Clinical Characteristics and Risk of Hypoxemia Development in Women Infected with SARS-CoV-2 during Pregnancy.

PURPOSE: There is limited information on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during pregnancy. The clinical features and risk factors for hypoxemia development were investigated in pregnant women with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 2020 to February 2022, we performed a retrospective cohort study of 410 pregnant women with COVID-19. The clinical characteristics and prognoses were compared between pregnant COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen and those who did not. RESULTS: Of 410 patients, 100 (24.4%) required oxygen therapy. Among them, fever [163 (52.6%) vs. 81 (81.0%), p<0.001] and cough [172 (56.4%) vs. 73 (73.0%), p=0.003] were more frequently observed than in non-oxygen group. The proportion of unvaccinated women was higher in oxygen group than in non-oxygen group [264 (85.2%) vs. 98 (98.0%), p=0.003]. During the Omicron wave, patients were more likely to have no oxygen requirement [98 (31.6%) vs. 18 (18.0%), p=0.009]. The risk of hypoxemic respiratory difficulty increased if SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred during the third trimester [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.083, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.095-23.593, p=0.038] and C-reactive protein (CRP) was elevated (≥1.0 mg/dL) at admission (aOR 5.878, 95% CI: 3.099-11.146, p<0.001). The risk was higher in unvaccinated patients (aOR 5.376, 95% CI: 1.193-24.390, p=0.028). However, the risk was lower in patients during the Omicron wave (aOR 0.498, 95% CI: 0.258-0.961, p=0.038). CONCLUSION: A quarter of SARS-CoV-2-infected women developed hypoxemic respiratory difficulty during pregnancy. SARS-CoV-2 infection during the third trimester, CRP elevation at admission, and no vaccination increased the risk of hypoxemia in pregnant women.

The Impact of Visual Impairment on Healthcare Use among Four Medical Institution Types: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study in Korea.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of visual impairment (VI) onset on the use of healthcare services across four types of institutions in South Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service database from 2006 to 2015 for 714 persons who experienced VI onset in 2009-2012 and for 2856 matched persons for a 1:4 ratio of matching controls. We compared trends in healthcare use and expenditures for eye diseases at clinics, hospitals, general hospitals, and tertiary teaching hospitals using 3 years of data prior to and after the onset of VI. RESULTS: The inpatient and outpatient healthcare expenditures of individuals with VI were higher than those without VI, peaking at the pre-VI onset period in tertiary teaching hospitals. During the pre-VI onset period, the proportion of healthcare expenditures attributed to eye diseases ranged 11%-40.8% among individuals with VI, but 1.9%-11% among individuals without VI at the four types of institutions. The differences in healthcare use between the pre- and post-VI periods were primarily observed in tertiary teaching hospitals for inpatient care. There was a peak in utilization of outpatient care in the year preceding VI onset at tertiary teaching hospitals, clinics, and hospitals, but there was a decrease in outpatient care over time during the post-VI period. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest economic burden of healthcare in tertiary teaching hospitals during pre-VI onset period and a potential lack of regular management and continuity of care in post-VI periods.

Effect of single tablet regimen on prescription trends for treatment-naïve patients with HIV/AIDS in Korea.

Single-tablet regimens (STRs) should be considered for patients with HIV/AIDS to increase medication compliance and improve clinical outcomes. This study compared variations in the prescription trends between STRs and multiple-tablet regimens (MTRs) for treatment-naïve patients with HIV/AIDS after the approval of the new STRs, a proxy indicator for improvement in medication adherence. The medical and pharmacy claim data were retrospectively obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment service, which contains basic information on the patients' sociodemographic characteristics and treatment information for the entire Korean population. From 2013 to 2018, a total of 6737 patients with HIV/AIDS were included. Most patients were men (92.8%, n = 6251) and insured through the National Health Insurance (95.1%, n = 6410). The mean number of pills in their antiretroviral treatment regimens decreased from 2.8 ± 1.2 in 2013 to 1.2 ± 1.0 in 2018. After the first STR (EVG/c/TDF/FTC) was approved in 2014, prescription transitions from MTR to STR were observed among more than 38% of patients. In 2018, most treatment-naïve patients were prescribed STRs (91.2%). There was a time lag for STR prescription trends in non-metropolitan hospitals compared with those in metropolitan cities. Our data provide a valuable perspective for evaluating ART regimen prescription patterns on a national scale.

