Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Physician Moms.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the personal and professional experiences of physician mothers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on the lives of physician mothers. METHODS: Using social media to reach a broad range of physicians, a convenience sample of physician mothers completed an on-line survey posted between April 27 and May 11. Members were encouraged to repost on social media and share with personal contacts resulting in a passive snowball sampling effect. RESULTS: A total of 2709 physician mothers from 48 states, Puerto Rico, and 19 countries representing more than 25 medical specialties completed the survey. Most were between 30 and 39 y of age, 67% self-identified as white, 17% as Asian, 4% as African American. Most had been working for 11-16 y. A total of 91% had a spouse/partner of the opposite sex. Over half were practicing in an area they identified as high COVID-19 density, while 50% had personally cared for a person with COVID-19. Physician mothers were most concerned about exposing their children to COVID-19 and about the morale and safety of their staff. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the first studies to explore the personal and professional challenges facing physician mothers during a pandemic. Physician mothers were most concerned about exposing their families to COVID-19. Mothers continued to work and at times increased their work, despite having domestic, childcare, and schooling responsibilities.

Physicians' attitude and knowledge regarding antibiotic use and resistance in ambulatory settings.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this survey was to assess the attitudes of physicians toward antibiotic prescribing and explore their knowledge about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in ambulatory care settings. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey that was administered to physicians who work primarily in ambulatory care settings in the United States. The survey was self-administered, voluntary, and anonymous, and was delivered through electronic mail and online forums using a 35-item questionnaire. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 323 physicians. Ninety-nine percent of respondents agreed that AMR is a national problem, but only 63% agreed that AMR is a local problem within their own facilities. Ninety-four percent of the respondents reported that each antibiotic prescription can impact AMR; however, 23% still believed that aggressive prescribing is necessary to avoid clinical failures. Factor perceived to have a low to moderate impact on the physicians' choice of antibiotic was the presence of prescription guidelines (54%). Top measures reported to be effective in reducing the emergence of AMR were institution specific guidelines (94%), institution specific antibiogram (92%), educating health care providers (87%), and regular audits and feedback on antibiotic prescribing (86%). CONCLUSIONS: AMR awareness campaigns and antibiotic stewardships incorporating interactive education and feedback, along with input of local experts, are critically needed to address the problem of AMR in both inpatient and ambulatory settings.

Epidemiology of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae at a Long-term Acute Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Residents of long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) are considered important reservoirs of multidrug-resistant organisms, including Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). We conducted this study to define the characteristics of CRE-infected/colonized patients admitted to an LTACH and the molecular characteristics of the CRE isolates. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted to collect information on demographic and comorbid conditions in CRE-colonized/infected patients admitted to a 77-bed LTACH in Detroit between January 2011 and July 2012. Data pertaining to hospital-related exposures were collected for 30 days before positive CRE culture. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) gene amplification, repetitive sequence-based PCR, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were performed on 8 of the CRE isolates. RESULTS: The study cohort included 30 patients with CRE-positive cultures, 24 (80%) with infections, and 6 (20%) with colonization. The mean age of cohort was 69 ±12.41 years; 19 (63%) patients were ventilator-dependent, and 20 (67%) were treated with at least 1 antibiotic. Twenty-three (77%) patients had CRE detected following LTACH admission, and the median days from admission to CRE detection in these patients (interquartile range) was 25 (11-43). Seven more patients were already positive for CRE at the time of LTACH admission. Molecular genotyping and MLST of 8 CRE isolates demonstrated that all isolates belonged to the same strain type (ST258) and contained the bla KPC-3 sequence. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with CRE presented several days to weeks after LTACH admission, indicating possible organism acquisition in the LTACH itself. The genetic similarity of the CRE isolates tested could further indicate the occurrence of horizontal transmission in the LTACH or simply be representative of the regionally dominant strain.

A Rare Case of Mediastinal Bronchogenic Cyst Infected by Salmonella enteritidis.

Bronchogenic cysts are rare congenital malformations which arise from abnormal budding of the primitive tracheobronchial tube and can localize to either the mediastinum or lung parenchyma. They remain clinically silent in most adults unless they become infected or are large enough to compress adjacent structures. Infections involving bronchogenic cysts are often polymicrobial. Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and mycobacterial infections have been reported, though frequently a pathogen is not identified. We present the case of a 46-year-old female with known history of bronchogenic cyst who presented with suspected postobstructive pneumonia. She underwent cyst excision with culture positive for Salmonella enteritidis, an extremely rare finding on review of the literature. The patient recovered following a three-week course of antibiotics for extraintestinal salmonellosis.

