Assessing the Learning Environment for Medical Students: An Evaluation of a Novel Survey Instrument in Four Medical Schools.

OBJECTIVE: A practical, reliable, and valid instrument is needed to measure the impact of the learning environment on medical students' well-being and educational experience and to meet medical school accreditation requirements. METHODS: From 2012 to 2015, medical students were surveyed at the end of their first, second, and third year of studies at four medical schools. The survey assessed students' perceptions of the following nine dimensions of the school culture: vitality, self-efficacy, institutional support, relationships/inclusion, values alignment, ethical/moral distress, work-life integration, gender equity, and ethnic minority equity. The internal reliability of each of the nine dimensions was measured. Construct validity was evaluated by assessing relationships predicted by our conceptual model and prior research. Assessment was made of whether the measurements were sensitive to differences over time and across institutions. RESULTS: Six hundred and eighty-six students completed the survey (49 % women; 9 % underrepresented minorities), with a response rate of 89 % (range over the student cohorts 72-100 %). Internal consistency of each dimension was high (Cronbach's α 0.71-0.86). The instrument was able to detect significant differences in the learning environment across institutions and over time. Construct validity was supported by demonstrating several relationships predicted by our conceptual model. CONCLUSIONS: The C-Change Medical Student Survey is a practical, reliable, and valid instrument for assessing the learning environment of medical students. Because it is sensitive to changes over time and differences across institution, results could potentially be used to facilitate and monitor improvements in the learning environment of medical students.

Executive Summary: Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Candidiasis: 2016 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

It is important to realize that guidelines cannot always account for individual variation among patients. They are not intended to supplant physician judgment with respect to particular patients or special clinical situations. IDSA considers adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in the light of each patient's individual circumstances.

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Candidiasis: 2016 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

It is important to realize that guidelines cannot always account for individual variation among patients. They are not intended to supplant physician judgment with respect to particular patients or special clinical situations. IDSA considers adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in the light of each patient's individual circumstances.

Evaluation of an early step-down strategy from intravenous anidulafungin to oral azole therapy for the treatment of candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis: results from an open-label trial.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalized patients are at increased risk for candidemia and invasive candidiasis (C/IC). Improved therapeutic regimens with enhanced clinical and pharmacoeconomic outcomes utilizing existing antifungal agents are still needed. METHODS: An open-label, non-comparative study evaluated an intravenous (i.v.) to oral step-down strategy. Patients with C/IC were treated with i.v. anidulafungin and after 5 days of i.v. therapy had the option to step-down to oral azole therapy (fluconazole or voriconazole) if they met prespecified criteria. The primary endpoint was the global response rate (clinical + microbiological) at end of treatment (EOT) in the modified intent-to-treat (MITT) population (at least one dose of anidulafungin plus positive Candida within 96 hours of study entry). Secondary endpoints included efficacy at other time points and in predefined patient subpopulations. Patients who stepped down early (≤ 7 days' anidulafungin) were identified as the "early switch" subpopulation. RESULTS: In total, 282 patients were enrolled, of whom 250 were included in the MITT population. The MITT global response rate at EOT was 83.7% (95% confidence interval, 78.7-88.8). Global response rates at all time points were generally similar in the early switch subpopulation compared with the MITT population. Global response rates were also similar across multiple Candida species, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis. The most common treatment-related adverse events were nausea and vomiting (four patients each). CONCLUSIONS: A short course of i.v. anidulafungin, followed by early step-down to oral azole therapy, is an effective and well-tolerated approach for the treatment of C/IC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00496197.

