Is ß-d-glucan Relevant for the Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Intensive Care Patients with Yeast-Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infection?

The usefulness of (1,3)-ß-d-glucan (BDG) detection for the diagnosis of intra-abdominal candidiasis and treatment monitoring is unknown. A prospective, single-center study of consecutive patients admitted to an ICU with complicated intra-abdominal infection (IAI) over a 2-year period was conducted. BDG was measured in the peritoneal fluid and serum between day 1 (D1) and D10.

Determinants of amikacin first peak concentration in critically ill patients.

Amikacin antimicrobial effect has been correlated with the ratio of the peak concentration (C ) to the minimum inhibitory concentration. A target C ≥ 60-80 mg/L has been suggested. It has been shown that such target is not achieved in a large proportion of critically ill patients in intensive care units.

Does inferior vena cava respiratory variability predict fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing patients?

Introduction: We have almost no information concerning the value of inferior vena cava (IVC) respiratory variations in spontaneously breathing ICU patients (SBP) to predict fluid responsiveness.

Methods: SBP with clinical fluid need were included prospectively in the study. Echocardiography and Doppler ultrasound were used to record the aortic velocity-time integral (VTI), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and IVC collapsibility index (cIVC) ((maximum diameter (IVCmax)- minimum diameter (IVCmin))/ IVCmax) at baseline, after a passive leg-raising maneuver (PLR) and after 500 ml of saline infusion.

Use of aztreonam in association with cefepime for the treatment of nosocomial infections due to multidrug-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to β-lactams in ICU patients: A pilot study.

Objectives: Resistance to all β-lactams is emerging among Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) clinical isolates. Aztreonam and cefepime act synergistically in vitro against AmpC overproducing PA isolates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of this treatment in ICU patients infected with multidrug-resistant PA.

Characterization of a novel AmpC β-lactamase produced by a carbapenem-resistant Cedecea davisae clinical isolate.

A Cedecea davisae isolate, which was intermediate or resistant to third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems, was recovered from a urine sample. Susceptibility testing, isoelectric focusing, and analysis of outer membrane proteins showed that AmpC β-lactamase expression combined with porin deficiency accounted for the carbapenem resistance. A cloning experiment followed by phenotypic and enzymatic characterization identified a novel class C enzyme that was phylogenetically and biochemically close to the chromosome-borne β-lactamases of the genera Enterobacter and Citrobacter.