Urinary incontinence indicates mortality, disability, and infections in hospitalised stroke patients.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on health outcomes over the entire spectrum of acute stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] scores: 0-42), due to a paucity of data on patients with milder strokes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were prospectively collected (2014-2016) from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (1593 men, 1591 women; mean [SD] age 76.8 [13.3] years) admitted to four UK hyperacute stroke units (HASUs). Relationships between variables were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Data were adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, pre-stroke disability and intra-cranial haemorrhage, and presented as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Amongst patients with no symptoms or a minor stroke (NIHSS scores of 0-4), compared to patients without UI, patients with UI had significantly greater risks of poor outcomes including: in-hospital mortality; disability at discharge; in-hospital pneumonia; urinary tract infection within 7 days of admission; prolonged length of stay on the HASU; palliative care by discharge; activity of daily living (ADL) support, and new discharge to care home. In patients with more moderate stroke (NIHSS score of 5-15) the same outcomes were identified; being at greater risk for patients with UI, except for palliative care by discharge and ADL support. With the highest stroke severity group (NIHSS score of 16-48) all outcomes were identified except in-patient mortality, pneumonia, and ADL support. However, odds ratios diminished as NIHSS scores increased. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary incontinence is a useful indicator of poor short-term outcomes in older patients with an acute stroke, but irrespective of stroke severity. This provides valuable information to healthcare professionals to identify at-risk individuals.

PATHWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH POSITIVE SEPSIS SURVIVAL OUTCOMES IN AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK AND NON-HISPANIC WHITE PATIENTS WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTION.

ABSTRACT: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common cause of sepsis worldwide. Annually, more than 60,000 US deaths can be attributed to sepsis secondary to UTIs, and African American/Black adults have higher incidence and case-fatality rates than non-Hispanic White adults. Molecular-level factors that may help partially explain differences in sepsis survival outcomes between African American/Black and Non-Hispanic White adults are not clear. In this study, patient samples (N = 166) from the Protocolized Care for Early Septic Shock cohort were analyzed using discovery-based plasma proteomics. Patients had sepsis secondary to UTIs and were stratified according to self-identified racial background and sepsis survival outcomes. Proteomics results suggest patient heterogeneity across mechanisms driving survival from sepsis secondary to UTIs. Differentially expressed proteins (n = 122, false discovery rate-adjusted P < 0.05) in Non-Hispanic White sepsis survivors were primarily in immune system pathways, while differentially expressed proteins (n = 47, false discovery rate-adjusted P < 0.05) in African American/Black patients were mostly in metabolic pathways. However, in all patients, regardless of racial background, there were 16 differentially expressed proteins in sepsis survivors involved in translation initiation and shutdown pathways. These pathways are potential targets for prognostic intervention. Overall, this study provides information about molecular factors that may help explain disparities in sepsis survival outcomes among African American/Black and Non-Hispanic White patients with primary UTIs.

Valor pronóstico del cociente lactato/albúmina para la mortalidad en pacientes mayores de 65 años con infección urinaria complicada / Lactate/albumin ratio prognostic value for mortality in patients older than 65 years with complicated urinary tract infection

Antecedentes El cociente lactato/albúmina (LAR) es un biomarcador emergente de sepsis que se ha evaluado para determinar la mortalidad en pacientes con sepsis de distinto foco. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar el valor pronóstico de LAR en pacientes ingresados en el hospital por infecciones urinarias complicadas. Métodos Estudio observacional prospectivo de pacientes mayores de 65 años diagnosticados de ITU. Se calcularon y compararon el área bajo la curva ROC, la sensibilidad y la especificidad para predecir la mortalidad a 30 días para LAR, qSOFA y SOFA. Resultados Se analizaron 341 casos de ITU. La mortalidad a 30 días (20,2 frente a 6,7%, p<0,001) y la mayor estancia hospitalaria (5 [4-8] frente a 4 [3-7], p=0,018) se asociaron con LAR≥0,708. LAR no presenta diferencias estadísticamente significativas en comparación con qSOFA y SOFA para predecir la mortalidad a 30 días (AUROC 0,737 frente a 0,832 y 0,777, respectivamente, p=0,119 y 0,496). La sensibilidad de LAR fue similar a la de qSOFA y SOFA (60,8 frente a 84,4 y 82,2%, respectivamente, p=0,746 y 0,837). Sin embargo, su especificidad fue inferior a la del qSOFA (60,8 frente a 75%, p=0,003), pero similar a la del SOFA (60,8 frente a 57,8%, p=0,787). Conclusiones LAR no presenta diferencias significativas con otras puntuaciones bien establecidas en sepsis, como qSOFA y SOFA, para predecir la mortalidad a 30 días en pacientes con ITU complicada (AU)