Impact of treatment strategy on outcomes in patients with candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis: a patient-level quantitative review of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Invasive candidiasis (IC) is an important healthcare-related infection, with increasing incidence and a crude mortality exceeding 50%. Numerous treatment options are available yet comparative studies have not identified optimal therapy. METHODS: We conducted an individual patient-level quantitative review of randomized trials for treatment of IC and to assess the impact of host-, organism-, and treatment-related factors on mortality and clinical cure. Studies were identified by searching computerized databases and queries of experts in the field for randomized trials comparing the effect of ≥2 antifungals for treatment of IC. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine factors associated with patient outcomes. RESULTS: Data from 1915 patients were obtained from 7 trials. Overall mortality among patients in the entire data set was 31.4%, and the rate of treatment success was 67.4%. Logistic regression analysis for the aggregate data set identified increasing age (odds ratio [OR], 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.02; P = .02), the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.08-1.14; P = .0001), use of immunosuppressive therapy (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.18-2.44; P = .001), and infection with Candida tropicalis (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.11-2.39; P = .01) as predictors of mortality. Conversely, removal of a central venous catheter (CVC) (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, .35-.72; P = .0001) and treatment with an echinocandin antifungal (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, .45-.94; P = .02) were associated with decreased mortality. Similar findings were observed for the clinical success end point. CONCLUSIONS: Two treatment-related factors were associated with improved survival and greater clinical success: use of an echinocandin and removal of the CVC.

Anidulafungin: when and how? The clinician's view.

Anidulafungin is the newest addition to the antifungal arsenal. It possesses fungicidal activity against Candida spp., including isolates that are azole and polyene resistant. In addition, it is fungistatic against Aspergillus spp. Anidulafungin is unique in that it possesses no clinically relevant drug interactions and does not require dosage adjustment in renal or hepatic impairment. Anidulafungin was well tolerated in clinical trials and its clinical efficacy has been demonstrated in the treatment of candidemia and other forms of candidiasis.

Anidulafungin compared with fluconazole for treatment of candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis caused by Candida albicans: a multivariate analysis of factors associated with improved outcome.

BACKGROUND: Candida albicans is the most common cause of candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis. Systemic infections due to C. albicans exhibit good susceptibility to fluconazole and echinocandins. However, the echinocandin anidulafungin was recently demonstrated to be more effective than fluconazole for systemic Candida infections in a randomized, double-blind trial among 245 patients. In that trial, most infections were caused by C. albicans, and all respective isolates were susceptible to randomized study drug. We sought to better understand the factors associated with the enhanced efficacy of anidulafungin and hypothesized that intrinsic properties of the antifungal agents contributed to the treatment differences. METHODS: Global responses at end of intravenous study treatment in patients with C. albicans infection were compared post-hoc. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to predict response and to adjust for differences in independent baseline characteristics. Analyses focused on time to negative blood cultures, persistent infection at end of intravenous study treatment, and 6-week survival. RESULTS: In total, 135 patients with C. albicans infections were identified. Among these, baseline APACHE II scores were similar between treatment arms. In these patients, global response was significantly better for anidulafungin than fluconazole (81.1% vs 62.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI] for difference, 3.7-33.9). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, the odds ratio for global response was 2.36 (95% CI, 1.06-5.25). Study treatment and APACHE II score were significant predictors of outcome. The most predictive logistic regression model found that the odds ratio for study treatment was 2.60 (95% CI, 1.14-5.91) in favor of anidulafungin, and the odds ratio for APACHE II score was 0.935 (95% CI, 0.885-0.987), with poorer responses associated with higher baseline APACHE II scores. Anidulafungin was associated with significantly faster clearance of blood cultures (log-rank p < 0.05) and significantly fewer persistent infections (2.7% vs 13.1%; p < 0.05). Survival through 6 weeks did not differ between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with C. albicans infection, anidulafungin was more effective than fluconazole, with more rapid clearance of positive blood cultures. This suggests that the fungicidal activity of echinocandins may have important clinical implications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00058682.

Anidulafungin compared with fluconazole in severely ill patients with candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis: support for the 2009 IDSA treatment guidelines for candidiasis.

