Prevalence of digestive disorders associated with imported Chagas disease (PADChI study): an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, in which up to 10-20% of those affected may suffer digestive disorders. Multiple studies have been carried out on CD in non-endemic countries, mainly related to cardiological involvement. However, digestive disorders have not been analyzed in such depth. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of digestive disorders in imported CD at the time of first care. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional descriptive analysis of imported CD was performed. Chagasic structural damage and infectious digestive comorbidity were evaluated. The association between Chagasic structural damage and heart disease in Chagas patients was also investigated. RESULTS: After reviewing a total of 1,216 medical records, those of 464 patients were selected for analysis. Globally, the prevalence of digestive disorders in imported Chagas was 57.76%, 95% CI (53.25-62.27). The prevalence of comorbidity of infectious diseases was 40.73% CI 95% (36.25-45.22). Colonic abnormalities were found in 84 of 378 barium enema patients. CD-related esophageal abnormalities were present in 63 of 380 patients studied with esophagogram. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of digestive disorders associated with CD is high, so the presence of infectious diseases (mainly parasitic and H. pylori infection) should be ruled out. It is important to exclude structural involvement in all symptomatic patients, and asymptomatic patients should also be considered and offered.

Impact of a stewardship program on bacteraemia in adult inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality among inpatients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a stewardship program on clinical and antimicrobial therapy-related outcomes in patients with bacteraemia. METHODS: Single-centre, before-and-after quasi-experimental study in adult inpatients. Over 1 January 2013 to 31 June 2013 all patients aged 18 years or older with a bacteraemia (interven-tion group, N=200) were compared to a historical cohort (1 Janu-ary 2012 to 31 December 2012) (control group, N=200). RESULTS: Following blood culture results and adjusting for potential confounders, the stewardship program was associated with more changes to antibiotic regimens (adjusted odds ratio [ORa]: 4.6, 95% CI 2.9, 7.4), more adjustments to antimicrobial therapy (ORa: 2.4, 95% CI 1.5, 3.8), and better source control in the first five days (ORa 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.7). In the subgroup that initially received inappropriate empiric treatment (n=138), the intervention was associated with more antibiotic changes (OR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.8, 8.5) and a better choice of definitive antimicrobial therapy (OR 2.3 95% CI: 1.2, 4.6). There were also more antibiotic changes in the subgroups with both Gram-negative (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6, 4.9; n=217) and Gram-positive (OR: 4.6, 95% CI: 1.8, 9.9; n=135) bacteraemia among those receiving the intervention, while the Gram-positive subgroup also received more appropriate definitive antimicrobial therapy (OR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.8, 8.8). CONCLUSIONS: The stewardship program improved treatment of patients with bacteraemia and appropriateness of therapy.

Can alprostadil improve liver failure in HIV-infected patients with severe acute viral hepatitis?

Liver failure with hepatic encephalopathy during an acute viral hepatitis carries a very high mortality. Liver transplantation is the usual treatment, but for poor candidates for transplantation only supportive therapy is available. Two patients with HIV infection developed an acute B hepatitis with liver insufficiency and hepatic encephalopathy. After an alprostadil infusion was begun they improved quickly and made a full recovery. This drug merits further investigation.

A prospective study of the clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in elderly patients.

The study was a prospective observational trial carried out to assess the clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in elderly patients chronically taking digoxin. Digoxin concentrations were determined before and after concomitant treatment with clarithromycin. A Bayesian approach was used to calculate digoxin pharmacokinetics. In the seven patients who were studied there was a significant increase in digoxin concentration after 4-7 days of clarithromycin treatment; digoxin clearance and elimination rate constant were 56-60% lower and elimination half-life was 82% longer. The pharmacokinetic clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in the elderly may be much more frequent than has been assumed up to now.

Usefulness of pp65 antigenemia for the early diagnosis of cytomegalovirus disease in patients with AIDS.

An observational cohort study was performed to assess the effectiveness of a cytomegalovirus antigenemia (CMV-Ag) assay designed to predict clinical CMV disease in patients with AIDS. Eighty-six HIV-infected patients with CD4+ cell counts of < 100/mm3, positive CMV IgG, and no previous CMV disease were enrolled. Thirty-eight (44%) patients had at least one positive CMV antigenemia test, ten of whom eventually developed CMV focal disease. CMV disease was diagnosed in 13 (15%) patients. The CMV antigenemia assay was positive in ten of these 13 patients. Using a cut-off value of five positive cells in every 150,000 leukocytes sampled, the CMV antigenemia assay had a positive predictive value of 89% and a negative predictive value of 94%. The median time from the first positive CMV antigenemia test to the onset of CMV disease was 102 days. CMV disease probability at 6 months in patients with a CMV antigenemia value > or = 5 was 77.8% versus 6% in patients with CMV antigenemia value < 5 (log-rank test = 48.345; P < 0.001). Several independent factors were associated with the development of CMV disease: CMV antigenemia > or = 5 cells (hazard ratio: 20.44), CD4+ count < or = 25/mm3 (HR: 3.12), and sexual transmission of HIV infection (hazard ratio, 3.15). CMV antigenemia seems to be a good predictor of CMV disease in patients with AIDS.