Understanding health care pathways of patients with sepsis: protocol of a mixed-methods analysis of health care utilization, experiences, and needs of patients with and after sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is associated with about 20% of deaths worldwide. It often presents with non-specific initial symptoms, making its emergency treatment an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral challenge. Three in four sepsis survivors suffers from new cognitive, psychological, or physical sequelae for which specific treatment concepts are scarce. The AVENIR project aims to improve the understanding of patient pathways, and subjective care experiences and needs along the entire healthcare pathway before, with and after sepsis. Based on this, concrete recommendations for the organization of care and patient information materials will be developed with close patient participation. METHODS: Mixed-methods study including (1) analysis of anonymized nationwide health claims data from Germany, (2) linkage of health claims data with patient care reports (PCR) of emergency medical services from study regions in two federal states within Germany, and (3) qualitative exploration of the patient, relative, and care provider perspective on sepsis care. In (1), we analyze inpatient and outpatient health care utilization until 30 days pre-sepsis; clinical sepsis care including intra- and inter-hospital transfers; and rehabilitation, inpatient and outpatient aftercare of sepsis survivors as well as costs for health care utilization until 24 months post-sepsis. We attempt to identify survivor classes with similar health care utilization by Latent Class Analyses. In (2), PCR are linked with health claims data to establish a comprehensive database outlining care pathways for sepsis patients from pre-hospital to follow-up. We investigate e.g., whether correct initial assessment is associated with acute (e.g., same-day lethality) and long-term (e.g., new need for care, long-term mortality) outcomes of patients. We compare the performance of sepsis-specific screening tools such as qSOFA, NEWS-2 or PRESEP in the pre-clinical setting. In (3), semi-structured interviews as well as synchronous and asynchronous online focus groups are conducted and analyzed using qualitative content analyses techniques. DISCUSSION: The results of the AVENIR study will contribute to a deeper understanding of sepsis care pathways in Germany. They may serve as a base for improvements and innovations in sepsis care, that in the long-term can contribute to reduce the personal, medical, and societal burden of sepsis and its sepsis sequelae. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at German Clinical Trial Register (ID: DRKS00031302, date of registration: 5th May 2023).

Prospective surveillance study in a 1,400-bed university hospital: COVID-19 exposure at home was the main risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 point seroprevalence among hospital staff.

The Co-HCW study is a prospective cohort study among hospital staff, including healthcare workers (HCWs) and administration staff, at the Jena University Hospital (JUH), Germany. The objectives of this study were to assess SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence, individual exposure risk factors and compliance of HCWs to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). After the first nosocomial COVID-19 outbreak at JUH, mandatory masking was implemented on 20th March 2020. We evaluated point seroprevalence using two IgG detecting immunoassays and issued a questionnaire to assess COVID-19 exposure, clinical symptoms and compliance to wear PPE. Antibody retesting was offered to participants with a divergent result of both immunoassays 5-10 weeks after the first test. Between 19th May and 19th June 2020, we analysed 660 participants [out of 3,228; 20.4%]. Among them, 212 participants (32.1%) had received a previous COVID-19 test. Four of them (1.9%) reported a positive test result. After recruitment, 18 participants (2.7%) had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in at least one immunoassay. Overall, 21 participants (3.2%) had any evidence of a past or current SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among them, 13 (61.9%) were not aware of direct COVID-19 exposure and 9 (42.9%) did not report any clinical symptoms. COVID-19 exposure at home (adjusted OR (aOR) with 95% CI: 47.82 (5.49, 416.62)) was associated with SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence. We observed no evidence for an association between seroprevalence and exposure at work (aOR 0.48 (0.13, 1.70)) or with COVID-19 risk area according to the working place (aOR for intermediate-risk vs. high-risk: 1.97 (0.42, 9.22), aOR for low-risk versus high-risk: 2.10 (0.40, 11.06); p = .655). Reported compliance of HCWs to wear PPE differed (p < .001) between working in high-risk (98.3%) and in intermediate-risk areas (69.8%). In conclusion, compared to administration staff, we observed no additional risk to acquire SARS-CoV-2 infections by patient care, probably due to high compliance to wear PPE.

Early Treatment Outcomes for Bloodstream Infections Caused by Potential AmpC Beta-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacterales with Focus on Piperacillin/Tazobactam: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The Gram-negative bacilli Serratia spp., Providencia spp., Morganella morganii, Citrobacter freundii complex, Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella aerogenes are common Enterobacterales that may harbor inducible chromosomal AmpC beta-lactamase genes. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate treatment outcomes and identify predictors of early treatment response in patients with bloodstream infection caused by potential AmpC beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (SPICE-BSI). This cohort study included adult patients with SPICE-BSI hospitalized between 01/2011 and 02/2019. The primary outcome was early treatment response 72 h after the start of active treatment, defined as survival, hemodynamic stability, improved or stable SOFA score, resolution of fever and leukocytosis and microbiologic resolution. Among 295 included patients, the most common focus was the lower respiratory tract (27.8%), and Enterobacter spp. (n = 155) was the main pathogen. The early treatment response rate was significantly lower (p = 0.006) in the piperacillin/tazobactam group (17/81 patients, 21.0%) than in the carbapenem group (40/82 patients, 48.8%). Independent negative predictors of early treatment response (p < 0.02) included initial SOFA score, liver comorbidity and empiric piperacillin/tazobactam treatment. In vitro piperacillin/tazobactam resistance was detected in three patients with relapsed Enterobacter-BSI and initial treatment with piperacillin/tazobactam. In conclusion, our findings show that piperacillin/tazobactam might be associated with early treatment failure in patients with SPICE-BSI.

Antibody response using six different serological assays in a completely PCR-tested community after a coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak-the CoNAN study.

OBJECTIVES: Due to a substantial proportion of asymptomatic and mild courses, many severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections remain unreported. Therefore, assessment of seroprevalence may detect the real burden of disease. We aimed to determine and characterize the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections and the resulting seroprevalence in a defined population. The primary objective of the study was to assess SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence using six different IgG-detecting immunoassays. Secondary objectives of the study were: (a) to determine potential risk factors for symptomatic versus asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 courses, and (b) to investigate the rate of virus RNA-persistence. METHODS: CoNAN is a population-based cohort study performed in the community Neustadt am Rennsteig, Germany, which was quarantined from 22 March to 5 April after six SARS-CoV-2 cases were detected in the village's population. The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak comprised 51 cases and 3 deaths. The CoNAN study was performed from 13 May to 22 May 2020, 6 weeks after a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. RESULTS: We enrolled a total of 626 participants (71% of the community population) for PCR and antibody testing in the study. All actual SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests were negative. Fifty-two out of 620 (8.4%) participants had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in at least two different assays. There were 38 participants with previously PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of those, only 19 (50%) displayed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We also show that antibody-positive participants with symptoms compatible with a respiratory tract infection had significantly higher antibody levels then asymptomatic participants (EU-assay: median 2.9 versus 7.2 IgG-index, p 0.002; DS-assay: median 45.2 versus 143 AU/mL, p 0.002). Persisting viral replication was not detected. CONCLUSIONS: Our data question the relevance and reliability of IgG antibody testing to detect past SARS-CoV-2 infections 6 weeks after an outbreak. We conclude that assessing immunity for SARS-CoV-2 infection should not rely on antibody tests alone.

Management of Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections.

Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections are associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, significance of a positive blood culture with this pathogen is often underestimated or findings are misinterpreted as contamination, which can result in inadequate diagnostic and therapeutic consequences. We here review and discuss current diagnostic and therapeutic key elements and open questions for the management of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections.