Epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Portugal: A Retrospective, Observational Study of Hospitalized Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Clostridioides difficile is the main cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea in Europe and North America. The aim of this study was to characterize the epidemiology and clinical burden of Clostridioides difficile infection among hospitalized patients in Portugal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study conducted in six public hospital centers in Portugal. All primary Clostridioides difficile infection episodes and related recurrences occurring in 2017, as well as episodes developing two to eight weeks after the last episode diagnosed in that year, were documented. The National Reference Laboratory (National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge) provided national surveillance data on Clostridioides difficile infection. RESULTS: A total of 385 inpatients with at least one primary episode diagnosed in 2017 were included. Most patients were aged over 70 years-old (73.2%). The included patients developed 451 episodes during the observation period. Approximately 44% of primary episodes were community-associated. Most episodes (94.9%) occurred in patients with one or more risk factors, with recent antibiotic exposure being particularly common (86.0%). All-cause in-hospital mortality was 19.5%, being significantly higher in patients aged over 65 years-old versus those aged 18 to 64 years-old (22.4% vs 7.8%, respectively). Over 50 different ribotypes were observed among 206 Clostridioides difficile strains received by the National Reference Laboratory. CONCLUSION: In Portugal, hospitalized patients with Clostridioides difficile infection are mostly older patients presenting risk factors for the development of this infection, particularly recent antibiotic exposure. Mortality is disproportionately high among the older population. Community-associated Clostridioides difficile infection is common among inpatients with this infection.

Introdução: Clostridioides difficile é a principal causa de diarreia nosocomial na Europa e América do Norte. Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a epidemiologia e o impacto clínico da infeção por Clostridioides difficile em doentes hospitalizados em Portugal. Material e Métodos: Estudo retrospetivo conduzido em seis centros hospitalares públicos de Portugal. Foram documentados todos os episódios primários de infeção por Clostridioides difficile ocorridos em 2017 e consequentes recorrências, bem como os episódios que ocorreram entre duas a oito semanas após o último episódio diagnosticado neste ano. Os dados de vigilância nacional de infeção por Clostridioides difficile foram fornecidos pelo laboratório nacional de referência (Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge). Resultados: Foram incluídos 385 doentes hospitalizados com pelo menos um episódio primário diagnosticado em 2017. A maioria dos doentes tinha idade igual ou superior a 70 anos (73,2%). Os doentes incluídos tiveram 451 episódios durante o período de observação. Aproximadamente 44% dos episódios primários eram episódios de infeção por Clostridioides difficile adquirida na comunidade. A maioria dos episódios (91,8%) ocorreu em doentes com um ou mais fatores de risco, sendo a exposição recente a antibióticos particularmente comum (86,0%). A mortalidade hospitalar por todas as causas foi de 19,5%, sendo significativamente superior em doentes com idade igual ou superior a 65 anos comparativamente a doentes com idade entre 18 e 64 anos (22,4% versus 7,8%, respetivamente). Mais de 50 ribotipos diferentes foram detetados entre as 206 estirpes de Clostridioides difficile recebidas pelo laboratório nacional de referência. Conclusão: Em Portugal, doentes hospitalizados com infeção por Clostridioides difficile são, na sua maioria, doentes idosos com fatores de risco para o seu desenvolvimento, particularmente exposição recente a antibióticos. A mortalidade é desproporcionalmente elevada na população idosa. Episódios associados à comunidade são comuns em doentes hospitalizados com esta infeção.

Adult Native Joint Septic Arthritis: A Nine-Year Retrospective Analysis in a Portuguese University Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Septic arthritis of a native joint represents a medical emergency. Drainage and effective antibiotic treatment are critical to avoid joint destruction and long-term impairment. The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with the diagnosis of septic arthritis to help establish local guidelines for empirical antibiotic treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of adult patients admitted at Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto from 2009 to 2017 with suspected native joint septic arthritis. Relevant demographics, microbiology findings and respective antibiotic susceptibilities were analysed. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients, predominantly males (59.8%) with a median age of 61 years old were included. The most commonly reported comorbidity associated with septic arthritis was diabetes mellitus (20.6%). The knee was the most commonly affected joint (71.1%). Arthrocentesis was performed in all patients, but only 50.5% had positive microbial growth in the synovial fluid. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently identified microorganism, 86% of which were methicillin susceptible. Gram-negative bacteria were the causative agent in 15% of cases. A wide range of empirical antibiotic regimens were prescribed with a combination of vancomycin/carbapenem being the most common (30.9%). Analysis of antibiotic susceptibility profiles revealed that amoxicillin/clavulanate would have been appropriate as the initial regimen in 89% of cases. DISCUSSION: The main causative pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus, with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus remaining rare. The proportion of Gram-negative bacteria implies that these agents should be covered by empirical treatment, although no case of Pseudomonas infection has been identified. Therefore, antipseudomonal coverage is not necessary in empirical regimens. CONCLUSION: Routine coverage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is not warranted but must be considered when specific risk factors are found. Amoxicillin/clavulanate can provide adequate antibiotic coverage as an empirical treatment for adult native joint septic arthritis. Its use may allow a reduction in use of broader spectrum antibiotics.

