants displayed hypersusceptibility to some antibiotics and to concentrations of malachite green found in solid media used to isolate and propagate mycobacteria from clinical samples.

Shortening Tuberculosis Treatment With Fluoroquinolones: Lost in Translation?

The disappointing recent failure of fluoroquinolone-containing regimens to shorten the duration of tuberculosis treatment in costly phase 3 trials has raised serious questions about the reliability of preclinical tuberculosis models, especially mice, and the current paradigm of regimen development. Therefore we re-examined data from murine models and early-stage clinical trials on which the pivotal trials were based, concluding that phase 3 trial results were in line with preceding studies. Finally, we offer suggestions for a more efficient and integrated preclinical and clinical regimen development program where quantitative pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic models more predictive of curative treatment durations are set forth.

Sterilizing Activity of Pyrazinamide in Combination with First-Line Drugs in a C3HeB/FeJ Mouse Model of Tuberculosis.

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a key sterilizing drug in first-line tuberculosis (TB) regimens and exerts its activity entirely during the first 2 months in human infections. We recently described the reduced activity of PZA in C3HeB/FeJ mice with large caseous tubercles due to neutral pH. Here, we aimed to determine the contribution of PZA to the sterilizing activity of the first-line TB regimen in C3HeB/FeJ and BALB/c mice. Three regimens were compared (in combinations: R, rifampin; H, isoniazid; E, ethambutol; Z, pyrazinamide; with numbers indicating the treatment duration, in months): 2RHEZ/4RH, 2RHE/4RH, and 2RHEZ/4RHZ. Lung CFU counts were assessed after 0 and 2 months of treatment, and relapse rates were assessed 3 months after 3, 4.5, and 6 months of treatment. The relapse rates after 3 months of treatment were 53% and 95% in C3HeB/FeJ mice receiving 2RHEZ/1RH and 2RHE/1RH, respectively, and 67%, 100%, and 80% in BALB/c receiving 2RHEZ/1RH, 2RHE/1RH, and 2RHEZ/1RHZ, respectively. The relapse rates after 4.5 months of treatment were 32%, 20%, and 0% in C3HeB/FeJ mice receiving 2RHEZ/2.5RH, 2RHE/2.5RH, and 2RHEZ/2.5RHZ, respectively, and 0% and 67% in BALB/c receiving 2RHEZ/2.5RH and 2RHE/2.5RH, respectively. The month-6 relapse rates were 0%, 13%, and 0% in C3HeB/FeJ mice given 2RHEZ/4RH, 2RHE/4RH, and 2RHEZ/4RHZ, respectively, and 7% in BALB/c mice receiving 2RHE/4RH. The addition of PZA shortens the duration of treatment needed to prevent relapse in both mouse strains. However, while its contribution is limited to the first 2 months of treatment in BALB/c mice, continuing PZA beyond the first 2 months is beneficial in C3HeB/FeJ mice by preventing relapse among those with the highest disease burden.

Selective Inactivity of Pyrazinamide against Tuberculosis in C3HeB/FeJ Mice Is Best Explained by Neutral pH of Caseum.

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is one of only two sterilizing drugs in the first-line antituberculosis regimen. Its activity is strongly pH dependent; the MIC changes by several orders of magnitude over a range of pH values that may be encountered in various in vivo compartments. We recently reported selective inactivity of PZA in a subset of C3HeB/FeJ mice with large caseous lung lesions. In the present study, we evaluated whether such inactivity was explained by poor penetration of PZA into such lesions or selection of drug-resistant mutants. Despite demonstrating similar dose-proportional PZA exposures in plasma, epithelial lining fluid, and lung lesions, no dose response was observed in a subset of C3HeB/FeJ mice with the highest CFU burden. Although PZA-resistant mutants eventually replaced the susceptible bacilli in BALB/c mice and in C3HeB/FeJ mice with low total CFU burdens, they never exceeded 1% of the total population in nonresponding C3HeB/FeJ mice. The selective inactivity of PZA in large caseous lesions of C3HeB/FeJ mice is best explained by the neutral pH of liquefying caseum.