Feasibility of ultraviolet light-emitting diode irradiation robot for terminal decontamination of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient rooms.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of using an ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV LED) robot for the terminal decontamination of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient rooms. METHODS: We assessed the presence of viral RNA in samples from environmental surfaces before and after UV LED irradiation in COVID-19 patient rooms after patient discharge. RESULTS: We analyzed 216 environmental samples from 17 rooms: 2 from airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs) in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 15 from isolation rooms in the community treatment center (CTC). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA was detected in 40 (18.5%) of 216 samples after patient discharge: 12 (33.3%) of 36 samples from AIIRs in the ICU, and 28 (15.6%) of 180 samples from isolation rooms in the CTC. In 1 AIIR, all samples were PCR negative after UV LED irradiation. In the CTC rooms, 14 (8.6%) of the 163 samples were PCR positive after UV LED irradiation. However, viable virus was not recovered from the culture of any of the PCR-positive samples. CONCLUSIONS: Although no viable virus was recovered, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected on various environmental surfaces. The use of a UV LED disinfection robot was effective in spacious areas such as an ICU, but its effects varied in small spaces like CTC rooms. These findings suggest that the UV LED robot may need enough space to disinfect rooms without recontamination by machine wheels or insufficient disinfection by shadowing.

SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell memory is sustained in COVID-19 convalescent patients for 10 months with successful development of stem cell-like memory T cells.

Memory T cells contribute to rapid viral clearance during re-infection, but the longevity and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cells remain unclear. Here we conduct ex vivo assays to evaluate SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in COVID-19 convalescent patients up to 317 days post-symptom onset (DPSO), and find that memory T cell responses are maintained during the study period regardless of the severity of COVID-19. In particular, we observe sustained polyfunctionality and proliferation capacity of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells. Among SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells detected by activation-induced markers, the proportion of stem cell-like memory T (TSCM) cells is increased, peaking at approximately 120 DPSO. Development of TSCM cells is confirmed by SARS-CoV-2-specific MHC-I multimer staining. Considering the self-renewal capacity and multipotency of TSCM cells, our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells are long-lasting after recovery from COVID-19, thus support the feasibility of effective vaccination programs as a measure for COVID-19 control.

Does enhanced environmental cleaning reduce carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii colonization in the intensive care unit?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of enhanced environmental cleaning (two times per day) compared with conventional cleaning on the acquisition of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in a highly endemic intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: The intervention consisted of alternating environmental cleaning and conventional cleaning every 3 months during the study period from July 2018 to June 2019. CRAB acquisition was assessed using incidence and prevalence rates, and colonization pressure. RESULTS: The incidence rates of CRAB with and without enhanced cleaning were 16.3 and 13.9 cases per 1000 population, respectively; and the prevalence rates were 66.9 and 61.7 cases per 1000 population, respectively. Colonization pressure was 53.3% with enhanced cleaning and 51.3% without enhanced cleaning. No association was found between enhanced environmental cleaning and the incidence (P=0.156), prevalence (P=0.888) and colonization pressure (P=0.825) of CRAB acquisition. The ventilator utilization ratio increased the colonization pressure of CRAB acquisition (P=0.010, ß coefficient=0.37). The proportion of new nurses with <3 years of clinical practice experience was positively correlated with the incidence and prevalence of CRAB acquisition. CONCLUSION: Enhanced environmental cleaning alone failed to reduce CRAB acquisition in a highly endemic ICU. The ventilator utilization ratio may be of more importance than environmental cleaning. Inexperienced nurses may need to be monitored regarding infection control activities in addition to hand hygiene adherence.

COVID-19 infection with asymptomatic or mild disease severity in young patients: Clinical course and association between prevalence of pneumonia and viral load.