Introdução: A artrite séptica representa uma patologia grave que pode levar à destruição articular e diminuição funcional a longo prazo. Adicionalmente à drenagem articular, uma antibioterapia efetiva é crucial. O objetivo deste estudo consistiu em avaliar as características epidemiológicas e clínicas dos doentes admitidos com diagnóstico de artrite séptica e analisar a terapêutica antimicrobiana, estabelecendo orientações locais de tratamento antibiótico empírico. Material e Métodos: Análise retrospetiva de doentes adultos admitidos no Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto com artrite séptica de articulação nativa de 2009 a 2017. Foram revistos os resultados microbiológicos, os perfis de suscetibilidade aos antimicrobianos e os registos médicos. Resultados: Dos 97 doentes incluídos, 59,8% eram do género masculino, com uma idade média de 61 anos. A comorbilidade mais comum foi a diabetes mellitus (20,6%). O joelho foi a articulação mais afetada (71,1%). Realizou-se artrocentese em todos os doentes, com isolamento microbiano em 50,5% dos produtos. O Staphylococcus aureus foi o microrganismo mais frequente, sendo sensível à meticilina, em 86% dos casos. As bactérias Gram-negativo foram o agente causal em 15% das infeções. A associação do carbapenemo e vancomicina foi a antibioterapia empírica mais comummente iniciada (30,9%), embora em 89% dos casos a amoxicilina/clavulanato teria sido apropriada como regime inicial. Discussão: O principal agente etiológico foi o Staphylococcus aureus, continuando o Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina a ser um agente raro. A percentagem de bactérias Gram-negativo implica a sua cobertura como terapêutica empírica, embora não tenha havido casos de infeção por Pseudomonas. Por isso, a utilização empírica de um antibiótico com atividade antipseudomónica não é necessária. Conclusão: A cobertura antibiótica de Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina e Pseudomonas não é obrigatória, mas pode ser considerada na presença de alguns fatores de risco específicos. A amoxicilina/ clavulanato é uma antibioterapia empírica adequada para a artrite séptica de articulação nativa, permitindo reduzir a utilização inadequada de antibióticos de espectro mais alargado.

Implementation of an infection control program with emphasis on cohorting to patients with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The experience of 2 years in a tertiary teaching hospital in northern Portugal.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) represents a major public health threat. Our purpose was to evaluate a surveillance and cohorting program implemented in patients infected or carriers of CPE. METHODS: A prospective registry of CPE carriers or infected patients was analyzed from October 2015 until December 2017. All inpatients presenting with CPE were included in a hospital cohort with dedicated healthcare staff and contact precaution measures. RESULTS: A total of 480 patients were identified, of which 15.8% (n = 76) were infected. Men comprised 56.7% of the cohort (n = 272) and 69.2% (n = 332) were elderly. About 46.3% (n = 222) had a previous hospital admission and 81.7% (n = 392) had at least 1 antibiotic course in the previous 90 days. There was a decline in infected patients in 2017. Periodic and admission screenings accounted for 63% and 74% of cases in 2016 and 2017, with increased detection rate comparing with contact/investigation screenings. In 2017, significantly fewer patients were identified outside the admission/point of prevalence screening (P = .009). In 2017 the proportion of invasive carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae amongst CPE in our center was below the national average (2016: 13.3% vs 5.2%; 2017: 6.6% vs 8.6%). A reduction of the consumption of carbapenems was also observed in 2017. CONCLUSION: The implementation of the program has increased the number of patients identified by the preventive method and stabilized the emergence of new CPE cases. Furthermore, the program cohort compared well with the national picture, with a lower number of infected patients and a lower proportion of carbapenem-resistant K pneumoniae in invasive specimens. These indicators reflect the added value of the CPE surveillance and cohorting program.

Economic Impact of Prosthetic Joint Infection - an Evaluation Within the Portuguese National Health System.

