Outcome of COVID-19 in Kidney Transplant Recipients Through the SARS-CoV-2 Variants Eras: Role of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies.

Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) are at increased risk for COVID-19-associated complications. We aimed to describe the evolving epidemiology and outcome of PCR-documented SARS-CoV-2 infection in KTR followed at our institution from March 2020 to May 2022. The primary endpoint was hospitalization for COVID-19-related symptoms or death within 28 days from diagnosis. Overall, 243 cases were included of which 68 (28%) developed the primary outcome. A significant decrease in the incidence of the primary outcome was observed (p < 0.001, r -0.342) during the study period. Anti-Spike monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were administered as early treatment (within 5-7 days of onset of symptoms) in 101 patients (14 with casirivimab/imdevimab and 87 with sotrovimab). Among 145 patients who had received at least one vaccination dose before infection, 109 patients were considered as adequately vaccinated. Multivariate analysis revealed that the Charlson Comorbidity Index (P 0.001; OR 1.28, CI 1.11-1.48) was associated with the primary outcome, while early administration of mAbs (P 0.032; OR 0.39, CI 0.16-0.92) was associated with a better outcome, but not infection during the period of the omicron variant predominance or adequate vaccination.

[Antibiotics use for common ENT infections]. / Antibiothérapies lors d'infections courantes de la sphère ORL.

Upper respiratory tract infections are among the most common reasons for medical consultation and the single most frequent cause of antibiotics use in ambulatory care medicine in Switzerland. In this article, we propose an update on the indications, choice and modalities for antibiotic use in frequent ENT infections, highlighting the Swiss Society for Infectious Diseases guidelines which are freely available on the internet and updated on a regular basis.

Les infections des voies respiratoires supérieures sont l'un des motifs les plus fréquents de consultation et la première cause de consommation d'antibiotiques en médecine ambulatoire en Suisse. Dans cet article, nous proposons de faire le point sur les indications à initier une antibiothérapie pour des infections courantes de la sphère ORL ainsi que sur le choix des molécules, leur posologie et la durée, en mettant en avant les recomman dations de la Société suisse d'infectiologie qui sont disponibles en libre accès sur internet et régulièrement mises à jour.

Post­COVID­19 Syndrome in Outpatients: a Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: After mild COVID-19, some outpatients experience persistent symptoms. However, data are scarce and prospective studies are urgently needed. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the post-COVID-19 syndrome after mild COVID-19 and identify predictors. PARTICIPANTS: Outpatients with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 with (1) PCR-confirmed COVID-19 (COVID-positive) or (2) SARS-CoV-2 negative PCR (COVID-negative). DESIGN: Monocentric cohort study with prospective phone interview between more than 3 months to 10 months after initial visit to the emergency department and outpatient clinics. MAIN MEASURES: Data of the initial visits were extracted from the electronic medical file. Predefined persistent symptoms were assessed through a structured phone interview. Associations between long-term symptoms and PCR results, as well as predictors of persistent symptoms among COVID-positive, were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression adjusted for age, gender, smoking, comorbidities, and timing of the survey. KEY RESULTS: The study population consisted of 418 COVID-positive and 89 COVID-negative patients, mostly young adults (median age of 41 versus 36 years in COVID-positive and COVID-negative, respectively; p = 0.020) and healthcare workers (67% versus 82%; p = 0.006). Median time between the initial visit and the phone survey was 150 days in COVID-positive and 242 days in COVID-negative patients. Persistent symptoms were reported by 223 (53%) COVID-positive and 33 (37%) COVID-negative patients (p = 0.006) and proportions were stable among the periods of the phone interviews. Overall, 21% COVID-positive and 15% COVID-negative patients (p = 0.182) attended care for this purpose. Four surveyed symptoms were independently associated with COVID-19: fatigue (adjusted odds ratio 2.14, 95% CI 1.04-4.41), smell/taste disorder (26.5, 3.46-202), dyspnea (2.81, 1.10-7.16), and memory impairment (5.71, 1.53-21.3). Among COVID-positive, female gender (1.67, 1.09-2.56) and overweight/obesity (1.67, 1.10-2.56) were predictors of persistent symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of COVID-positive outpatients report persistent symptoms up to 10 months after a mild disease. Only 4 of 14 symptoms were associated with COVID-19 status. The symptoms and predictors of the post-COVID-19 syndrome need further characterization as this condition places a significant burden on society.