INTRODUCTION: During the past decade, the incidence of Candida infections in hospitalized patients has increased, with fluconazole being the most commonly prescribed systemic antifungal agent for these infections. However, the 2009 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) candidiasis guidelines recommend an echinocandin for the treatment of candidemia/invasive candidiasis in patients who are considered to be "moderately severe or severely" ill. To validate these guidelines, clinical trial data were reviewed. METHODS: A secondary analysis of data from a previously published prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was performed; it compared anidulafungin with fluconazole for the treatment of invasive candidiasis and candidemia. Patients with critical illness were identified at study entry by using the following criteria: Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score of ≥ 15, evidence of severe sepsis (sepsis and one or more end-organ dysfunctions) present, and/or patient was in intensive care. Global response rates were compared at the end of intravenous study treatment (the primary end point of the original study) and all-cause mortality at 14 and 28 days from study entry in this group. RESULTS: The patients (163 (66.5%) of 245) fulfilled at least one criterion for critical illness (anidulafungin, n = 89; fluconazole, n = 74). No significant differences were found in baseline characteristics between the two treatment groups. The global response rate was 70.8% for anidulafungin and 54.1% for fluconazole (P = 0.03; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.0 to 31.5); all-cause mortality was 10.1% versus 20.3% at 14 days (P = 0.08; 95% CI, -0.9 to 21.3) and was 20.2% versus 24.3% at 28 days (P = 0.57; 95% CI, -8.8 to 17.0) for anidulafungin and fluconazole, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this post hoc analysis, anidulafungin was more effective than fluconazole for treatment of severely ill patients with candidemia, thus supporting the 2009 IDSA guidelines. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00058682.

Anidulafungin versus fluconazole for invasive candidiasis.

BACKGROUND: Anidulafungin, a new echinocandin, has potent activity against candida species. We compared anidulafungin with fluconazole in a randomized, double-blind, noninferiority trial of treatment for invasive candidiasis. METHODS: Adults with invasive candidiasis were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous anidulafungin or intravenous fluconazole. All patients could receive oral fluconazole after 10 days of intravenous therapy. The primary efficacy analysis assessed the global response (clinical and microbiologic) at the end of intravenous therapy in patients who had a positive baseline culture. Efficacy was also assessed at other time points. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of the 245 patients in the primary analysis had candidemia only. Candida albicans was isolated in 62% of the 245 patients. In vitro fluconazole resistance was infrequent. Most of the patients (97%) did not have neutropenia. At the end of intravenous therapy, treatment was successful in 75.6% of patients treated with anidulafungin, as compared with 60.2% of those treated with fluconazole (difference, 15.4 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9 to 27.0). The results were similar for other efficacy end points. The statistical analyses failed to show a "center effect"; when data from the site enrolling the largest number of patients were removed, success rates at the end of intravenous therapy were 73.2% in the anidulafungin group and 61.1% in the fluconazole group (difference, 12.1 percentage points; 95% CI, -1.1 to 25.3). The frequency and types of adverse events were similar in the two groups. The rate of death from all causes was 31% in the fluconazole group and 23% in the anidulafungin group (P=0.13). CONCLUSIONS: Anidulafungin was shown to be noninferior to fluconazole in the treatment of invasive candidiasis. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00056368 [ClinicalTrials.gov]).

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of candidiasis: 2009 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Guidelines for the management of patients with invasive candidiasis and mucosal candidiasis were prepared by an Expert Panel of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. These updated guidelines replace the previous guidelines published in the 15 January 2004 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases and are intended for use by health care providers who care for patients who either have or are at risk of these infections. Since 2004, several new antifungal agents have become available, and several new studies have been published relating to the treatment of candidemia, other forms of invasive candidiasis, and mucosal disease, including oropharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis. There are also recent prospective data on the prevention of invasive candidiasis in high-risk neonates and adults and on the empiric treatment of suspected invasive candidiasis in adults. This new information is incorporated into this revised document.

Micafungin versus caspofungin for treatment of candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis.