Background Lactate to albumin ratio (LAR) is an emerging sepsis biomarker that has been tested for mortality in patients with sepsis of different focus. Our goal is to evaluate the prognostic value of LAR in patients admitted to the hospital due to complicated urinary tract infections. Methods Prospective observational study of patients older than 65 years diagnosed with UTI. Area under the ROC curve, sensibility, and specificity to predict 30-day mortality were calculated for LAR, qSOFA and SOFA. Results Three hundred and forty-one UTI cases were analyzed. Thirty-day mortality (20.2 vs. 6.7%, p<0.001) and longer hospital stay (5 [4–8] vs. 4 [3–7], p=0.018) were associated with LAR≥0.708. LAR has no statistically significant differences compared to qSOFA and SOFA for predicting 30-day mortality (AUROC 0.737 vs. 0.832 and 0.777, respectively, p=0.119 and 0.496). The sensitivity of LAR was similar to the sensitivity of qSOFA and SOFA (60.8 vs. 84.4 and 82.2%, respectively, p=0.746 and 0.837). However, its specificity was lower than the specificity of qSOFA (60.8 vs. 75%, p=0.003), but similar to the specificity of SOFA (60.8 vs. 57.8%, p=0.787). Conclusions LAR has no significant differences with other well-stablished scores in sepsis, such as qSOFA and SOFA, to predict 30-day mortality in patients with complicated UTI (AU)

Resistência antimicrobiana na infecção urinária em unidade de terapia intensiva / Antimicrobial resistance in urinary tract infection in the intensive care unit / Resistencia a los antimicrobianos en la infección del tracto urinario en la unidad de cuidados intensivos

A infecção do trato urinário (ITU) nada mais é do que o acometimento das vias urinárias por microrganismo. Entre as infecções hospitalares de maior incidência está a infecção do trato urinário, acometendo mais mulheres do que homens. Uma das possíveis causas dessa infecção, em pacientes na unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI), é o uso de cateter vesical. Seu tratamento inadequado pode ocasionar uma pielonefrite, podendo adentrar à circulação sanguínea, gerando uma infecção sistêmica e levar o paciente a óbito. A resistência antimicrobiana é uma das principais dificuldades encontrada em UTI sendo considerado um problema de saúde pública. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um breve relato, baseado na literatura, sobre a resistência antimicrobiana na infecção urinária em unidade de terapia intensiva adulta. Em ambientes hospitalares o principal microrganismo causador de ITU é Escherichia coli, sendo 55,5% das culturas positivas estão associadas a procedimentos invasivos, como as sondas vesicais de demora, como consequência este é o microrganismo que mais apresenta resistência aos antimicrobianos utilizados como a ampicilina, trimetoprima e ciprofloxacino. O uso indiscriminado de antibióticos deixa em evidência a necessidade de análise criteriosa da real necessidade de qual antimicrobianos usar, tempo de uso e forma correta de administração. Portanto é necessária a ação dos profissionais de saúde frente a atenção ao paciente, desde a higiene das mãos, uso do cateter, quando necessário observar a real necessidade do uso do antimicrobianos e que esse seja feito após cultura e antibiograma.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is nothing more than the involvement of the urinary tract by a microorganism. Among the hospital infections with the highest incidence is urinary tract infections, affecting more women than men. One of the possible causes of this infection in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is the use of a bladder catheter. Its inadequate treatment can cause pyelonephritis, which can enter the bloodstream, generating a systemic infection and leading the patient to death. Antimicrobial resistance is one of the main difficulties encountered in ICUs and is considered a public health problem. The objective of this study was to present a brief report, based on the literature, on antimicrobial resistance in urinary tract infections in an adult intensive care unit. In hospital environments, the main microorganism that causes UTI is Escherichia coli, and 55.5% of positive cultures are associated with invasive procedures, such as indwelling urinary catheters, as a consequence, this is the microorganism that is most resistant to antimicrobials used, such as ampicillin, trimethoprim and ciprofloxacin. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics highlights the need for a careful analysis of the real need for which antimicrobials to use, time of use, and correct form of administration. Therefore, it is necessary for the action of health professionals in the care of the patient, from the hygiene of the professional to, the use of the catheter, when necessary to observe the real need for the use of antimicrobials and that this is done after culture and antibiogram.

