Risk factors for therapeutic failure in adults with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection treated with vancomycin in a high-complexity hospital in Cali, Colombia.

Objective: To determine the risk factors associated with therapeutic failure of vancomycin in hospitalized adult patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Conducted in a high complexity hospital in Cali, Colombia. Participants: Adult hospitalized from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2021, with MRSA infections with confirmed microbiological isolation. Methods: Cases were patients with therapeutic failure of vancomycin (mortality, poor clinical improvement, change of antibiotic used, early relapse, or persistence of positive blood cultures) and control patients were those who did not present failure. Significant variables from the bivariate analysis were included in a multiple analysis with an asymmetric logistic regression model. Results: A total of 105 patients were included in the study, 28 in the treatment group and 77 in the control group. The median age was 49 years and 59 (56%) of participants were men. The following variables: age (OR 1.034; 95% CI 1.007-1.061, p=0.011), osteomyelitis/ septic arthritis (OR 6.035; 95% CI 2.282-15.956, p=0.000) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (OR 5.971; 95% CI 1.321-26.979, p=0.020) were found to be independent risk factors associated with therapeutic failure of vancomycin. Vancomycin trough levels were not different between cases and controls (OR 0.976; 95% CI 0.911-1.044, p=0.478). Conclusions: When a multiple analysis was performed to control for confounding factors, only 3 variables were found to be significant and were considered risk factors for therapeutic failure of vancomycin in adult patients with MRSA infection: age, MIC, and osteomyelitis/ septic arthritis.

Conocimientos, prácticas y actitudes del manejo programático de la tuberculosis en estudiantes de medicina de Colombia / Knowledge, practices and attitudes of the programmatic management of tuberculosis among Colombian medical students

Introducción: La tuberculosis es una enfermedad infecciosa con alta carga de la enfermedad en Colombia, por lo que se espera que la educación médica sea estándar en todas las regiones y los estudiantes de medicina tengan competencias en el manejo operativo de la tuberculosis. Este estudio evaluó los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en tuberculosis en estudiantes de medicina de Colombia y los factores relacionados. Métodos: Cuestionario de evaluación de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en tuberculosis en estudiantes de medicina en Colombia, que cursaban semestre clínico y se encontraban inscritos en la reunión anual 2020 de la Asociación de Sociedades Científicas de Estudiantes de Medicina de Colombia (ASCEMCOL) para establecer el nivel de conocimientos en tuberculosis. Resultados: Se evidenció que los estudiantes de regiones con mayor carga de la enfermedad como el Eje Cafetero presenta puntajes más altos de forma diferencial a las otras regiones. Por otra parte, se observó que la experiencia propia del estudiante en el tamizaje para tuberculosis (prueba cutánea de la tuberculina PPD - Mantoux) y la experiencia en la atención de pacientes con tuberculosis en el entorno clínico están relacionadas a los conocimientos del manejo programático de la tuberculosis. Conclusión: El estudio demuestra bajo nivel de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas del manejo programático de la tuberculosis en los estudiantes de medicina que cursaban semestres clínicos en Colombia. (AU)

Background: The tuberculosis is an infectious disease with high disease burden in Colombia, so medical education is expected to be standard in all regions and medical students have competencies in the operative management of tuberculosis. This study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices in tuberculosis in medical students in Colombia and related factors. Methods: Questionnaire for the evaluation of knowledge, attitudes, and practices in tuberculosis in medical students in Colombia, who were in clinical semesters and were registered at the 2020 annual meeting of the Asociación de Sociedades Científicas de Estudiantes de Medicina de Colombia (ASCEMCOL) to establish the level of knowledge in tuberculosis. Result: The study found that students from regions with a higher burden of disease, such as the Eje Cafetero had higher scores that those from other regions. On the other hand, it was observed that the student´s own experience in tuberculosis screening (tuberculin skin test PPD – Mantoux) and the clinical experience in care patients with tuberculosis are related to the knowledge of the programmatic management of tuberculosis. Conclusions: The study shows a low level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of programmatic management of tuberculosis in medical students in clinical semester in Colombia. (AU)

Clinicopathological profile of peritoneal tuberculosis and a new scoring model for predicting mortality: an international ID-IRI study.