BACKGROUND: Invasive candidiasis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with health care-associated infection. The echinocandins have potent fungicidal activity against most Candida species, but there are few data comparing the safety and efficacy of echinocandins in the treatment of invasive candidiasis. METHODS: This was an international, randomized, double-blind trial comparing micafungin (100 mg daily) and micafungin (150 mg daily) with a standard dosage of caspofungin (70 mg followed by 50 mg daily) in adults with candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis. The primary end point was treatment success, defined as clinical and mycological success at the end of blinded intravenous therapy. RESULTS: A total of 595 patients were randomized to one the treatment groups and received at least 1 dose of study drug. In the modified intent-to-treat population, 191 patients were assigned to the micafungin 100 mg group, 199 to the micafungin 150 mg group, and 188 to the caspofungin group. Demographic characteristics and underlying disorders were comparable across the groups. Approximately 85% of patients had candidemia; the remainder had noncandidemic invasive candidiasis. At the end of blinded intravenous therapy, treatment was considered successful for 76.4% of patients in the micafungin 100 mg group, 71.4% in the micafungin 150 mg group, and 72.3% in the caspofungin group. The median time to culture negativity was 2 days in the micafungin 100 mg group and the caspofungin group, compared with 3 days in the micafungin 150 mg groups. There were no significant differences in mortality, relapsing and emergent infections, or adverse events between the study arms. CONCLUSIONS: Dosages of micafungin 100 mg daily and 150 mg daily were noninferior to a standard dosage of caspofungin for the treatment of candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis.

Roadmap for creating an accelerated three-year medical education program.

Medical education is undergoing significant transformation. Many medical schools are moving away from the concept of seat time to competency-based education and introducing flexibility in the curriculum that allows individualization. In response to rising student debt and the anticipated physician shortage, 35% of US medical schools are considering the development of accelerated pathways. The roadmap described in this paper is grounded in the experiences of the Consortium of Accelerated Medical Pathway Programs (CAMPP) members in the development, implementation, and evaluation of one type of accelerated pathway: the three-year MD program. Strategies include developing a mission that guides curricular development - meeting regulatory requirements, attaining institutional buy-in and resources necessary to support the programs, including student assessment and mentoring - and program evaluation. Accelerated programs offer opportunities to innovate and integrate a mission benefitting students and the public. ABBREVIATIONS: CAMPP: Consortium of accelerated medical pathway programs; GME: Graduate medical education; LCME: Liaison committee on medical education; NRMP: National residency matching program; UME: Undergraduate medical education.

A randomized study of the use of fluconazole in continuous versus episodic therapy in patients with advanced HIV infection and a history of oropharyngeal candidiasis: AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study 323/Mycoses Study Group Study 40.

BACKGROUND: In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, fluconazole prophylaxis is associated with reductions in the rate of fungal infection. However, concerns exist with regard to the use of fluconazole prophylaxis and the risk of development of fluconazole treatment-refractory infections. METHODS: We performed a randomized, open-label trial that compared oral fluconazole given continuously (200 mg 3 times weekly; the "continuous fluconazole arm") with fluconazole that was provided only for episodes of orophayngeal candidiasis (OPC) or esophageal candidiasis (EC) (the "episodic fluconazole arm") in HIV-infected persons with CD4+ T cell counts of <150 cells/mm3 and a history of OPC. The primary study end point was the time to development of fluconazole-refractory OPC or EC, which was defined as lack of response to 200 mg fluconazole given daily for 14 or 21 days, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 413 subjects were randomized to receive continuous fluconazole, and 416 were randomized to receive episodic fluconazole. After 42 months, 17 subjects (4.1%) in the continuous fluconazole arm developed fluconazole-refractory OPC or EC infections, compared with 18 subjects (4.3%) in the episodic fluconazole arm, with no difference between treatment arms with regard to the time to development of a fluconazole-refractory infection within 24 months (P=.88, by log-rank test) or before the end of the study (P=.97, by the log-rank test). Continuous fluconazole therapy was associated with fewer cases of OPC or EC (0.29 vs. 1.08 episodes per patient-year; P<.0001) and fewer invasive fungal infections (15 vs. 28 episodes; P=.04, by chi2 test), but not with improved survival, compared with episodic fluconazole therapy. CONCLUSION: Continuous fluconazole therapy is not associated with significant risk of fluconazole-refractory OPC or EC, compared with episodic fluconazole therapy, in HIV-infected patients with access to active antiretroviral therapy.