La infección del tracto urinario (ITU) no es más que la afectación de las vías urinarias por un microorganismo. Entre las infecciones hospitalarias con mayor incidencia se encuentra la infección del tracto urinario, que afecta más a mujeres que a hombres. Una de las posibles causas de esta infección en pacientes en la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) es el uso de una sonda vesical. Su tratamiento inadecuado puede causar pielonefritis, la cual puede ingresar al torrente sanguíneo, generando una infección sistémica y llevando al paciente a la muerte. La resistencia a los antimicrobianos es una de las principales dificultades encontradas en las UCI y se considera un problema de salud pública. El objetivo de este estudio fue presentar un breve informe, basado en la literatura, sobre la resistencia antimicrobiana en infecciones del tracto urinario en una unidad de cuidados intensivos de adultos. En ambientes hospitalarios, el principal microorganismo causante de ITU es Escherichia coli, y el 55,5% de los cultivos positivos están asociados a procedimientos invasivos, como sondas vesicales permanentes, por lo que este es el microorganismo más resistente a los antimicrobianos utilizados, como la ampicilina. ., trimetoprima y ciprofloxacino. El uso indiscriminado de antibióticos pone de relieve la necesidad de un análisis cuidadoso de la necesidad real de qué antimicrobianos utilizar, el momento de uso y la forma correcta de administración. Por lo tanto, es necesaria la actuación de los profesionales de la salud en el cuidado del paciente, desde la higiene del profesional, uso del catéter, cuando sea necesario observar la necesidad real del uso de antimicrobianos y que este se realice previo cultivo y antibiograma.

Cotrimoxazole for community-acquired urinary tract infections leads to more adverse effects than fluoroquinolones.

BACKGROUND: For several years, we applied an internal guideline for community-acquired urinary tract infections (cUTI), targeting the reduction of fluoroquinolone use (FQ) and thereby favouring cotrimoxazole (CTM) prescription. Our aim was to report adverse effects (AE) and outcome for patients presenting with cUTI and treated with these compounds. METHODS: This cohort study was based on the dashboard of our department, bringing together 28 parameters for all patients, including diagnosis, microbiological data, antibiotic therapy, AE, length of hospital stay (LHS) and outcome. We included all patients with cUTI due to Enterobacteriaeae treated with CTM or FQ, and compared these 2 groups on in-hospital AE, LHS, and unfavourable outcome defined as intensive care requirement or death. RESULTS: From June 2008 to June 2019, 640 cUTI due to Enterobacteriaeae were observed, among which 295 (46%) treated with CTM and 345 (54%) with a FQ. There were 25 AE (3.9%): 17 (5.7%) in the CTM group, and 8 (2.3%) in the FQ group (P=0.025). Adverse effects were associated with increased LHS compared to patients without AE: 11±6 vs. 7±4 days respectively, P<0.001, 11.4±6.2 days in the CTM group vs. 9.2±5.8 in the FQ group (relative LHS increase of 73.5% and 29.5%, respectively). Unfavorable outcome occurred for 1 patient (0.3%) in the CTM group, and 5 (1.4%) in the FQ group, P=0.297. CONCLUSION: Favouring cotrimoxazole for cUTI due to Enterobacteriaceae was associated compared to FQ with more AE and prolonged LHS. A cost-effectiveness analysis to validate such therapeutic strategy is warranted.

