Biomarker guided antibiotic stewardship in community acquired pneumonia: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: In community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), the role of biomarkers to shorten duration of antibiotic treatment has not been firmly established. We assessed the effectiveness of active feedback of treatment algorithms based on procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP), compared to standard care, on the duration of antibiotic treatment in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in non-ICU wards.

Methods And Findings: We performed a randomised, open label, parallel group, multi-centre trial in 3 Dutch teaching hospitals.

Bronchiectasis and asthma: Data from the European Bronchiectasis Registry (EMBARC).

Background: Asthma is commonly reported in patients with a diagnosis of bronchiectasis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with bronchiectasis and asthma (BE+A) had a different clinical phenotype and different outcomes compared with patients with bronchiectasis without concomitant asthma.

Methods: A prospective observational pan-European registry (European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration) enrolled patients across 28 countries.

The Association between Bronchiectasis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Data from the European Bronchiectasis Registry (EMBARC).

COPD and bronchiectasis are commonly reported together. Studies report varying impacts of co-diagnosis on outcomes, which may be related to different definitions of disease used across studies. To investigate the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with bronchiectasis and its relationship with clinical outcomes.

[A man with yellow nails].

A 60-year-old man was referred to the outpatient clinic due to dyspnea of effort and productive coughing and rhinorrhea. Physical examination revealed swollen ankles and yellow, hyperkeratotic nails. HRCT showed bronchiectasis.

Treatment with inhaled antibiotics in bronchiectasis, side effects, and evaluation of the tolerance test; analysis from the BATTLE randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS) is a treatment option for patients with frequent exacerbations of bronchiectasis. A possible side effect of TIS is the development of chronic cough and bronchospasm, whereby the guidelines suggest a (in hospital) tolerance test with the first dose of TIS. However, data on respiratory adverse events are not consistent.

The effect of azithromycin on sputum inflammatory markers in bronchiectasis.

Background: Long term macrolide treatment has been found beneficial in bronchiectasis (BE) -pathogical bronchial dilatation- possibly due to a combined anti-bacterial and immunomodulatory effect. The exact mechanism of inflammatory response is unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of maintenance macrolide treatment on the inflammatory response in BE.

Procalcitonin-Guided Antibiotic Prescription in Patients With COVID-19: A Multicenter Observational Cohort Study.

Background: Despite the low rate of bacterial coinfection, antibiotics are very commonly prescribed in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Research Question: Does the use of a procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic protocol safely reduce the use of antibiotics in patients with a COVID-19 infection?

Study Design And Methods: In this multicenter cohort, three groups of patients with COVID-19 were compared in terms of antibiotic consumption, namely one group treated based on a PCT-algorithm in one hospital (n = 216) and two control groups, consisting of patients from the same hospital (n = 57) and of patients from three similar hospitals (n = 486) without PCT measurements during the same period. The primary end point was antibiotic prescription in the first week of admission.

Bronchiectasis in Europe: data on disease characteristics from the European Bronchiectasis registry (EMBARC).

Background: Bronchiectasis is a heterogeneous, neglected disease with few multicentre studies exploring the causes, severity, microbiology, and treatment of the disease across Europe. This aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of bronchiectasis and compare between different European countries.

Methods: EMBARC is an international clinical research network for bronchiectasis.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and clot resolution after COVID-19-associated pulmonary embolism.

https://bit.ly/3IjvWL3

[A man with swollen eyelids].

A 74-old man developed severe periorbital emphysema after a video-assisted thoracoscopy for lung malignancy. Because of severe symptoms of pain and visual impairment, subcutaneous emphysema was evacuated by bilateral punctures and manual mobilisation of air through the puncture holes.

High flow nasal cannula for acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 in patients with a 'do-not-intubate' order: A survival analysis.

Introduction: High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) reduces the need for intubation in patients with hypoxaemic acute respiratory failure (ARF), but its added value in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and a do-not-intubate (DNI) order is unknown. We aimed to assess (variables associated with) survival in these patients.

Materials And Methods: We described a multicentre retrospective observational cohort study in five hospitals in the Netherlands and assessed the survival in COVID-19 patients with severe acute respiratory failure and a DNI order who were treated with high flow nasal cannula.

The BATTLE study: Effects of long-term tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS) once daily on exacerbation rate in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Study protocol of a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial: study protocol.

Background: Patients with bronchiectasis typically suffer from chronic symptoms such as a productive cough with or without exacerbations leading to hospitalization, causing reduced quality of life (QoL) and mortality. Long-term inhaled antibiotics to treat chronic bronchial infection is registered for use in cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis. However, in patients with non-CF bronchiectasis data on long-term antibiotics are limited.

Effects of long-term tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS) once daily on exacerbation rate in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Background: Use of long-term tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS) has been shown beneficial in cystic fibrosis (CF) and earlier findings also suggest a benefit in non-CF bronchiectasis. We investigated the efficacy and safety of maintenance TIS once daily (OD) in frequent exacerbating bronchiectasis patients chronically infected by different pathogens sensitive for tobramycin.

Objective: The primary outcome was the frequency of exacerbations during the 12-month study period.

[Current inpatient treatment options for COVID-19: an update].

In this article we provide an overview of the current treatment recommendations for COVID-19. These recommendations are made by the SWAB (StichtingWerkgroepAntibioticabeleid), in cooperation with the FMS (FederatieMedischSpecialisten (online: swab.nl/nl/covid-19.

Postthrombotic syndrome and quality of life after deep vein thrombosis in patients treated with edoxaban versus warfarin.

Background: Postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a long-term complication after deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and can affect quality of life (QoL). Pathogenesis is not fully understood but inadequate anticoagulant therapy with vitamin K antagonists is a known risk factor for the development of PTS.

Objectives: To compare the prevalence of PTS after acute DVT and the long-term QoL following DVT between patients treated with edoxaban or warfarin.

Relationship between biomarkers and findings on low-dose computed tomography in hospitalised patients with acute exacerbation of COPD.

Background: Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) and community acquired pneumonia (CAP) often coexist. Although chest radiographs may differentiate between these diagnoses, chest radiography is known to underestimate the incidence of CAP in AECOPD. In this exploratory study, we prospectively investigated the incidence of infiltrative changes using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT).

Validating a clinical prediction score for Legionella-related community acquired pneumonia.

Background: Legionella-related community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a disease with an increasing incidence and a high mortality rate, especially if empirical antibiotic therapy is inadequate. Antibiotic treatment highly relies on clinical symptoms, although proven non-specific, because currently available diagnostic techniques provide insufficient accuracy for detecting Legionella CAP on admission. This study validates a diagnostic scoring system for detection of Legionella-related CAP, based on six items on admission (Legionella prediction score).

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine to reduce healthcare worker absenteeism in COVID-19 pandemic, a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic increases healthcare worker (HCW) absenteeism. The bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine may provide non-specific protection against respiratory infections through enhancement of trained immunity. We investigated the impact of BCG vaccination on HCW absenteeism during the COVID-19 pandemic.