Implementing an antibiotic stewardship program at a long-term acute care hospital in Detroit, Michigan.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to assess health care providers' (HCPs) knowledge and attitude toward antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and implement an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH). METHODS: A questionnaire on antibiotic use and resistance was administered to HCP in an LTACH in Detroit, Michigan, between August 2011 and October 2011. Concurrently, a retrospective review of common antibiotic prescription practices and costs was conducted. Then, a tailored ASP was launched at the LTACH followed by 2-phase postimplementation assessment aiming at evaluating the impact of the ASP on antibiotic expenditure. RESULTS: Of all respondents (N = 26), 65% viewed AMR as a national problem, but only 38% perceived AMR as a problem at their facility. Most respondents were familiar with infections caused by resistant organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and extended-spectrum ß-lactamase; however, only 35% expressed confidence in treating infected patients. In the preimplementation phase, 15% of antimicrobial doses were inappropriate and 10 of 13 de-escalation opportunities were missed, resulting in additional $23,524.00 expenditure. In the first postimplementation phase, there was a 42% and 58% decrease in the use of daptomycin and tigecycline, respectively, resulting in $55,000 savings. In the second postintervention phase, total antimicrobial cost for treating a cohort of 28 patients in 2016 and 2017 was $26,837.85 and $22,397.15, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of an ASP in an LTACH improves antimicrobial prescribing practices, reduces cost, and is sustainable.

Prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection in acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and outpatient clinics: Is Clostridium difficile infection underdiagnosed in long-term care facility patients?

Clostridium difficile infection is a common cause of diarrhea in long-term care facility (LTCF) patients. The high prevalence of C difficile infection in LTCFs noted in our study calls for a critical need to educate LTCF staff to send diarrheal stool for C difficile testing to identify more cases and prevent transmission.

Predictors of Clostridium difficile infection-related mortality among older adults.

BACKGROUND: Over 90% of annual deaths caused by Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) occur in persons aged ≥65 years. However, no large-scale studies have been conducted to investigate predictors of CDI-related mortality among older adults. METHODS: This case-control study included 540 CDI patients aged ≥60 years admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Detroit, Michigan, between January 2005 and December 2012. Cases were CDI patients who died within 30 days of CDI date. Controls were CDI patients who survived >30 days after CDI date. Cases were matched to controls on a 1:3 ratio based on age and hospital acquisition of CDI. RESULTS: One-hundred and thirty cases (25%) were compared with 405 controls (75%). Independent predictors of CDI-related mortality included admission from another acute hospital (odds ratio [OR], 8.25; P = .001) or a long-term care facility (OR, 13.12; P = .012), McCabe score ≥2 (OR, 12.19; P < .001), and high serum creatinine (≥1.7 mg/dL) (OR, 3.43; P = .021). The regression model was adjusted for the confounding effect of limited activity of daily living score, total number of antibiotic days prior to CDI, ileus on abdominal radiograph, low albumin (≤2.5 g/dL), elevated white blood cell count (>15 × 1,000/mm3), and admission to intensive care unit because of CDI. CONCLUSIONS: Predictors of CDI-related mortality reported in this study could be applied to the development of a bedside scoring system for older adults with CDI.

Risk factors associated with interfacility transfers among patients with Clostridium difficile infection.

BACKGROUND: Preventing the transmission of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) over the continuum of care presents an important challenge for infection control. METHODS: A prospective case-control study was conducted on patients admitted with CDI to a tertiary care hospital in Detroit between August 2012 and September 2013. Patients were then followed for 1 year by telephone interviews and the hospital administrative database. Cases, patients with interfacility transfers (IFTs), were patients admitted to our facility from another health care facility and discharged to long-term care (LTC) facilities. Controls were patients admitted from and discharged to home. RESULTS: There were 143 patients included in the study. Thirty-six (30%) cases were compared with 84 (70%) controls. Independent risk factors of CDI patients with IFTs (compared with CDI patients without IFTs) included Charlson Comorbidity Index score ≥6 (odds ratio [OR], 5.30; P = .016) and hospital-acquired CDI (OR, 4.92; P = .023). Patients with IFTs were more likely to be readmitted within 90 days of discharge than patients without IFTs (OR, 2.24; P = .046). One-year mortality rate was significantly higher among patients with IFTs than among patients without IFTs (OR, 4.33; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: With the growing number of alternate health care centers, it is highly critical to establish better collaboration between acute care and LTC facilities to tackle the increasing burden of CDI across the health care system.