Few studies have focused on clinical courses or viral loads in young asymptomatic or mild patients with COVID-19 infection. We sought to better understand the clinical course and association between viral load and prevalence of pneumonia in young COVID-19 patients with asymptomatic or mild disease severity. In this retrospective study, 106 COVID-19 young patients with asymptomatic or mild disease severity were analyzed for clinical characteristics, clinical course, prevalence of radiologically proven pneumonia and viral load. The cut-off value of viral load for presence of pneumonia was also investigated. The mean age was 28.0±9.3 years. Eleven patients (10.4%) experienced viral remission within one week of diagnosis, but one (0.9%) transferred to the hospital due to aggravation of pneumonia. Patients with pneumonia had significantly higher viral load than those without, and the cut-off value of the Ct value for presence of pneumonia were 31.38. The patients with pneumonia had significantly slower recovery times than those without. Diarrhea was significantly more common in patients with pneumonia than patients without pneumonia. In conclusion, most young asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients showed stable clinical course. There were significant differences in viral load and recovery times between patients with and without pneumonia.

PD-1-Expressing SARS-CoV-2-Specific CD8+ T Cells Are Not Exhausted, but Functional in Patients with COVID-19.

Memory T cell responses have been demonstrated in COVID-19 convalescents, but ex vivo phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells have been unclear. We detected SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells by MHC class I multimer staining and examined their phenotypes and functions in acute and convalescent COVID-19. Multimer+ cells exhibited early differentiated effector-memory phenotypes in the early convalescent phase. The frequency of stem-like memory cells was increased among multimer+ cells in the late convalescent phase. Cytokine secretion assays combined with MHC class I multimer staining revealed that the proportion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing cells was significantly lower among SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells than those specific to influenza A virus. Importantly, the proportion of IFN-γ-producing cells was higher in PD-1+ cells than PD-1- cells among multimer+ cells, indicating that PD-1-expressing, SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells are not exhausted, but functional. Our current findings provide information for understanding of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells elicited by infection or vaccination.

Trend of Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunction in COVID-19 Patients in a Quarantine Facility.

BACKGROUND: Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction has been reported as characteristic symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study evaluated olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in mild COVID-19 patients using validated assessment methods. METHODS: A prospective surveillance study was conducted for mild COVID-19 patients who were isolated at the Gyeonggi International Living and Treatment Support Center (LTSC), Korea. Olfactory function was assessed using the Korean version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (QOD) and Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT). Gustatory function was assessed using an 11-point Likert scale and 6-n-propylthiouracil, phenylthiocarbamide, and control strips. All patients underwent nasal and oral cavity endoscopic examination. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients at the LTSC, 15 patients (24.2%) complained of olfactory or gustatory dysfunction on admission. Four of 10 patients who underwent functional evaluation did not have general symptoms and 2 were asymptomatic. The mean short version of QOD-negative statements and QOD-visual analogue scale scores were 13 ± 6 and 4.7 ± 3.6, respectively. The mean CC-SIT score was 8 ± 2. No patients showed anatomical abnormalities associated with olfactory dysfunction on endoscopic examination. The mean Likert scale score for function was 8 ± 2, and there were no abnormal lesions in the oral cavity of any patient. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction was 24.2% in mild COVID-19 patients. All patients had hyposmia due to sensorineural olfactory dysfunction, which was confirmed using validated olfactory and gustatory evaluation methods and endoscopic examination. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction may be characteristic indicators of mild COVID-19.

Incidence, comorbidities, and treatment patterns of nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in South Korea.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are important pathogens in humans, and hospital-based studies have shown an increased incidence of NTM infection. However, little is known about the treatment pattern of NTM infection with respect to the number of cases per population in South Korea. This study evaluated the trends in the incidence of NTM infection, respiratory comorbidities, and treatment patterns in South Korea.National claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment service database for the years 2009 to 2015 were reviewed, and codes related to NTM infection, respiratory comorbidities occurring from one year before NTM infection and associated treatments were identified.In total, 52,551 patients were included in the study and the average annual incidence per 100,000 person-years was 12.8. The annual incidence was found to have increased from 6.6 to 26.6 per 100,000 persons. Accompanied comorbidities were tuberculosis (33.7%), followed by bronchial asthma (33.2%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25.6%), and lung cancer (5.8%). A total of 76.6% of patients did not receive any combination treatment within one year after the diagnosis of NTM infection. Macrolide-based treatment was administered to 18.8% of patients.A dramatic increase in the incidence of NTM infection was noted in the population of South Korea. Approximately three-fourth of the patients with NTM infection were clinically observed without treatment for at least 1 year after the identification of NTM infection and most patients who treated NTM infection received macrolide-based combination therapy.