Hospitalized Infections in Lupus: A Nationwide Study of Types of Infections, Time Trends, Health Care Utilization, and In-Hospital Mortality.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the time trends in hospitalized infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and the factors associated with health care utilization and in-hospital mortality. METHODS: US National Inpatient Sample data from 1998-2016 were used to examine the epidemiology, time trends, and outcomes of 5 common hospitalized infections in patients with SLE, namely, pneumonia, sepsis/bacteremia, urinary tract infection (UTI), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), and opportunistic infections (OIs). Time trends were compared using the Cochran-Armitage test. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to examine the factors associated with health care utilization (hospital stay >3 days, hospital charges above the median, or discharge to a nonhome setting) and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Hospitalization rates per 100,000 claims among SLE patients in 1998-2000 versus in 2015-2016 were as follows: for OIs, 1.13 versus 1.61 (1.2-fold increase); for SSTIs, 4.78 versus 12.2 (2.5-fold increase); for UTI, 1.94 versus 6.12 (3.2-fold increase); for pneumonia, 15.09 versus 17.05 (1.1-fold increase); and for sepsis, 6.31 versus 39.64 (6.3-fold increase). In 2011-2012, sepsis surpassed pneumonia as the most common hospitalized infection in patients with SLE. In multivariable-adjusted models, a diagnosis of sepsis, older age, a Deyo-Charlson common comorbidities score of ≥2, having Medicare or Medicaid insurance, and urban hospital location were significantly associated with increased odds of in-hospital mortality and with all health care utilization outcomes. African American race was significantly associated with increased odds of health care utilization. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that the rates of hospitalized infections increased over time in patients with SLE, and that pneumonia was surpassed by sepsis as the most common hospitalized infection. In addition, associations of risk factors with poorer outcomes were identified. These findings may help inform patients, providers, and policy makers with regard to the burden of infection in SLE, and could lead to interventions/pathways to improve outcomes.

Prognosis of Patients with Sepsis and Non-Hepatic Hyperammonemia: A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND Hyperammonemia has been reported in some critically ill patients with sepsis who do not have hepatic failure. A significant proportion of patients with non-hepatic hyperammonemia have underlying sepsis, but the association between non-hepatic hyperammonemia and prognosis is unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS Information about patients with sepsis and non-hepatic hyperammonemia was retrieved from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-III database. Survival rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify prognostic factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to measure the predictive ability of ammonia in terms of patient mortality. RESULTS A total of 265 patients with sepsis were enrolled in this study. Compared with the non-hyperammonemia group, the patients with hyperammonemia had significantly higher rates of hospital (59.8% vs. 43.0%, P=0.007), 30-day (47.7% vs. 34.8%, P=0.036), 90-day (61.7% vs. 43.7%, P=0.004), and 1-year mortality (67.3% vs. 49.4%, P=0.004). In the survival analysis, hyperammonemia was associated with these outcomes. Serum ammonia level was an independent predictor of hospital mortality. The area under the ROC curve for the ammonia levels had poor discriminative capacity. The hyperammonemia group also had significantly lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores (P=0.020) and higher incidences of delirium (15.9% vs. 8.2%, P=0.034) and encephalopathy (37.4% vs. 19.6%, P=0.001). Intestinal infection and urinary tract infection with organisms such as Escherichia coli may be risk factors for hyperammonemia in patients who have sepsis. CONCLUSIONS Higher ammonia levels are associated with poorer prognosis in patients with sepsis. Ammonia also may be associated with sepsis-associated encephalopathy. Therefore, we recommend that serum ammonia levels be measured in patients who are suspected of having sepsis.

Factors associated with successful completion of outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy in an area with a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria: 30-day hospital admission and mortality rates.