High False-Positive Rate of (1,3)-ß-D-Glucan in Onco-Hematological Patients Receiving Immunoglobulins and Therapeutic Antibodies.

Immunoglobulins and/or therapeutic antibody preparations are associated with a high rate of false-positive (1,3)-ß-D-glucan (BDG) tests in onco-hematological patients routinely screened for fungal infections. The benefit of BDG monitoring shall be balanced against the risk of false-positive tests leading to unnecessary investigations and costs in this population.

Transcriptomic Signature Differences Between SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Virus Infected Patients.

The reason why most individuals with COVID-19 have relatively limited symptoms while other develop respiratory distress with life-threatening complications remains unknown. Increasing evidence suggests that COVID-19 associated adverse outcomes mainly rely on dysregulated immunity. Here, we compared transcriptomic profiles of blood cells from 103 patients with different severity levels of COVID-19 with that of 27 healthy and 22 influenza-infected individuals. Data provided a complete overview of SARS-CoV-2-induced immune signature, including a dramatic defect in IFN responses, a reduction of toxicity-related molecules in NK cells, an increased degranulation of neutrophils, a dysregulation of T cells, a dramatic increase in B cell function and immunoglobulin production, as well as an important over-expression of genes involved in metabolism and cell cycle in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to those infected with influenza viruses. These features also differed according to COVID-19 severity. Overall and specific gene expression patterns across groups can be visualized on an interactive website (https://bix.unil.ch/covid/). Collectively, these transcriptomic host responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection are discussed in the context of current studies, thereby improving our understanding of COVID-19 pathogenesis and shaping the severity level of COVID-19.

Invasive Hormographiella aspergillata infection in patients with acute myeloid leukemia: Report of two cases successfully treated and review of the literature.

Hormographiella aspergillata is a rare cause of invasive mold infection, mostly described in patients with hematological malignancies. We describe two cases of invasive H. aspergillata infections in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, successfully managed with complete surgical resection of the lesions and antifungal therapy of voriconazole alone or liposomal amphotericin B, followed by voriconazole, highlighting the key role of a multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of this rare and severe invasive mold infection.

Predicting Venous Thromboembolic Events in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Requiring Hospitalization: an Observational Retrospective Study by the COVIDIC Initiative in a Swiss University Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can result in profound changes in blood coagulation. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and predictors of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) among patients with COVID-19 requiring hospital admission. Subjects and Methods. We performed a retrospective study at the Lausanne University Hospital with patients admitted because of COVID-19 from February 28 to April 30, 2020. RESULTS: Among 443 patients with COVID-19, VTE was diagnosed in 41 patients (9.3%; 27 pulmonary embolisms, 12 deep vein thrombosis, one pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, one portal vein thrombosis). VTE was diagnosed already upon admission in 14 (34.1%) patients and 27 (65.9%) during hospital stay (18 in ICU and nine in wards outside the ICU). Multivariate analysis revealed D-dimer value > 3,120 ng/ml (P < 0.001; OR 15.8, 95% CI 4.7-52.9) and duration of 8 days or more from COVID-19 symptoms onset to presentation (P 0.020; OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.3-18.3) to be independently associated with VTE upon admission. D-dimer value ≥ 3,000 ng/l combined with a Wells score for PE ≥ 2 was highly specific (sensitivity 57.1%, specificity 91.6%) in detecting VTE upon admission. Development of VTE during hospitalization was independently associated with D-dimer value > 5,611 ng/ml (P < 0.001; OR 6.3, 95% CI 2.4-16.2) and mechanical ventilation (P < 0.001; OR 5.9, 95% CI 2.3-15.1). CONCLUSIONS: VTE seems to be a common COVID-19 complication upon admission and during hospitalization, especially in ICU. The combination of Wells ≥ 2 score and D - dimer ≥ 3,000 ng/l is a good predictor of VTE at admission.