Incidence and mortality of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock in intensive care unit patients with candidemia.

In this incidence study, of 16 074 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) from 1/1/2003 to 7/31/2011, 161 cases of candidemia were identified. The incidence of sepsis (27%), severe sepsis (31%), and septic shock (40%) was remarkably high in these cases of candidemia, as was the all-cause in-hospital mortality for sepsis (30%), severe sepsis (44%), and septic shock (65%).

Micafungin: an evidence-based review of its place in therapy.

Invasive fungal infections have increased throughout the world. Many of these infections occur in patients with multiple comorbidities who are receiving medications with the potential for interactions with antifungal therapy that could lead to renal and hepatic dysfunction. The second marketed echinocandin, micafungin, was approved in 2005 for the treatment of esophageal candidiasis and prophylaxis of invasive Candida infections in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The indication for use was later expanded to include candidemia, acute disseminated candidiasis, Candida abscesses, and peritonitis. Like other echinocandins it is fungicidal against Candida species, including those that are polyene- and azole-resistant and fungistatic against Aspergillus species. Its formulation is by the intravenous route only and it is dosed once daily without a loading dose as 85% of the steady state concentration is achieved after three daily doses. It has a favorable tolerability profile with no significant drug interactions and does not need adjustment for renal or hepatic insufficiency.

Epidemiology and outcomes of invasive candidiasis due to non-albicans species of Candida in 2,496 patients: data from the Prospective Antifungal Therapy (PATH) registry 2004-2008.

This analysis describes the epidemiology and outcomes of invasive candidiasis caused by non-albicans species of Candida in patients enrolled in the Prospective Antifungal Therapy Alliance (PATH Alliance) registry from 2004 to 2008. A total of 2,496 patients with non-albicans species of Candida isolates were identified. The identified species were C. glabrata (46.4%), C. parapsilosis (24.7%), C. tropicalis (13.9%), C. krusei (5.5%), C. lusitaniae (1.6%), C. dubliniensis (1.5%) and C. guilliermondii (0.4%); 111 infections involved two or more species of Candida (4.4%). Non-albicans species accounted for more than 50% of all cases of invasive candidiasis in 15 of the 24 sites (62.5%) that contributed more than one case to the survey. Among solid organ transplant recipients, patients with non-transplant surgery, and patients with solid tumors, the most prevalent non-albicans species was C. glabrata at 63.7%, 48.0%, and 53.8%, respectively. In 1,883 patients receiving antifungal therapy on day 3, fluconazole (30.5%) and echinocandins (47.5%) were the most frequently administered monotherapies. Among the 15 reported species, 90-day survival was highest for patients infected with either C. parapsilosis (70.7%) or C. lusitaniae (74.5%) and lowest for patients infected with an unknown species (46.7%) or two or more species (53.2%). In conclusion, this study expands the current knowledge of the epidemiology and outcomes of invasive candidiasis caused by non-albicans species of Candida in North America. The variability in species distribution in these centers underscores the importance of local epidemiology in guiding the selection of antifungal therapy.