Correction to: Characteristics of residual lymph nodes after six months of antituberculous therapy in HIV-negative individuals with cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis.

After publication of the original article [1], we were notified that an author's name has been incorrectly spelled. Soon You Kwon's correct full name is Soon Young Kwon.

Characteristics of residual lymph nodes after six months of antituberculous therapy in HIV-negative individuals with cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic response of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTBL) may be delayed or paradoxical, with the frequent development of residual lymph nodes (LNs) during and after antituberculous treatment. We investigated the incidence of residual LNs and the clinical, radiological, microbiological, and pathologic responses of patients with CTBL after 6 months of antituberculous therapy. METHODS: The medical records of HIV-negative adult patients with CTBL diagnosed between July 2009 and December 2017 were analyzed. After 6 months of first-line antituberculous treatment, computed tomography (CT) scans were conducted to evaluate for residual LNs. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was carried out if a patient presented with residual LNs > 10 mm in diameter with central necrosis, peripheral rim enhancement, or perinodal inflammation on CT scan. RESULTS: Residual LNs were detected in 35 of 157 patients who underwent follow-up CT scans and were more commonly observed in younger patients who completed the treatment (mean years ± standard deviation [SD]: 33 ± 13 vs. 44 ± 16, p < 0.001). The recurrence rate was approximately 5%, which was not significantly different in both groups. Among the 15 patients who underwent FNAB, 3 (30%) presented with granuloma, and 2 of 15 and 10 of 14 patients had positive AFB and TB PCR results, respectively. The TB culture results of 15 patients were negative. CONCLUSIONS: Residual LNs may still be observed after 6 months of antituberculous treatment. Although the radiologic and pathologic findings after treatment are still indicative of TB, not all residual LNs indicate recurrence or treatment failure. A six-month therapy may be sufficient for cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis.

Mapping Korean EDI Medical Procedure Code to SNOMED CT.

The Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) medical procedure code is the code used for health insurance claims in Korea. We mapped Korean EDI codes to SNOMED CT to explore the global interoperability of health insurance claims data. We developed rules for mapping based on the mapping guideline provided by SNOMED CT International. The first and second authors mapped 726 EDI codes used to claim reimbursement in five specialty areas to SNOMED CT. Eight subject matter experts reviewed the mapping results. Out of 726 procedure codes, 82.5% were exactly or partially mapped to SNOMED CT. An EDI code was mapped to an average of 2.04 SNOMED CT concepts. Twenty-one attributes were identified in the EDI codes mapped to SNOMED CT concepts. We identified strategies to improve the EDI code in this study. They include introducing hierarchical structures, adding inclusion and exclusion criteria for procedure codes, and improving EDI code labels.

Real-world treatment patterns for patients 80 years and older with early lung cancer: a nationwide claims study.

BACKGROUND: Old age is an important factor that could affect the treatment of early-stage lung cancer. In this study, we evaluated the treatment patterns and outcomes of patients over the age of 80 years who had been diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer in real-world practice. METHODS: Elderly patients who were diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer between 2008 and 2016 were identified using claims data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The proportion of patients who underwent surgical resection or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), practice pattern trends, and overall survival (OS) were analyzed from the population-based data. RESULTS: Over 9 years, 1,684 patients underwent surgical resection (74.9%) or SBRT (25.1%) as a localized treatment. From 2008 to 2016, the treatment modality changed: the percentage of patients who underwent surgical resection decreased from 90.6 to 71.4%, and those who underwent SBRT increased from 9.4 to 28.6%. The percentage of patients treated with SBRT increased over time (p < 0.001). The median OS was 56.4 months in the surgery group and 35.5 months in the SBRT group. The SBRT group showed worse OS compared with the surgery group (Adjusted hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-1.72; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Changes in local treatment patterns in elderly lung cancer patients were observed and SBRT increased its role in this population. Surgical resection or SBRT should be considered the treatment of choice in elderly patients with localized lung cancer. Further prospective studies are required to elucidate the benefits of surgery and SBRT.