Epidemiology, risk factors and clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients in a Swiss university hospital: An observational retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 patients in a Swiss university hospital. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included all adult patients hospitalized with a laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from March 1 to March 25, 2020. We extracted data from electronic health records. The primary outcome was the need to mechanical ventilation at day 14. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify risk factors for mechanical ventilation. Follow-up was of at least 14 days. RESULTS: 145 patients were included in the multivariate model, of whom 36 (24.8%) needed mechanical ventilation at 14 days. The median time from symptoms onset to mechanical ventilation was 9·5 days (IQR 7.00, 12.75). Multivariable regression showed increased odds of mechanical ventilation with age (OR 1.09 per year, 95% CI 1.03-1.16, p = 0.002), in males (OR 6.99, 95% CI 1.68-29.03, p = 0.007), in patients who presented with a qSOFA score ≥2 (OR 7.24, 95% CI 1.64-32.03, p = 0.009), with bilateral infiltrate (OR 18.92, 3.94-98.23, p<0.001) or with a CRP of 40 mg/l or greater (OR 5.44, 1.18-25.25; p = 0.030) on admission. Patients with more than seven days of symptoms on admission had decreased odds of mechanical ventilation (0.087, 95% CI 0.02-0.38, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study gives some insight in the epidemiology and clinical course of patients admitted in a European tertiary hospital with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Age, male sex, high qSOFA score, CRP of 40 mg/l or greater and a bilateral radiological infiltrate could help clinicians identify patients at high risk for mechanical ventilation.

First experience of SARS-CoV-2 infections in solid organ transplant recipients in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study.

Immunocompromised patients may be at increased risk for complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, comprehensive data of SARS-CoV-2 infection in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are still lacking. We performed a multicenter nationwide observational study within the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study (STCS) to describe the epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes of the first microbiologically documented SARS-CoV-2 infection among SOT recipients. Overall, 21 patients were included with a median age of 56 years (10 kidney, 5 liver, 1 pancreas, 1 lung, 1 heart and 3 combined transplantations). The most common presenting symptoms were fever (76%), dry cough (57%), nausea (33%), and diarrhea (33%). Ninety-five percent and 24% of patients required hospital and ICU admission, respectively, and 19% were intubated. After a median of 33 days of follow-up, 16 patients were discharged, 3 were still hospitalized and 2 patients died. These data suggest that clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in middle-aged SOT recipients appear to be similar to the general population without an apparent higher rate of complications. These results need to be confirmed in larger cohorts.

[Infectious diseases†: «â€ less is more†¼]. / Infectiologie: «less is more ¼.

Among carefully selected patients, an early oral antibiotic switch is safe and efficient in severe bacterial infections. New data are available on dual antibiotherapy in severe Staphylococcus aureus infections. Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains resistant to ceftriaxone emerge, highlighting the necessity to develop new therapeutic strategies. Alongshan virus is a new tick-borne virus discovered in China. Ebola continues to rage in Democratic Republic of Congo, while Europe and Switzerland face measles outbreaks. North american guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Influenza have been updated, shortly before the FDA approval of baloxavir marboxil, a new antiviral treatment for Influenza infections.

L'excellente efficacité d'un relais oral précoce lors du traitement d'infections sévères semble se confirmer lorsque les patients sont soigneusement sélectionnés. De nouvelles données sont disponibles concernant l'utilité d'une double antibiothérapie lors d'infections sévères à Staphylococcus aureus. La résistance aux antibiotiques progresse avec l'émergence de souches de Neisseria gonorrhoeae résistant à la ceftriaxone. Un nouveau virus transmis par les tiques a été isolé en Chine. Depuis août 2018, Ebola continue de faire rage en République Démocratique du Congo, alors que la rougeole sévit en Suisse et en Europe. Les recommandations nord-américaines pour la prise en charge de la grippe saisonnière ont été mises à jour, peu avant la mise sur le marché du baloxavir marboxil, un nouvel antiviral efficace contre le virus Influenza.

Predictors of mortality of influenza virus infections in a Swiss Hospital during four influenza seasons: Role of quick sequential organ failure assessment.