OBJECTIVES: To identify factors associated with hospital admission and mortality within the first 30 days after enrolment in an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) program, also analysing adequacy of the treatment regimen and clinical outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted between October 2016 and June 2017 in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Variables related to hospital admission and mortality were subjected to bivariate analysis, and those with a P<0.05 were subjected to multivariate analysis as risk factors. RESULTS: We evaluated 276 patients, of whom 80.5% were ≥60 years of age and 69.9% had more than one comorbidity. Of the patients evaluated, 41.3% had pneumonia and 35.1% had a urinary tract infection. The most common etiological agent, isolated in 18 (31.6%) cases, was Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 13 (72,2%) strains were carbapenem resistant. The OPAT was in accordance with the culture results in 76.6% of the cases and with the institutional protocols in 76.4%. The majority (64.5%) of the patients were not admitted, and a cure or clinical improvement was achieved in 78.6%. Multivariate analysis showed that, within the first 30 days after enrolment, the absence of a physician office visit was a predictor of hospital admission (P<0.001) and mortality (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the viability of OPAT in elderly patients with pulmonary or urinary tract infections in an area with a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and that a post-discharge physician office visit is protective against hospital admission and mortality.

Treatment duration of complicated urinary tract infections by extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producing enterobacterales.

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-EB) are a problem increasing in our clinical practice. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome in patients who received short (≤ 7 days) versus long courses (>7 days) of antimicrobial therapy for complicated ESBL-EB urinary tract infections. METHODS: This is a retrospective and observational study. Positive urine cultures for ESBL-EB in our hospital between March 2015 and July 2017 were identified. Patients with complicated urinary tract infection were included. Differences between treatment groups (7 days or less vs more than 7 days) were analyzed according to baseline characteristics and severity of clinical presentation. Primary outcome was all cause 30-day mortality. Secondary outcome was a combined item of all cause mortality and reinfection by the same enterobacteria at 30 days. RESULTS: 273 urine cultures were positive for ESBL-EB during the study period. 75 episodes were included, 40 in the long treatment group and 35 in the short treatment group. Mean treatment duration in short and long treatment groups was 6,1 and 13,8 days respectively. Mortality at 30 days was 5,7% in the short treatment group and 5% in the long treatment group without significant differences (P = 0,8). Mortality or reinfection by the same ESBL-EB at 30 days was 8,6% in the short treatment group and 10% in the long treatment group, without significant differences (P = 0,8). CONCLUSIONS: Short courses of antimicrobial treatment seems to be effective as treatment of complicated urinary tract infections by ESBL-EB.

Clinical and Microbiological Analysis of Risk Factors for Mortality in Patients with Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Bacteremia.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to identify whether the site of acquisition or the underlying carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) resistance mechanism was associated with clinical outcomes, and to evaluate risk factors for 14-day mortality in patients with CRE bacteremia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a 2700-bed tertiary center. All adult patients with monomicrobial carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia from 2011 to 2018 were included. All blood isolates collected were tested with a modified carbapenem inactivation method for phenotypic detection of carbapenemase. RESULTS: Of 133 patients with monomicrobial CRE bacteremia, 63 (47.4%) were infected with carbapenemase-producing CRE (CP-CRE), and 70 (52.6%) with non-CP-CRE. Patients with community-onset infection (COI) were more likely to present with biliary or urinary tract infections, less likely to have ineradicable or non-eradicated foci and to receive appropriate empirical therapy, and marginally more likely to have CP-CRE compared with those with hospital-acquired infection (HAI). However, 14-day mortality was significantly lower in COI than HAI (7% vs 29%, P = 0.01). Patients who died were more likely to have had a higher APACHE II score, ineradicable or non-eradicated foci, and a lower chance of having received appropriate antibiotic treatment. Multivariate analysis revealed that HAI, high APACHE II score, and inappropriate antibiotic treatment were independent risk factors for mortality. Carbapenemase production did not affect mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that timely, appropriate treatment is essential for managing CRE bacteremia, regardless of carbapenemase production, particularly in critically ill patients with hospital-acquired bacteremia.

Risks and features of secondary infections in severe and critical ill COVID-19 patients.