High Systemic Exposure of Pyrazinoic Acid Has Limited Antituberculosis Activity in Murine and Rabbit Models of Tuberculosis.

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a prodrug requiring conversion to pyrazinoic acid (POA) by an amidase encoded by pncA for in vitro activity. Mutation of pncA is the most common cause of PZA resistance in clinical isolates. To determine whether the systemic delivery of POA or host-mediated conversion of PZA to POA could circumvent such resistance, we evaluated the efficacy of orally administered and host-derived POA in vivo Dose-ranging plasma and intrapulmonary POA pharmacokinetics and the efficacy of oral POA or PZA treatment against PZA-susceptible tuberculosis were determined in BALB/c and C3HeB/FeJ mice. The activity of host-derived POA was assessed in rabbits infected with a pncA-null mutant and treated with PZA. Median plasma POA values for the area under the concentration-time curve from 0 h to infinity (AUC0-∞) were 139 to 222 µg·h/ml and 178 to 287 µg·h/ml after doses of PZA and POA of 150 mg/kg of body weight, respectively, in mice. Epithelial lining fluid POA concentrations in infected mice were comparable after POA and PZA administration. In chronically infected BALB/c mice, PZA at 150 mg/kg reduced lung CFU counts by >2 log10 after 4 weeks. POA was effective only at 450 mg/kg, which reduced lung CFU counts by ∼0.7 log10 POA had no demonstrable bactericidal activity in C3HeB/FeJ mice, nor did PZA administered to rabbits infected with a PZA-resistant mutant. Oral POA administration and host-mediated conversion of PZA to POA producing plasma POA exposures comparable to PZA administration was significantly less effective than PZA. These results suggest that the intrabacillary delivery of POA and that producing higher POA concentrations at the site of infection will be more effective strategies for maximizing POA efficacy.

Tolerability and Plasma Drug Level Monitoring of Prolonged Subcutaneous Teicoplanin Treatment for Bone and Joint Infections.

Teicoplanin is a key drug for the treatment of multiresistant staphylococcal bone and joint infections (BJI), yet can only be administered via a parenteral route. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of subcutaneous (s.c.) teicoplanin for that indication over 42 days. Thirty patients with Gram-positive cocci BJI were included. Once the target of 25 to 40 mg/liter trough serum concentration was achieved, treatment was switched from an intravenous to an s.c. route. No discontinuation of teicoplanin related to injection site reaction and no severe local adverse event were observed. On multivariate analysis, better tolerability was observed at the beginning of treatment, in patients over 70 years old, and for dosages less than 600 mg. In conclusion, we recommend s.c. administration of teicoplanin when needed.

Novel regimens identified in mice for treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in contacts of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Preventing the development of tuberculosis (TB) in contacts of patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) by the treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) is highly desirable. However, few safe, well tolerated, and effective drugs are available to treat MDR-LTBI and the published guidance is limited. Fortunately, six new chemical entities from four classes developed to treat TB have entered clinical trials in the past decade. We tested three of these drugs alone and in combination in an experimental paucibacillary LTBI chemotherapy model using BALB/c and C3HeB/FeJ mice immunized with a recombinant strain of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (rBCG30) and then challenged with a low-dose aerosol of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. The regimens tested contained bedaquiline (TMC), PA-824 (Pa), sutezolid (PNU), and/or one of two fluoroquinolones. Control mice received rifampin (RIF) or isoniazid (INH). In BALB/c mice, TMC-containing regimens and the Pa-PNU combination were the most active test regimens and were at least as effective as RIF. Pa, PNU, and levofloxacin had activity comparable to that of INH. Virtually identical results were observed in C3HeB/FeJ mice. This study confirms the potent activity of TMC observed previously in BALB/c mice and highlights Pa alone or in combination with either PNU or a fluoroquinolone as a regimen worthy of evaluation in future clinical trials of MDR-LTBI. Given their closer pathological representation of human TB lesions, C3HeB/FeJ mice may become a preferred model for the experimental chemotherapy of LTBI. Future studies should evaluate additional clinically relevant LTBI regimens in this strain including relapse as an endpoint.