Introduction: Prosthetic infection is a devastating complication of arthroplasty and carries significant economic burden. The objective of this study was to analyze the economic impact of prosthetic hip and knee infection in Portuguese National Health System. Material and Methods: Case-control study carried out from January 2014 to December 2015. The mean costs of primary arthroplasties and prosthetic revision surgeries for non-infectious reasons were compared with the costs of prosthetic infections treated with debridement and preservation of the prosthesis or with two-stage exchange arthroplasty.The reimbursement for these cases was also evaluated and compared with its real costs. Results: A total of 715 primary arthroplasties, 35 aseptic revisions, 16 surgical debridements and 15 revisions for infectious reasons were evaluated. The cost of primary arthroplasties was 3,230€ in the hips and 3,618€ in the knees. The cost of aseptic revision was 6,089€ in the hips and 7,985€ in the knees. In the cases treated with debridement and implant retention the cost was 5,528€ in the hips and 4,009€ in the knees. In cases of infections treated with a two-stage revision the cost was 11,415€ and 13,793€ for hips and knees, respectively. Conclusion: As far as we know this is the first study that analyzes the economic impact of prosthetic infection in the Portuguese context. Although direct compensation for treating infected cases is much lower than calculated costs, infected cases push the overall hospital case-mix-index upwards thus increasing financial compensation for the entire cohort of treated patients. This knowledge will allow for more informed decisions about health policies in the future.

Multicentric Genome-Wide Association Study for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax.

Despite elevated incidence and recurrence rates for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax (PSP), little is known about its etiology, and the genetics of idiopathic PSP remains unexplored. To identify genetic variants contributing to sporadic PSP risk, we conducted the first PSP genome-wide association study. Two replicate pools of 92 Portuguese PSP cases and of 129 age- and sex-matched controls were allelotyped in triplicate on the Affymetrix Human SNP Array 6.0 arrays. Markers passing quality control were ranked by relative allele score difference between cases and controls (|RASdiff|), by a novel cluster method and by a combined Z-test. 101 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected using these three approaches for technical validation by individual genotyping in the discovery dataset. 87 out of 94 successfully tested SNPs were nominally associated in the discovery dataset. Replication of the 87 technically validated SNPs was then carried out in an independent replication dataset of 100 Portuguese cases and 425 controls. The intergenic rs4733649 SNP in chromosome 8 (between LINC00824 and LINC00977) was associated with PSP in the discovery (P = 4.07E-03, ORC[95% CI] = 1.88[1.22-2.89]), replication (P = 1.50E-02, ORC[95% CI] = 1.50[1.08-2.09]) and combined datasets (P = 8.61E-05, ORC[95% CI] = 1.65[1.29-2.13]). This study identified for the first time one genetic risk factor for sporadic PSP, but future studies are warranted to further confirm this finding in other populations and uncover its functional role in PSP pathogenesis.

Spontaneous pneumothorax: a 5-year experience.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is defined by the presence of air in the pleural space without history of trauma. It is classified as secondary if coexisting with underlying pulmonary disease. Its an entity with considerable incidence and treatment particularities which give reason for a reflection on the subject. We present a 5-year casuistry, characterizing the SP epidemiology, clinical presentation, investigation and therapeutic choices. METHODS: Sixty-six patients were included in the study, corresponding to 93 episodes of SP. RESULTS: We have found male predominance and the mean age was 34.5 years old. In 60.6% of cases there was history of tobacco use; 36.4% of cases were classified as secondary; 30.1% of patients with secondary SP and 21.7% with primary SP recurred; 89.2% had an acute presentation. The most frequent initial symptom was chest pain (90.3%) and 81.7% had diminished breath sounds. In 17.3% it was documented a physical strain associated. We did not identify statistically significant association between the SP occurrence and the variation of the atmospheric pressure, on the first day of symptoms. In 12.9% of episodes the initial treatment option was observation. In most of the episodes the lung totally expanded. However, in 29.1% of the episodes surgical treatment was needed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are similar to the literature. Some clinical records are incomplete, demanding the implementation of rules to improve knowledge about this matter. KEYWORDS: Spontaneous pneumothorax; Primary spontaneous pneumothorax; Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax; Epidemiology.

[Comparative study of end-of-life care in an internal medicine ward and a palliative care unit]. / Estudo comparativo dos cuidados prestados a doentes nos últimos dias de vida num serviço de medicina interna e numa unidade de cuidados paliativos.

INTRODUCTION: Dued to ageing population and growing of chronic advanced illnesses, nowadays, the majority of deaths take place in hospitals. Terminal patients with cancer and other non-malignant diseases share the same type of problems which, once correctly accessed, may have similar approach. Inappropriate terminal care can lead to unnecessary suffering of patients and their families. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was done for the first 96 patients who died in 2005 due to advanced chronic illnesses in a Internal Medicine ward (48 patients) and in a Palliative Care unit (48 patients). The main outcome was the documentation of the presence/absence of a group of symptoms, the ability of the medical staff to perceive the patients as dying and the adjustments made in the comfort care plans. RESULTS: There were no demographic differences between the two sets of populations. In the Internal medicine ward it was seen an acute pattern of treatment even though the situation was clearly chronic and advanced. In the Palliative Care Unit there was a systematic surveillance and assessment of symptoms and other problems, like psycho-spiritual needs. In both environments, pain, dyspnoea and gastrointestinal problems were the symptoms most frequently recorded in clinical charts. The number of symptom recordings entered diminished in the agonic phase. CONCLUSION: These data highlight the need for a better assessment of patients' needs in order to promote impeccable end-of-life care.