Objectives Severe or critical COVID-19 is associated with intensive care unit admission, increased secondary infection rate, and would lead to significant worsened prognosis. Risks and characteristics relating to secondary infections in severe COVID-19 have not been described. Methods Severe and critical COVID-19 patients from Shanghai were included. We collected lower respiratory, urine, catheters, and blood samples according to clinical necessity and culture and mNGS were performed. Clinical and laboratory data were archived. Results We found 57.89% (22/38) patients developed secondary infections. The patient receiving invasive mechanical ventilation or in critical state has a higher chance of secondary infections (P<0.0001). The most common infections were respiratory, blood-stream and urinary infections, and in respiratory infections, the most detected pathogens were gram-negative bacteria (26, 50.00%), following by gram-positive bacteria (14, 26.92%), virus (6, 11.54%), fungi (4, 7.69%), and others (2, 3.85%). Respiratory Infection rate post high flow, tracheal intubation, and tracheotomy were 12.90% (4/31), 30.43% (7/23), and 92.31% (12/13) respectively. Secondary infections would lead to lower discharge rate and higher mortality rate. Conclusion Our study originally illustrated secondary infection proportion in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. Culture accompanied with metagenomics sequencing increased pathogen diagnostic rate. Secondary infections risks increased after receiving invasive respiratory ventilations and intravascular devices, and would lead to a lower discharge rate and a higher mortality rate.

Hospitalization outcome of heart diseases between patients who received medical care by cardiologists and non-cardiologist physicians: A propensity-score matched study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The effects of physician specialty on the outcome of heart disease remains incompletely understood because of inconsistent findings from some previous studies. Our purpose is to compare the admission outcomes of heart disease in patients receiving care by cardiologists and noncardiologist (NC) physicians. METHODS: Using reimbursement claims data of Taiwan's National Health Insurance from 2008-2013, we conducted a matched study of 6264 patients aged ≥20 years who received a cardiologist's care during admission for heart disease. Using a propensity score matching procedure adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, medical condition, and type of heart disease, 6264 controls who received an NC physician's care were selected. Logistic regressions were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for complications and mortality during admission for heart disease associated with a cardiologist's care. RESULTS: Patients who received a cardiologist's care had a lower risk of pneumonia (OR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.53-0.70), septicemia (OR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.39-0.61), urinary tract infection (OR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88), and in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.29-0.47) than did patients who received an NC physician's care. The association between a cardiologist's care and reduced adverse events following admission was significant in both sexes and in patients aged ≥40 years. CONCLUSION: We raised the possibility that cardiologist care was associated with reduced infectious complications and mortality among patients who were admitted due to heart disease.

Systemic Inflammatory Markers Predict Detrimental Outcome of Urosepsis in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Urosepsis is a frequent cause of hospitalization among kidney transplant recipients (KTxR). Systemic inflammatory markers may reflect disease severity; nevertheless, their predictive value has not been evaluated in KTxRs. AIMS: We sought to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of blood-derived systemic inflammatory markers during urosepsis in KTxR. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 80 transplant recipients who were hospitalized between 2014 and 2017 due to urosepsis and followed for at least 1 year. Multiple parameters were calculated from medical records. The study endpoint was defined as death, graft loss, or a more than double serum creatinine level compared with baseline. RESULTS: Seventeen patients reached an endpoint and presented at admission significantly lower total serum protein [g/dL] (5.0 ± 0.6 vs 6.0 ± 0.7) and higher urea [mg/dL] (161, 118-218 vs 80, 56-125), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (20.0, 12.5-48.3 vs 12.9, 7.0-20.1), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (447, 203-706 vs 231, 160-357), derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) (8.5, 5.6-10.4 vs 5.3, 2.9-8.5), and maximal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (6, 4-7 vs 3, 3-5). Among blood markers, NLR showed the strongest correlation with C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, creatinine, urea, and maximal SOFA score. The NLR cut-off value >15 predicted endpoint occurrence with 59% specificity and 75% sensitivity (area under the curve [AUC] 0.67, P = .038). The combined impact of NLR, urea, and total serum protein increased the prognostic precision (sensitivity 85% and specificity 84%, AUC = 0.88, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The combined impact of NLR, urea, and total serum protein identifies KTxR who are at risk of a bad outcome after urosepsis and require more meticulous care.