Developing a model to estimate the probability of bacteremia in women with community-onset febrile urinary tract infection.

INTRODUCTION: Among patients with urinary tract infection (UTI), bacteremic cases show higher mortality rates than do nonbacteremic cases. Early identification of bacteremic cases is crucial for severity assessment of patients with febrile UTI. This study aimed to identify predictors associated with bacteremia in women with community-onset febrile UTI and to develop a prediction model to estimate the probability of bacteremic cases. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study included women consecutively hospitalized with community-onset febrile UTI at 10 hospitals in Korea. Multiple logistic regression identified predictors associated with bacteremia among candidate variables chosen from univariate analysis. A prediction model was developed using all predictors weighted by their regression coefficients. RESULTS: From July to September 2014, 383 women with febrile UTI were included: 115 (30.0%) bacteremic and 268 (70.0%) nonbacteremic cases. A prediction model consisted of diabetes mellitus (1 point), urinary tract obstruction by stone (2), costovertebral angle tenderness (2), a fraction of segmented neutrophils of > 90% (2), thrombocytopenia (2), azotemia (2), and the fulfillment of all criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (2). The c statistic for the model was 0.807 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.757-0.856). At a cutoff value of ≥ 3, the model had a sensitivity of 86.1% (95% CI, 78.1-91.6%) and a specificity of 54.9% (95% CI, 48.7-91.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Our model showed a good discriminatory power for early identification of bacteremic cases in women with community-onset febrile UTI. In addition, our model can be used to identify patients at low risk for bacteremia because of its relatively high sensitivity.

Health care-associated acute pyelonephritis is associated with inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy in the ED.

BACKGROUND: Acute pyelonephritis (APN) is one of the most common bacterial infections. Because health care-associated (HCA) infections in the community setting have similar characteristics to hospital-acquired infections, HCA infections should be distinguished from community-acquired (CA) infections. However, the impact of HCA-APN on treatment outcomes has not been clearly defined. This study aimed to analyze the impact of HCA-APN on the appropriateness of empiric antibiotic therapy and outcomes in community-onset APN. METHODS: We prospectively identified women older than 18years who were hospitalized with APN via the emergency department and whose urine culture grew bacteria at 10 acute care hospitals in South Korea. RESULTS: Of the 388 APN episodes that were included, 99 (25.5%) were HCA-APN and 289 (74.5%) were CA-APN. Compared with patients with CA-APN, patients with HCA-APN had comorbid conditions and septic shock more frequently. Health care-associated APN was caused by resistant uropathogens more often. Patients with HCA-APN had poorer outcomes (ie, early/final clinical and microbiologic failures); however, this was not statistically significant. Patients with HCA-APN had significantly longer hospital stays than did patients with CA-APN. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis for inappropriate empiric therapy, HCA-APN (odds ratio, 1.96; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-3.57; P=.03) and being bed-ridden (odds ratio, 3.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.31-7.07; P=.01) were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Health care-associated APN was associated with inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy, which might lead to worse outcomes. These HCA factors should be considered when prescribing empiric antibiotic therapy in patients with community-onset APN.