Clostridium Difficile Colonization in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: A Prospective Study of the Epidemiology and Outcomes Involving Toxigenic and Nontoxigenic Strains.

Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of infectious diarrhea in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Asymptomatic colonization of the gastrointestinal tract occurs before development of C. difficile infection (CDI). This prospective study examines the rates, risk factors, and outcomes of colonization with toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains of C. difficile in HSCT patients. This 18-month study was conducted in the HSCT unit at the Karmanos Cancer Center and Wayne State University in Detroit. Stool samples from the patients who consented for the study were taken at admission and weekly until discharge. Anaerobic culture for C. difficile and identification of toxigenic strains by PCR were performed on the stool samples. Demographic information and clinical and laboratory data were collected. Of the 150 patients included in the study, 29% were colonized with C. difficile at admission; 12% with a toxigenic strain and 17% with a nontoxigenic strain. Over a 90-day follow-up, 12 of 44 (26%) patients colonized with any C. difficile strain at admission developed CDI compared with 13 of 106 (12%) of patients not colonized (odds ratio [OR], 2.70; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.11 to 6.48; P = .025). Eleven of 18 (61%) patients colonized with the toxigenic strain and 1 of 26 (4%) of those colonized with nontoxigenic strain developed CDI (OR, 39.30; 95% CI, 4.30 to 359.0; P < .001) at a median of 12 days. On univariate and multivariate analyses, none of the traditional factors associated with high risk for C. difficile colonization or CDI were found to be significant. Recurrent CDI occurred in 28% of cases. Asymptomatic colonization with C. difficile at admission was high in our HSCT population. Colonization with toxigenic C. difficile was predictive of CDI, whereas colonization with a nontoxigenic C. difficile appeared protective. These findings may have implications for infection control strategies and for novel approaches for the prevention and preemptive treatment of CDI in the HSCT patient population.

Risk factors and acute in-hospital costs for infected pressure ulcers among gunshot-spinal cord injury victims in southeastern Michigan.

BACKGROUND: Management of pressure ulcers (PrUs) in patients with gunshot-spinal cord injuries (SCIs) presents unique medical and economic challenges for practitioners. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted at 3 acute care hospitals in metropolitan Detroit for patients admitted with PrUs due to gunshot-SCIs between January 2004 and December 2008. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was conducted to choose for the independent predictors of infected PrUs. Mean adjusted in-hospital costs per patient and per hospitalization were calculated and compared between infected and noninfected PrUs. RESULTS: The study cohort included 201 gunshot-SCI patients with PrUs contributing to 395 admissions, including readmissions, between 2004 and 2008. Seventy-six patients (38%) had infected PrUs at time of the index admission. Independent predictors of infected PrUs on index admission included Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥2 (odds ratio, 2.18, P = .026) and stage III/IV PrU (odds ratio, 4.82; P <.0001). During the study period, the cumulative median duration of hospitalization per patient was 12 days (interquartile range, 6-24 days), resulting in a mean adjusted cost of $19,969 ± $6639 per patient. The mean adjusted cost per hospitalization for patients with infected PrUs was significantly higher than that for patients with noninfected PrUs ($16,735 ± $8310 vs $12,356 ± $7007; P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: A multidisciplinary approach including home-based rehabilitation programs and SCI wound clinics might help prevent PrUs and their complications and reduce associated costs.

Burden of Clostridium difficile infection on hospital readmissions and its potential impact under the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program.

BACKGROUND: Both Clostridium [corrected] difficile infection (CDI) rates in hospitals and interest in reducing 30-day readmission rates have increased dramatically in the United States. The objective of this study was to characterize the burden of CDI on 30-day hospital readmissions at a tertiary care health-system. METHODS: A patient discharge database was used to identify patients with a CDI diagnosis (ICD-9 code 008.45) during their stay in 2012. Patients were classified as index admissions (CDI discharges) or 30-day readmissions (CDI readmissions). Readmission rates, length of stay (LOS), and time to readmission were assessed among CDI readmissions. RESULTS: Among discharges from the health system (n = 51,353), 615 were diagnosed with CDI (1%). Thirty-day readmissions were more common among CDI discharges (30.1%) than non-CDI discharges (14.4%). Average LOS for CDI readmissions was 5-6 days longer than non-CDI readmissions. Time to readmission was shorter among CDI discharges diagnosed on admission than CDI discharges diagnosed later during their hospital stay (median, 7 days). CONCLUSION: Reductions in hospital-onset CDI and readmission of patients with an index CDI can provide tremendous cost savings to hospitals. This calls for better infection control and antibiotic stewardship measures toward CDI management in the hospital and as patients transition to the next level of care.