Existing literature about peritoneal tuberculosis (TBP) is relatively insufficient. The majority of reports are from a single center and do not assess predictive factors for mortality. In this international study, we investigated the clinicopathological characteristics of a large series of patients with TBP and determined the key features associated with mortality. TBP patients detected between 2010 and 2022 in 38 medical centers in 13 countries were included in this retrospective cohort. Participating physicians filled out an online questionnaire to report study data. In this study, 208 patients with TBP were included. Mean age of TBP cases was 41.4 ± 17.5 years. One hundred six patients (50.9%) were females. Nineteen patients (9.1%) had HIV infection, 45 (21.6%) had diabetes mellitus, 30 (14.4%) had chronic renal failure, 12 (5.7%) had cirrhosis, 7 (3.3%) had malignancy, and 21 (10.1%) had a history of immunosuppressive medication use. A total of 34 (16.3%) patients died and death was attributable to TBP in all cases. A pioneer mortality predicting model was established and HIV positivity, cirrhosis, abdominal pain, weakness, nausea and vomiting, ascites, isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in peritoneal biopsy samples, TB relapse, advanced age, high serum creatinine and ALT levels, and decreased duration of isoniazid use were significantly related with mortality (p < 0.05). This is the first international study on TBP and is the largest case series to date. We suggest that using the mortality predicting model will allow early identification of high-risk patients likely to die of TBP.

Clinical usefulness of cancer antigen 125 biomarker for diagnosing tuberculosis: experience in Cali, Colombia / Utilidad del biomarcador antigeno del cáncer 125 para el diagnóstico de tuberculosis: experiencia en Cali, Colombia

Abstract Introduction: Diagnosing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is a challenge for physicians. It has been suggested that cancer antigen 125 (CA-125), which is produced by mesothelial cells, may be an EPTB diagnostic biomarker. Objective: To describe serum CA-125 levels behavior in patients with TB treated in a referral university hospital located in Cali, Colombia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 99 TB patients treated at Fundación Valle del Lili between 2007 and 2016 with CA-125 measurements (U/mL) made before TB treatment was started. Cases were classified as pulmonary TB (PTB) (n=33) or EPTB (n=66). A bivariate analysis was performed to compare the variables of interest (sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory findings data) between EPTB and PTB groups, and to determine differences between patients with CA-125 positive results and those with negative results in relation to mortality. Results: Elevated CA-125 levels were reported in 55 patients (55.56%), and positive CA-125 results (>35 U/mL) were more frequent in the EPTB group (59.09% vs. 48.48%). In the EPTB group, results were positive in tuberculous serositis cases (100% pericardial TB, 68.42% peritoneal TB, and 66.66% pleural TB), and in 66.66% of miliary TB and spinal TB cases, respectively. Also, 15 TB infection-related deaths were reported in the follow-up period (n=66), of which 13 had a CA-125 positive result, finding a significant difference with those with negative results (p=0.021); however, 47.05% of the surviving patients also had a positive result. Conclusions: Most of tuberculous serositis, miliary TB, and spinal TB cases showed elevated CA-125 levels before starting TB treatment. Therefore, CA-125 may be useful for prognostic purposes in these patients.

Resumen Introducción. El diagnóstico de la tuberculosis extrapulmonar (TBEP) es un reto para los médicos. Se ha sugerido que el antígeno del cáncer 125 (CA-125), producido por las células mesoteliales, puede ser un biomarcador diagnóstico de TBEP. Objetivo. Describir el comportamiento de los niveles séricos del CA-125 en pacientes con tuberculosis (TB) atendidos en un hospital de referencia de Cali, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Estudio transversal realizado en 99 pacientes con TB y mediciones de CA-125 (U/mL) antes de iniciar tratamiento para TB atendidos en la Fundación Valle del Lili entre 2007 y 2016. Los casos se clasificaron como TB pulmonar (TBP) (n=33) o TBEP (n=66). Se realizó un análisis bivariado para comparar las variables de interés (datos sociodemográficos, clínicos y de laboratorio) entre los grupos TBEP y TBP, y para determinar diferencias entre pacientes con resultados positivos y negativos para CA-125 en relación con la mortalidad. Resultados. Se reportaron niveles elevados de CA-125 en 55 pacientes (55.56%). Los resultados positivos para CA-125 (>35 U/mL) fueron más frecuentes en el grupo TBEP (59.0% vs. 48.48%). En el grupo TBEP se encontraron resultados positivos en los casos de serositis tuberculosa (100% TB pericárdica, 68.42% TB peritoneal y 66.66% TB pleural), y en 66.66% de los casos de TB miliar y vertebral, respectivamente. Además, se reportaron 15 muertes relacionadas con la infección por TB en el período de seguimiento (n=66), de las cuales 13 tuvieron un resultado positivo para CA-125, encontrando una diferencia significativa con aquellas con resultados negativos (p=0.021); sin embargo, el 47.05% de los pacientes supervivientes también tuvo un resultado positivo. Conclusiones: La mayoría de los casos de serositis tuberculosa, TB miliar y vertebral tuvieron niveles elevados de CA-125 antes de iniciar el tratamiento de la TB. El CA-125 puede resultar útil para fines de pronóstico en estos pacientes.