Bacterial Resistance to Cephalosporin Treatment in Elderly Stable Patients Hospitalized With a Urinary Tract Infection.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear if parenteral cephalosporin treatment is appropriate in stable elderly patients hospitalized with a urinary tract infection (UTI) in settings with a high prevalence of bacterial resistant organisms. METHODS: We selected 934 consecutive stable patients aged ≥65 years with a UTI, 94.4% (n = 882) treated with a parenteral cephalosporin. Patients were divided into those with and without bacterial resistance to initial antibiotic therapy (BRIAT). Outcome measures were response to antibiotic therapy at 72 hours, prolonged hospitalization (>5 days) and mortality. RESULTS: There were 316 patients (33.8%) with BRIAT. At 72 hours, 33.9% (107/316) did not respond to initial treatment. The odds of a prolonged hospitalization was 2.1 (95% confidence interval-1.6-2.9), but no patient with BRIAT died from urosepsis (0%, 95% confidence interval-0-1.2%). CONCLUSIONS: In elderly stable patients hospitalized with a UTI, treatment with a parenteral cephalosporin might be appropriate despite a high prevalence of resistant organisms.

Dynamic Change of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratios and Infection in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on admission was reported to be a predictor of pneumonia after stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the temporal change of NLR and post-stroke infection and whether infection modified the effect of NLR on the outcome. METHODS: We enrolled patients with acute ischemic stroke within 24 h after onset. The blood was collected on admission, day 1, 3, 7 after admission to detect white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, and lymphocytes. Primary outcomes included pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), other infection, and the secondary outcome was 3-month death. RESULTS: Of 798 stroke patients, 299 (37.66%) developed infection with 240 (30.23%) pneumonia, 78 (9.82%) UTI, and 9 (1.13%) other infection. The median time of infection occurrence was 48 h (interquartile range 27-74 h) after onset. NLR reached to the peak at 36 h. For all outcomes, NLR at 36 h after stroke had the highest predictive value than WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte. NLR was independently associated with the presence of any infection (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.17), pneumonia (OR 1.12, 95%CI 1.05-1.19), but not UTI (OR 0.95, 95%CI 0.89-1.01). Adding infection or the interaction term did not substantially change the OR of NLR predicting 3-month death (OR 1.09, 95%CI 1.01, 1.17). CONCLUSION: Increased NLR around 36 h after stroke was a predictor of infection in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The increased NLR value was associated with a higher risk of 3-month death, which was independent of poststroke infection.

Evaluation of the Performance of ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator in Emergency General Surgery Patients.

The ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator is designed to estimate the chance of an unfavorable outcome after surgery. Our goal was to evaluate the accuracy of the calculator in our emergency general surgery population. Surgical outcomes were compared to predicted risk. The risk was calculated with surgeon adjustment scores (SASs) of 1 (no adjustment), 2 (risk somewhat higher), and 3 (risk significantly higher than estimate). Two hundred and twenty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. An SAS of 1 or 2 accurately predicted risk of mortality (5.7% and 8.5% predicted versus 7.9% actual), whereas a risk adjustment of 3 indicated significant overestimation of mortality rate (14.8% predicted). There was good overall prediction performance for most variables with no clear preference for SAS 1, 2, or 3. Poor correlation was seen with SSI, urinary tract infection, and length of stay variables. The ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator yields valid predictions in the emergency general surgery population, and the data support its use to inform conversations about outcome expectations.

Clinical significance of urinary obstruction in critically ill patients with urinary tract infections.