Risk factors and outcomes for patients with bloodstream infection due to Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex.

Identifying patients at risk for bloodstream infection (BSI) due to Acinetobacter baumannii-Acinetobacter calcoaceticus complex (ABC) and providing early appropriate therapy are critical for improving patient outcomes. A retrospective matched case-control study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for BSI due to ABC in patients admitted to the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) between January 2006 and April 2009. The cases were patients with BSI due to ABC; the controls were patients not infected with ABC. Potential risk factors were collected 30 days prior to the ABC-positive culture date for the cases and 30 days prior to admission for the controls. A total of 245 case patients were matched with 245 control patients. Independent risk factors associated with BSI due to ABC included a Charlson's comorbidity score of ≥ 3 (odds ratio [OR], 2.34; P = 0.001), a direct admission from another health care facility (OR, 4.63; P < 0.0001), a prior hospitalization (OR, 3.11; P < 0.0001), the presence of an indwelling central venous line (OR, 2.75; P = 0.011), the receipt of total parenteral nutrition (OR, 21.2; P < 0.0001), the prior receipt of ß-lactams (OR, 3.58; P < 0.0001), the prior receipt of carbapenems (OR, 3.18; P = 0.006), and the prior receipt of chemotherapy (OR, 15.42; P < 0.0001). The median time from the ABC-positive culture date to the initiation of the appropriate antimicrobial therapy was 2 days (interquartile range [IQR], 1 to 3 days). The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher among case patients than among control patients (OR, 3.40; P < 0.0001). BSIs due to ABC are more common among critically ill and debilitated institutionalized patients, who are heavily exposed to health care settings and invasive devices.

Understanding health care personnel's attitudes toward mandatory influenza vaccination.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the factors influencing influenza vaccination rates among health care personnel (HCP) and explored HCP's attitudes toward a policy of mandatory vaccination. METHODS: In September 2012, a 33-item Web-based questionnaire was administered to 3,054 HCP employed at a tertiary care hospital in metropolitan Detroit. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the rate of influenza vaccination, from 80% in the 2010-2011 influenza season (before the mandated influenza vaccine) to 93% in 2011-2012 (after the mandate) (P < .0001). Logistic regression showed that HCP with a history of previous influenza vaccination were 7 times more likely than their peers without this history to receive the vaccine in 2011-2012. A pro-mandate attitude toward influenza vaccination was a significant predictor of receiving the vaccine after adjusting for demographics, history of previous vaccination, awareness of the hospital's mandatory vaccination policy, and patient contact while providing care (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The increased rate of influenza vaccination among HCP was driven by both an awareness of the mandatory policy and a pro-mandate attitude toward vaccination. The findings of this study call for better education of HCP on the influenza vaccine along with enforcement of a mandatory vaccination policy.

Epidemiology of bloodstream infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii and impact of drug resistance to both carbapenems and ampicillin-sulbactam on clinical outcomes.

Acinetobacter baumannii has become a leading cause of bloodstream infections (BSI) in health care settings. Although the incidence of infection with carbapenem- and ampicillin-sulbactam-resistant (CASR) A. baumannii has increased, there is a scarcity of studies which investigate BSI caused by CASR A. baumannii. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients with BSI caused by A. baumannii and who were admitted to the Detroit Medical Center between January 2006 and April 2009. Medical records were queried for patients' demographics, antimicrobial exposures, comorbidities, hospital stay, and clinical outcomes. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were employed in the study. Two hundred seventy-four patients with BSI caused by A. baumannii were included in the study: 68 (25%) caused by CASR A. baumannii and 206 (75%) caused by non-CASR A. baumannii. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with BSI caused by CASR A. baumannii included admission with a rapidly fatal condition (odds ratio [OR] = 2.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27 to 6.32, P value = 0.01) and prior use of antimicrobials (OR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.18 to 6.78, P value = 0.02). In-hospital mortality rates for BSI caused by CASR A. baumannii were significantly higher than those for non-CASR A. baumannii-induced BSI (43% versus 20%; OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.60 to 5.23, P value < 0.001). However, after adjusting for potential confounders, the association between BSI caused by CASR A. baumannii and increased risk of in-hospital mortality was not significant (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.51 to 2.63, P value = 0.74). This study demonstrated that CASR A. baumannii had a distinct epidemiology compared to more susceptible A. baumannii strains; however, clinical outcomes were similar for the two groups. Admission with a rapidly fatal condition was an independent predictor for both CASR A. baumannii and in-hospital mortality.