Latent tuberculosis infection in patients with autoimmune diseases treated with Infliximab and Etanercept / Infección latente por tuberculosis en pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes que reciben tratamiento con Infliximab y Etanercept

Introduction: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTI) in patients receiving biological therapies is a reality, but this has not been studied in depth in Colombia. Objective: To determine the prevalence of LTI in patients with autoimmune diseases receiving treatment with Infliximab / Etanercept in a referral health center in Cali, Colombia, between the years 2011-2017. Methodology: A retrospective observational study was conducted. We reviewed the 'Registry of patients exposed to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) antagonist drugs in Fundación Valle del Lili'. Patients diagnosed with a chronic inflammatory disease were included who received treatment with Infliximab, Etanercept, or both and followed at least two years. Design: Retrospective observational study. We reviewed the 'Registry of patients exposed to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) antagonist drugs in Fundación Valle del Lili'. Patients diagnosed with a chronic inflammatory disease were included who received treatment with Infliximab, Etanercept or both and followed at least a period of 2 years. Results: We included 82 patients; the median age was 47.5 years (IQR=28-60 years), 76% were female, 2% had intimate contact with tuberculosis, 15% were older than 65 years. The 56% had a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis as an indication of therapy, and 2% presented infection by hepatitis C virus. The median PPD was 12 mm (IQR=10-17 mm). The prevalence was 3.8% for LTI. Conclusion: The conversion to LTI shows an important prevalence, so it is convenient to perform a routine follow-up of patients receiving therapies with Infliximab and Etanercept.

Introducción: La infección latente por tuberculosis (ILTB) en pacientes que reciben terapias biológicas es una realidad, pero esto no ha sido estudiado a profundidad en Colombia. Objectivo: Determinar la prevalencia de ILTB en pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes que reciben tratamiento con Infliximab/Etanercept en una institución de salud de referencia de Cali, Colombia, entre los años 2011-2017. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo. Se revisó el 'Registro de pacientes expuestos a fármacos antagonistas del factor de necrosis tumoral alfa (anti TNF-α) en la Fundación Valle del Lili entre los años 2011 y 2017'. Se incluyeron pacientes con diagnóstico de una enfermedad inflamatoria crónica quienes recibieron tratamiento con Infliximab, Etanercept o ambos y con seguimiento al menos un periodo de 2 años. Resultados: Se incluyeron 82 pacientes; la mediana de edad fue 47,5 años RIC (28-60 años), el 76% fue de sexo femenino, el 2% tuvo contacto íntimo con TB, el 15% era mayor de 65 años. El 56% tenía diagnóstico de artritis reumatoide como indicación de terapia y el 2% presentaba infección por HCV. La mediana de PPD fue 12 mm RIC (10-17 mm). La prevalencia fue del 3,8% para ILTB. Conclusiones: La conversión a ILTB muestra una prevalencia importante, por lo que resulta conveniente la realización de un seguimiento rutinario a los pacientes que reciben terapias con Infliximab y Etanercept.

HLA-B*57:01 allele prevalence in treatment-Naïve HIV-infected patients from Colombia.

BACKGROUND: The HLA-B*57:01 allele is associated with a hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir. Due to the lack of knowledge of HLA-B*57:01 prevalence in Colombia, routine screening is not performed and is not recommended by the national guidelines. We aimed to determine the prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 in HIV population from Colombia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included naïve HIV-infected adults from 13 cities of the country. The presence of HLA-B*57:01 was determined by using SSP-PCR in blood samples. Prevalence rates were stratified by sex, race, and region of origin. RESULTS: HLA-B*57:01 allele prevalence in Colombian HIV-infected individuals was 2.7%. When stratifying for the race, the prevalence was 4% for whites, 2.6% for other race (mainly mestizo), and 1.9% for Afro-Colombians. The prevalence varied from 0% up to 11.4% depending on the department of origin. The highest prevalence rates were found in Caldas (11.4%), Antioquia (5%), Risaralda (4.8%), and Valle del Cauca (4.3%). When distributed by country zones, the central, with a racial predominance of Caucasians and mestizos, was the highest (6.0%, 0R = 4.1, CI 1.2-12.8, p = 0,016). CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 in Colombia was lower than the reported rates for other Latin American countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, and Argentina, but similar in comparison to Chile and Mexico. The diversity in the racial and ethnic heritage shown in our data supports the recommendation to implement routine screening for the HLA-B*57:01 allele before initiation of abacavir-containing antiretroviral therapy in the Colombian HIV management guidelines.