BACKGROUND: Influenza infections have been associated with high morbidity. The aims were to determine predictors of mortality among patients with influenza infections and to ascertain the role of quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) in predicting poor outcomes. METHODS: All adult patients with influenza infection at the Hospital of Jura, Switzerland during four influenza seasons (2014/15 to 2017/18) were included. Cepheid Xpert Xpress Flu/RSV was used during the first three influenza seasons and Cobas Influenza A/B and RSV during the 2017/18 season. RESULTS: Among 1684 influenza virus tests performed, 441 patients with influenza infections were included (238 for influenza A virus and 203 for B). The majority of infections were community onset (369; 83.7%). Thirty-day mortality was 6.0% (25 patients). Multivariate analysis revealed that infection due to A virus (P 0.035; OR 7.1; 95% CI 1.1-43.8), malnutrition (P < 0.001; OR 25.0; 95% CI 4.5-138.8), hospital-acquired infection (P 0.003; OR 12.2; 95% CI 2.3-65.1), respiratory insufficiency (PaO2/FiO2 < 300) (P < 0.001; OR 125.8; 95% CI 9.6-1648.7) and pulmonary infiltrate on X-ray (P 0.020; OR 6.0; 95% CI 1.3-27.0) were identified as predictors of mortality. qSOFA showed a very good accuracy (0.89) equivalent to other more specific and burdensome scores such as CURB-65 and Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI). CONCLUSION: qSOFA performed similarly to specific severity scores (PSI, CURB-65) in predicting mortality. Infection by influenza A virus, respiratory insufficiency and malnutrition were associated with worse prognosis.

[The internal medicine articles that struck us the most in 2017]. / L'année 2017 mise en perspective par les internistes hospitaliers.

2017 has continued to bring important progress in all areas of internal medicine, impacting our daily practice. From bedside screening for beta-lactam allergies, to statins as primary prevention in the elderly, SGLT2 inhibitors in heart failure, azithromycin in severe asthmatics and tofacitinib in ulcero-haemorrhagic recto-colitis, internal medicine journals are full of novelties. Every year, the chief residents of the CHUV internal medicine ward meet up to share their readings: here is their selection of eleven articles, chosen, summarized and commented for you.

L'année 2017 a vu d'importants progrès dans tous les domaines de la médecine interne, avec un impact important sur notre pratique quotidienne. Du dépistage au lit du patient des allergies aux bêta-lactames, aux statines en prévention primaire chez les personnes âgées, en passant par l'utilisation des inhibiteurs SGLT2 dans l'insuffisance cardiaque, de l'azithromycine chez les asthmatiques sévères et du tofacitinib en cas de rectocolite ulcéro-hémorragique (RCUH), les nouveautés abondent dans la littérature. Chaque année, les chefs de clinique du Service de médecine interne du Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois (CHUV) se réunissent pour partager leurs lectures : voici une sélection de onze articles choisis, revus et commentés pour vous.

True prevalence of COPD and its association with peripheral arterial disease in the internal medicine ward of a tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of confirmed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in patients aged 45 years or more who were admitted to the internal medicine ward of our tertiary care hospital (HFR Fribourg, Switzerland), and were either "tagged" as having COPD or at risk for COPD. The secondary objective was to determine the prevalence of the association of COPD with peripheral artery disease (PAD) in this population. METHODOLOGY: We evaluated all consecutive patients aged 45 years, admitted to our internal medicine ward between November 2013 and March 2014. All patients with a diagnosis of COPD, chronic bronchitis and/or lung emphysema in their electronic medical record ("tagged" as COPD) were evaluated for inclusion, as well as patients with at least one classic symptom and one classic risk factor for COPD identified by them on a check-list (patients at risk for COPD). Spirometry, and measurement of ankle-brachial index (ABI) and toe-brachial index when necessary, were performed in each patient once they were clinically stable. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-two of 888 consecutive patients were included. COPD was found in 81 patients. Amongst the 75 patients tagged as COPD, 65 (87%) were actually suffering from COPD and 10 (13%) carried a false diagnosis. COPD was diagnosed in 16 (16%) of the 97 at-risk patients. PAD was identified in 35 (43%) of patients suffering from confirmed COPD and in 22 (24%) of patients without COPD. There was a significant association between COPD and PAD (p <0.01). CONCLUSION: COPD was identified in 9% of the 888 patients evaluated. The majority of patients tagged as COPD were accurately diagnosed and a substantial proportion of at-risk patients were underdiagnosed. A significant association between COPD and PAD was found. In smokers, spirometry showing COPD is a useful test to detect patients at higher cardiovascular risk. Thus, we suggest that screening for PAD using an ABI should be proposed to every smoker with confirmed COPD.