Clinical and microbiological features of Providencia bacteremia: experience at a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Providencia species frequently colonize urinary catheters and cause urinary tract infections (UTIs); however, bacteremia is uncommon and not well understood. We investigated the clinical features of Providencia bacteremia and the antibiotic susceptibility of Providencia species. METHODS: We identified cases of Providencia bacteremia from May 2001 to April 2013 at a tertiary care hospital. The medical records of pertinent patients were reviewed. RESULTS: Fourteen cases of Providencia bacteremia occurred; the incidence rate was 0.41 per 10,000 admissions. The median age of the patients was 64.5 years. Eleven cases (78.6%) were nosocomial infections and nine cases (64.3%) were polymicrobial bacteremia. The most common underlying conditions were cerebrovascular/neurologic disease (n = 10) and an indwelling urinary catheter (n = 10, 71.4%). A UTI was the most common source of bacteremia (n = 5, 35.7%). The overall mortality rate was 29% (n = 4); in each case, death occurred within 4 days of the onset of bacteremia. Primary bacteremia was more fatal than other types of bacteremia (mortality rate, 75% [3/4] vs. 10% [1/10], p = 0.041). The underlying disease severity, Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, and Pitt bacteremia scores were significantly higher in nonsurvivors (p = 0.016, p =0.004, and p = 0.002, respectively). Susceptibility to cefepime, imipenem, and piperacillin/tazobactam was noted in 100%, 86%, and 86% of the isolates, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Providencia bacteremia occurred frequently in elderly patients with cerebrovascular or neurologic disease. Although Providencia bacteremia is uncommon, it can be rapidly fatal and polymicrobial. These characteristics suggest that the selection of appropriate antibiotic therapy could be complicated in Providencia bacteremia.

Factors associated with specific uropathogens in catheter-associated urinary tract infection: developing a clinical prediction model.

OBJECTIVES: To identify characteristics associated with particular groups of uropathogens in catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI) and to develop clinical prediction rules for identifying these groups. METHODS: Demographic, clinical and microbiological data were analysed from patients with CA-UTI. Infections were categorized into enteric Gram-negative rods, nonfermenters, Gram-positive cocci and fungal. Variables were analysed using univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses, and were used to develop clinical prediction rules. RESULTS: A total of 492 patients were included in the study. Candida species were the most common uropathogens (30.7%), followed by enterococci (17.3%), Escherichia coli (12.0%), Pseudomonas spp. (10.8%), Klebsiella spp. (7.9%) and staphylococci (6.5%). Clinical prediction rules for the bacterial uropathogenic groups showed poor-to-fair discriminatory power, with sensitivities of <40% and specificities of >90%. However, clinical prediction rules showed good discriminatory power for fungal infections, with a sensitivity of 67.3% and a specificity of 78.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical prediction rules developed for identifying specific groups of bacterial uropathogens in patients with CA-UTI had a low sensitivity, whereas those for fungal infections showed good discriminatory power. Further studies to develop more refined and sensitive tools for predicting specific bacterial uropathogens in CA-UTI are warranted.

Inhaled colistin for treatment of pneumonia due to colistin-only-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii.

PURPOSE: Colistin is used for the treatment of pneumonia associated with multidrug- resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the best route of administration and dosage is not known. We report our experience with aerosolized colistin in twelve patients with pneumonia caused by colistin-only-susceptible (COS) A. baumannii. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients' medical records who were treated with aerosolized colistin for the treatment of pneumonia. RESULTS: Ten patients were treated only with aerosolized colistin inhalation and two patients received a 3-day course intravenous colistin, and then switched to colistin inhalation therapy. The median duration of aerosolized colistin therapy was 17 days (5-31 days). Four patients were treated only with aerosolized colistin, whereas 4 patients received concomitant glycopeptides, and 4 received concomitant levofloxacin or cefoperazone/sulbactam. At the end of the therapy, the clinical response rate and bacteriological clearance rate was 83% and 50%, respectively. Colistin-resistant strains were isolated from 3 patients after aerosolized colistin therapy; however, all of them showed favorable clinical response. The median interval between inhalation therapy and resistance was 7 days (range 5-19 days). Acute kidney injury developed in 3 patients. Two patients experienced Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea. One patient developed fever and skin rash after aerosolized colistin therapy. No patient developed neurotoxicity or bronchospasm. CONCLUSION: Colistin inhalation therapy is deemed tolerable and safe, and could be beneficial as an adjuctive therapy for the management of pneumonia due to COS A. baumannii. However, the potential development of colistin resistance cannot be overlooked.