Successful prophylaxis of ESBL Enterobacteriaceae repetitive urinary tract infections with subcutaneous temocillin: a case report.

Objectives: Temocillin is an antibiotic belonging to the ß-lactam family, introduced in 1988 but soon forgotten because of its narrow spectrum. Recently, it has been repurposed for its effectiveness against ESBL Enterobacteriaceae, and represents an alternative of choice to carbapenems due to its limited impact on the microbiota. Patient: We present here a successful case of antibiotic prophylaxis of recurrent ESBL urinary tract infections with subcutaneously administered temocillin. Conclusions: Temocillin is rarely administered subcutaneously and even more rarely in prophylactic situations. However, its tolerance profile and low impact on the microbiota should help reconsideration of its use in particular cases like this one.

Measuring the prevalence of aspiration pneumonia in view of improving the relevance of antibiotic prescription of antibiotics: A retrospective, observational study.

PURPOSE: Aspiration pneumonia (AP) has significant incidence and impact on mortality. However, data about clinical diagnosis criteria are scarce. We aimed to evaluate according to predefined criteria the prevalence of true AP and its impact on antibiotic stewardship. METHODS: Retrospective study of patients whose main diagnosis was AP hospitalized at Amiens University Hospital in 2018. We first defined diagnostic criteria of certainty for pneumonia and aspiration. AP was then classified according to degree of certainty. RESULTS: Among 862 cases of AP, its diagnosis was certain, likely, probably in excess, certainly in excess or absent in 2 % (n = 17), 3 % (n = 26), 50.5 % (n = 433), 23.1 % (n = 198) and 21.4 % (n = 183) respectively. Irrelevant use of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and metronidazole was found in 27 % and 13 % of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of AP is frequently excessive, and diagnostic tools are urgently needed to improve antibiotic stewardship.

Life threatening rickettsiosis and the role of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome (HLH): Case report of a 21-year-old woman.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) syndrome is an uncontrolled activation of macrophages, causing multiorgan dysfunction. The prognosis depends on the cause and the delay of diagnosis and treatment. Several infections can cause HLH, including rickettsia, a gram-negative bacterium. The diagnosis of rickettsia is based on clinical signs, including fever, headache, rash and sometimes tick bite site. The importance of an early diagnosis of rickettsia is the key. We present a case of rickettsia infection complicated with severe HLH occurring in a 21-year-old woman. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology 4 weeks after admission. She was treated with immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, and doxycycline with a favorable outcome.

One Hundred Explicit Definitions of Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions of Antibiotics in Hospitalized Older Patients: The Results of an Expert Consensus Study.

BACKGROUND: In geriatrics, explicit criteria for potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) are useful for optimizing drug use. OBJECTIVE: To produce an expert consensus on explicit definitions of antibiotic-PIPs for hospitalized older patients. METHODS: We conducted a Delphi survey involving French experts on antibiotic stewardship in hospital settings. During the survey's rounds, the experts gave their opinion on each explicit definition, and could suggest new definitions. Definitions with a 1-to-9 Likert score of between 7 and 9 from at least 75% of the participants were adopted. The results were discussed during consensus meetings after each round. RESULTS: Of the 155 invited experts, 128 (82.6%) participated in the whole survey: 59 (46%) infectious diseases specialists, 45 (35%) geriatricians, and 24 (19%) other specialists. In Round 1, 65 explicit definitions were adopted and 21 new definitions were suggested. In Round 2, 35 other explicit definitions were adopted. The results were validated during consensus meetings (with 44 participants after Round 1, and 54 after Round 2). CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first to have provided a list of explicit definitions of potentially inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for hospitalized older patients. It might help to disseminate key messages to prescribers and reduce inappropriate prescriptions of antibiotics.