Amoxicilina como posible causante de meningitis aséptica: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Amoxicillin as possible cause of aseptic meningitis: a case report and literature review

Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 71 años, quien desarrolló cefalea en 2 ocasiones relacionada con la exposición a amoxicilina. Se documentó mediante punción lumbar una inflamación linfocítica con cultivos negativos; por tanto, se enfocó como meningitis aséptica y en el contexto clínico de posible origen medicamentoso. Este se ha considerado un diagnóstico de exclusión. Los hallazgos a nivel del líquido cefalorraquídeo son variables; los síntomas y signos de irritación meníngea son menos predominantes. Es importante tener presente este diagnóstico diferencial al haber descartado otras etiologías. Suspender el medicamento sospechoso y realizar un seguimiento estricto del paciente puede evitar que sea abordado mediante procedimientos diagnósticos y tratamientos infructuosos y, en algunos casos, perjudiciales. Dado que es un medicamento de uso frecuente y para múltiples indicaciones, es importante tener presente este efecto colateral.

We present the case of a 71 year-old patient who developed headaches on 2 related occasions upon exposure to amoxicillin. Lumbar puncture revealed lymphocytic inflammation with negative cultures, so the focus was aseptic meningitis in the clinical context of possible drug-induced events. This diagnosis was made by exclusion, and the findings in terms of cerebrospinal fluid were variable; symptoms and signs of meningeal irritation were less prevalent. It is important to consider this differential diagnosis when other etiologies have been ruled out. Stopping the suspected medication and monitoring the patient closely can prevent unnecessary diagnostic procedures and possibly harmful treatments. Since amoxicillin is a commonly used drug for multiple indications, it is important to keep this collateral effect in mind.

Resistencia a fármacos antituberculosis en pacientes coinfectados con tuberculosis y virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana, en un hospital de referencia de 2007 a 2010 en Cali (Colombia) / Resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs in patients co-infected with tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus from 2007 to 2010 in a reference hospital in Cali (Colombia)

Objetivo: La resistencia a los fármacos antituberculosis es de gran interés en salud pública. La coinfección con virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) ha cambiado el comportamiento de dicha enfermedad. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es determinar la prevalencia de la resistencia a fármacos antituberculosis en pacientes coinfectados con tuberculosis (TB)/VIH. Método: Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo a partir de la revisión de los registros clínicos de casos nuevos y fracasos de TB coinfectados con VIH que consultaron a un centro de atención de nivel IV desde 2007 a 2010 y que contaban con pruebas de susceptibilidad. Resultados: Un 52% de los pacientes procedían de Santiago de Cali, y un 8%, de Buenaventura. La TB se presentó de forma extrapulmonar en el 80% de los pacientes. Del 48% de los sujetos que conocían su estado VIH previo al diagnóstico de la TB, el 40% estaban en terapia antirretroviral. El 16% de los casos eran fracasos, entre los cuales se detectó un caso multidrogorresistente. De los casos nuevos, se encontró monorresistencia a la isoniazida del 14%, y una resistencia total del 28%. Conclusiones: Se encontró una mayor prevalencia de resistencia a la esperada en población coinfectada TB/VIH; por lo que es necesario fortalecer el trabajo en equipo entre las entidades públicas y privadas para controlar dicha situación y fomentar el diagnóstico temprano y la realización de pruebas de susceptibilidad a fármacos antituberculosis.

Background: Resistance to anti-tuberculosis treatment is a matter of great interest in terms of public health. TB/HIV coinfection changed what was previously known about TB. Our study attempts to determine the prevalence of resistance to TB drugs among a local TB/HIV population. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, which consisted of a review of the clinical records of new and relapsing cases of TB/HIV coinfected patients, with drug susceptibility tests, who attended an advanced medical care centre in Cali, Colombia, between 2007 and 2010. Results: Just over half (52%) of the patients were native from Cali, and 8% were from Buenaventura. An extra-pulmonary presentation of TB was seen in 80% of the subjects. Almost half (48%) were HIV positive before the diagnosis of tuberculosis was made, 40% of whom were on HAART treatment. Of the total cases, 16% were relapses, including one case of multi-drug resistant (MDR)-TB. Among the new cases, 14% were resistant to isoniazid only, making a total of 28% being resistant to this. Conclusions: There was a higher than expected prevalence of resistance in TB/HIV patients. There is an urgent need to improve the team work between public health organizations and private medical institutions, and this cooperation hould be of great priority, as it is a means to control and promote early diagnosis with drug-susceptibility tests.