Prevention of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections: is it time to add simulation training to the prevention bundle?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of adding simulation-based education to the pre-intervention mandatory hospital efforts aimed at decreasing central venous catheter-related blood stream infections (CRBSI) in intensive care units (ICU). DESIGN: Pre- and post-intervention retrospective observational investigation. SETTING: 24-bed ICU and a 562-bed university-affiliated, urban teaching hospital. PATIENTS: ICU patients July 2004-June 2008 were studied for the development of central venous catheter related blood stream infections (CRBSI). MEASUREMENTS: ICU patients from July 2004-June 2008 were studied for the development of central venous catheter-related blood stream infections (CRBSI). PRE-INTERVENTION: mandatory staff and physician education began in 2004 to reduce CRBSI. The CRBSI-prevention program included online and didactic courses, and a pre- and post-test. Elements in the pre-intervention efforts included hand hygiene, full barrier precautions, use of Chlorhexidine skin preparation, and mask, gown, gloves, and hat protection for operators. A catheter-insertion cart containing all supplies and checklist were was a mandatory element of this program; a nurse was empowered to stop the procedure for non-performance of checklist items. INTERVENTION: As of July 1, 2006, a mandatory simulation-based program for all intern, resident, and fellow physicians was added to teach central venous catheter (CVC) insertion. MEASUREMENTS: Data collected pre- and post-intervention were CRBSI incidence, number of ICU catheter days, mortality, laboratory pathogen results, and costs. MAIN RESULTS: The pre-intervention CRBSI incidence of 6.47/1,000 catheter days was reduced significantly to 2.44/1,000 catheter days post-intervention (58%; P < 0.05), resulting in a $539,902 savings (USD; 47%), and was attributed to shorter ICU and hospital lengths of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Following simulation-based CVC program implementation, CRBSI incidence and costs were significantly reduced for two years post-intervention.

Resource utilization and cost of treatment with anidulafungin or fluconazole for candidaemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis: focus on critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Candidaemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis (C/IC) are serious and costly events for hospitalized patients, particularly those in the ICU. Both fluconazole and the echinocandins are recommended as first-line therapy for C/IC. Resource use and cost considerations are important in selecting appropriate treatment but little information is available on the economic implications of using echinocandins in this setting. OBJECTIVE: To compare resource utilization and treatment costs (in $US) associated with the echinocandin anidulafungin (200 mg intravenously on day 1, then 100 mg intravenously daily) versus those of fluconazole (800 mg intravenously on day 1, then 400 mg intravenously daily) as first-line treatment for C/IC. METHODS: Available charts from patients enrolled in a recent clinical trial comparing anidulafungin and fluconazole for C/IC were reviewed. Patients who were in the ICU at study entry were identified, and the following data, collected during the 13-week study period, were compared between treatment groups: global response at end of study treatment, number of days patients survived after hospital discharge ('hospital-free' days), hospital resource use, and C/IC-related costs (year 2008 values) to a US hospital payer. These comparisons were also conducted for all non-ICU hospitalized patients, and for survivors in both study populations. Sensitivity analyses explored the cost impact of variability in the hospitalization costs between ICUs and non-ICU wards and of reduced duration intravenous therapy. Statistical comparisons between the two treatment groups were conducted for clinical outcomes, resource use and cost measures, using regression models. All statistical comparisons were adjusted for baseline co-variates (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE] II score, absolute neutrophil count and catheter removal status). RESULTS: For ICU patients with C/IC (n = 63), global response was significantly higher for anidulafungin than fluconazole (68.6% vs 42.9%; p = 0.03). ICU patients treated with anidulafungin had an average of 13.9 more hospital-free days (18.2 vs 4.3 days; p = 0.04) than those treated with fluconazole. After adjustment for co-variates, although lower costs were observed for anidulafungin vs fluconazole in ICU patients and in ICU patients who survived, no statistical differences were found. For all hospitalized patients (n = 159), global response was also higher for anidulafungin (78.3% vs 60.5%; p < 0.01). There was no difference in average length of hospitalization (29.6 days) or hospital-free days. After adjustment for co-variates, anidulafungin treatment resulted in an incremental C/IC-related cost of $US2680 (p = 0.73). For hospitalized patients who survived (anidulafungin 81.9%, fluconazole 69.7%), anidulafungin treatment was associated with an incremental cost of $US231 (p = 0.98). CONCLUSION: Anidulafungin as first-line treatment of C/IC appears to be of particular benefit to ICU patients, improving clinical outcomes and possibly decreasing costs, driven by reduced ICU and hospital stay, when compared with fluconazole. Anidulafungin also yielded significantly improved treatment outcomes in the general inpatient population, with total costs similar to fluconazole.