Urinary obstruction may be a complicating factor in critically ill patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) and requires efforts for identifying and controlling the infection source. However, its significance in clinical practice is uncertain. This retrospective study investigated the overall hospital courses of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) with UTIs from the emergency department.Baseline severity was assessed by the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score; outcomes included probability and inotropic-, ventilator-, renal replacement therapy (RRT)-, and ICU-free days and 28-day mortality.Of 122 patients with UTIs, 99 had abdominal computed tomography scans. Patients without computed tomography scans more frequently had quadriplegia and a urinary catheter than those without scans (P = .001 and .01). Urinary obstruction was identified in 40 patients who had higher SOFA scores and lactate levels (P = .01 and P < .001). The use and free days of inotropic drugs and ventilator did not differ between the groups. However, patients with obstruction were more likely to require RRT and had shorter durations of RRT-free days (odds ratio 3.8; P = .06 and estimate -3.0; P = .04). Durations of ICU-free days were shorter, but it disappeared after adjustment for initial SOFA scores (estimate -2.3; P = .15). Impact of the timing of urinary drainage on outcomes was evaluated, demonstrating that an intervention within 72 hours lengthened the duration of RRT-free days compared with that after 72 hours (estimate -6.0 days; P = .03). On the other hand, the study did not find the association between other outcomes including 28-day mortality and the timing of urinary drainage.Urinary obstruction can be a complicating factor, resulting in a higher probability of RRT implementation and shorter durations of RRT- and ICU-free days in critically ill patients with UTIs. Furthermore, delayed intervention for urinary drainage may result in longer durations of RRT. Efforts should be warranted to find the presence of urinary obstruction and to control infection source in critically ill patients with UTIs.

Recurrence rate and long-term course of cats with feline lower urinary tract disease.

OBJECTIVES: Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) causes clinical signs such as stranguria, pollakiuria, haematuria, vocalisation and periuria, and is often associated with recurring episodes. The primary objective of this study was to survey the long-term course of cats presenting with FLUTD in terms of recurrence rate and mortality. METHODS: Data from cats that were presented with lower urinary tract signs from 2010 to 2013 were collected by telephone interview with cat owners, using a questionnaire. The observation period ranged from the first presentation due to FLUTD to the telephone interview or the cat's death. Data on diagnoses, recurrence of clinical signs and disease-free intervals, as well as implementation and impact of prophylactic measures (PMs), were collected and compared between groups with different aetiologies. RESULTS: The study included 101 cats. Fifty-two cats were diagnosed with feline idiopathic cystitis, 21 with urolithiasis and 13 with bacterial urinary tract infection; 15 had no definitive diagnosis. Of the 86 cats with a known diagnosis, the recurrence rate was 58.1%, with no significant difference between groups. Twenty-one cats had one relapse, 12 had two relapses, 10 had three and seven had four to eight relapses within a median observation period of 38 months (range 0.5-138 months). Fourteen cats suffered from different causes of FLUTD at different episodes. Mortality due to FLUTD among all 101 cats was 5.0%. The recurrence rate in cats with urolithiasis receiving at least two PMs was significantly lower than the recurrence rate in those without PMs (P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: More than half of the cats with FLUTD presented with two or more recurrent episodes irrespective of the identified aetiology. Cats should be thoroughly investigated at each presentation as it cannot be presumed that the cause of FLUTD is the same at different episodes. The mortality due to FLUTD is lower than previously reported.

The Weekend Effect in Older Adult Urosepsis Admissions.

BACKGROUND: Urosepsis is common in older adults with more infections identified as community-acquired as opposed to hospital-acquired. Despite the prevalence of urosepsis and its high mortality rates, very little is known about the care outcomes of older adult patients with community-acquired urosepsis who are admitted to the hospital on a weekend. OBJECTIVES: To determine if a weekend admission was associated with inpatient mortality in older adults admitted to an acute care hospital with a diagnosis of community-acquired urosepsis. METHODS: Data from the State Inpatient Datasets for Florida were merged with data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey on hospital characteristics for the year 2014. Logistic regression models with a sizable number of patient and hospital controls were used to identify factors associated with inpatient mortality in patients 65 years of age and older with a primary or secondary diagnosis of community-acquired urosepsis. RESULTS: In total 21,904 older adults were admitted to a Florida hospital with a diagnosis of community-acquired urosepsis; 5736 of these patients were admitted on a weekend. In a fully adjusted logistic regression model, weekend admission was associated with a 12% increase in the odds of mortality, and each additional hour of nursing care per patient day was associated with a 2% decrease in the odds of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that weekend admission was associated with an increase in the odds of mortality in older adults with community-acquired urosepsis. Small increases in nurse staffing seem to reduce the odds of mortality.