Clinical results with the use of ceftaroline and ceftobiprole: real-life experience in a tertiary care hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Ceftaroline and ceftobiprole show activity against resistant Gram-positive cocci as well as good tolerability and are increasingly used in diverse infections. No comparative data on the efficacy and safety of ceftaroline and ceftobiprole in real-life are available. METHODS: In this single-centre, observational, retrospective clinical study, the outcomes of patients treated with ceftaroline or ceftobiprole in our hospital were compared, assessing clinical data, use and drug exposure of study antibiotics, and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 138 patients were included in this study, including 75 treated with ceftaroline and 63 treated with ceftobiprole. Patients treated with ceftobiprole had more comorbidities [median Charlson comorbidity index 5 (4-7) vs. 4 (2-6) for ceftaroline; P = 0.003], a higher prevalence of multiple site infections (P < 0.001) and were more often treated empirically (P = 0.004), whilst ceftaroline was more frequently used in patients with healthcare-related infections. No differences were observed in terms of hospital mortality, length of stay, and rates of clinical cure, improvement or failure. The only independent predictor of outcome was Staphylococcus aureus infection. Both treatments were generally well tolerated. CONCLUSION: In our real-life experience, ceftaroline and ceftobiprole, applied in different clinical scenarios, were comparable in terms of clinical efficacy and tolerability in a range of severe infections with variable aetiology and different levels of clinical severity. We believe our data may support the clinician in choosing the best option for each therapeutic setting.

Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Treated with Direct Acting Antivirals.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with hepatic and extrahepatic complications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). The effects of sustained virological response (SVR) and liver fibrosis on CVD risk are not well established. Aims: We aim to assess the dynamics of Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease 2013 (ASCVD) scores up to three years after direct acting antivirals (DAA) treatment and explore the time-dependent association between the two scores. Methods: We included consecutive CHC patients treated with DAA and followed up with them for three years. Outcomes were changes from baseline (before DAA) in ASCVD and FIB-4 scores, measured at the end of treatment, 12-, 24-, and 36-months follow-up. Results: In total, 91 patients with CHC were finally included (median age: 66 years (IQR = 58−72 years); 43% females). Median follow-up was 2 years (1−3 years) and all patients reached SVR. The ASCVD score did not significantly change from baseline (Mean = 17.2%, 95% CI 14.1, 20.3), but the FIB-4 score significantly decreased at any time-point by an average of 0.8 (95% CI 0.78, 0.82, p < 0.001). Elevated FIB-4 scores at one (ß = 1.16, p < 0.001) and three years (ß = 2.52, p < 0.001) were associated with an increased ASCVD score. Clinically, two participants- with non-decreasing FIB-4 scores after treatment- had acute coronary syndrome at the end of treatment and one year follow-up, respectively. Conclusions: In our study, we found that FIB-4 and ASCVD scores exhibited a positive correlation irrespective of time-point after treatment. Larger studies are essential to further investigate the utility of FIB-4 scores in cardiovascular risk assessment.