Recurrent orthodeoxia and patent foramen ovale.

BACKGROUND: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) occurs in 25% of healthy adults. It can lead to paradoxical embolization, migraine and respiratory failure (RF). The authors present a case of RF and orthodeoxia due to a right-to-left shunt via a PFO without previous elevation of right atrial pressure. Closure of the PFO effectively resolved the RF. CASE REPORT: A 52-year-old man, with IgA-k multiple myeloma diagnosed one year before, was admitted for severe hypoxemic RF, with orthodeoxia and poor response to oxygen supplementation, after placement of a central venous catheter (CVC) in the right subclavian vein. The patient reported paresthesia and nonspecific visual changes after manipulation of the CVC. The RF suggested a shunt between the pulmonary and systemic circulations. There was no clinical or radiological evidence of an intrapulmonary shunt. Contrast echocardiography showed a right-to-left shunt and transesophageal echocardiography revealed a PFO. Cardiac catheterization, after spontaneous resolution of the RF, showed no shunt. A week later, severe RF recurred. Complete resolution of respiratory dysfunction and neurological symptoms was seen after PFO closure. DISCUSSION: RF due to an intracardiac shunt without increased right-sided pressure is hemodynamically difficult to interpret. A few reports (in adults) relate this entity to anatomical anomalies, which can lead to a shunt by directing blood flow preferentially to the PFO. Examples include right diaphragmatic paresis and ectasia of the ascending aorta, which were observed in this patient. The role of the CVC, which was placed immediately before the RF, is uncertain. Complete therapeutic success after closure of the PFO supports the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Correct evaluation of RF (by investigating orthodeoxia and response to oxygen therapy) enables the suspicion of a shunt, which can be confirmed through simple, safe and cost-effective exams. Intracardiac shunt without increased right-sided pressure should be considered because it can be successfully treatment.

Neutropenia and cutaneous lesions secondary to propafenone.

We present a case of concomitant occurrence of two uncommon secondary effects of propafenone observed in the same patient. A 73-year-old woman presented with asthenia and erythematosus plaques on the trunk and extremities, 2 months after the association of propafenone to her usual medication. Our examination recognized an acute neutropenia with a predominance of immature cells on the bone marrow smear. Skin biopsy was compatible with a subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus-like skin reaction (SCLE). After the suspension of all drugs there was a complete clinical and analytical recovery. Her medications were then sequentially introduced, with the exception of propafenone. After six months of follow-up the patient remained asymptomatic. In this case cutaneous lesions were the first symptoms related to propafenone. Although the resolution of cutaneous disease is usually easily achieved, it requires an extensive investigation to identify and manage the possibly lethal haematological side effects.

Lung abscesses: review of 60 cases.

Lung abscesses (LA) carry with them severe clinical and social implications. The authors retrospectively analyse case files from a tertiary hospital. Admissions from 2000 to 2005 codified as LA were identified. Forty-five patients were males and the mean age was 56.2 (+/-15.1) years. The average duration of symptoms pre-hospitalisation was 23.0 (+/-50.2) days, with acute respiratory infection the initial syndrome in 36 patients. Clinical data show LA could have been suspected in 40 patients. Diagnosis was established 8.7 (+/-11.4) days after admission. A microbial pathogen was recovered in 26 cases. Primary LA was diagnosed in 27 patients. Dental disease and immunodeficiency were the main risk factors. Other co-morbidities were present in 34 patients. Af- ter LA diagnosis, intravenous (IV) antibiotic (AB) was prescribed for 16.5 (+/-10.9) days with mean total AB time 39.2 (+/-15.7) days. Ten options of AB were used and 23 patients had their initial IV AB changed to a second choice. Six patients needed surgery. Apyrexia was achieved after 6.4 (+/-6.4) days of treatment. 21 patients had complications and 7 died. The mean length of hospital admission was 27.5 (+/-16.3) days and 38 patients were called for a follow-up visit. These data are generally in accordance with the literature. The high male percentage agrees with the similarly high prevalence of alcoholism and lung neoplasms in males. Key facts to ameliorate in order to improve prognosis and length of hospital admission could be a swifter diagnosis and consensus on the AB treatment.