Use of ICD-9-CM coding for identifying antibiotic prescriptions during hospitalization: a Delphi consensus model.

A Delphi consensus-seeking procedure was conducted to validate a list of ICD-9-CM codes that could help identify hospital admissions in which antimicrobials are more likely to be prescribed. The panel agreed to include 2967 codes out of 16229 (18.28%).

Management of Hypercholesterolemia in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Glimpse into the Future.

Cardio-cerebral vascular diseases due to atherosclerosis are still the leading cause of death worldwide. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B have been identified as the primary factors responsible for the atherosclerotic process, with a causal effect. Many drugs aimed at reducing LDL-C levels are already on the market, acting in different ways in terms of mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety.

Clostridioides difficile infections caused by hypervirulent strains: a single-centre real-life study.

Background And Purpose: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections worldwide, with hypervirulent strains linked to severe disease and higher mortality. This study aims to analyze the epidemiology of CDI at a tertiary-care hospital in Italy and compare clinical outcomes between patients infected with hypervirulent and non-hypervirulent strains.

Methods: A retrospective comparative study was conducted on patients diagnosed with CDI at ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Italy, from January 2015 to June 2023.

Effect of Oral Bisphosphonates on Vertebral Fractures in Males Living with HIV: A Seven Year Study.

Osteoporosis and vertebral fractures (VFs) are frequently observed in males living with HIV (MLWH). While bisphosphonates seem effective on bone mineral density (BMD) in MLWH, data on VFs are lacking. In this real-life longitudinal study performed on 118 MLWH (median age 53) who were followed-up for a median of 7 years, we aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of oral bisphosphonates on VFs in MLWH.

Long-term neurological outcome in patients presenting with encephalitis.

Background: Advances in encephalitis research have improved the definition and management of encephalitis during the acute phase. Still, little is known about long-term outcomes in different subtypes of encephalitis.

Objectives: To analyze the prevalence and predictors of long-term clinical outcomes in different subtypes of encephalitis.

A Rare Case and Literature Review of Pyelo-Hepatic Abscess in an Immunocompetent Patient: When Effective Source Control and Targeted Antimicrobial Therapy Might Not Be Enough.

Pyelo-hepatic abscess is a rare complication of upper urinary tract infections (UTIs). We describe a case of polymicrobial pyelo-hepatic abscess in an immunocompetent patient. A 71-year-old male patient with a double-J stent for right ureteral lithiasis was admitted in our Infectious Diseases Department for a pyelo-hepatic abscess.

Efficacy and Safety of Long-Acting Subcutaneous Lenacapavir in Heavily Treatment-Experienced People with Multi-Drug Resistant HIV-1: Week 104 Results of a Phase 2/3 Trial.

Background: Lenacapavir is a long-acting HIV-1 capsid inhibitor for treatment of HIV-1 infection. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of lenacapavir in combination with an investigator-selected optimized background regimen (OBR) after 104 weeks in adults with multidrug-resistant HIV-1.

Methods: This ongoing, international, Phase 2/3 trial at 42 sites included 72 adults living with multidrug-resistant HIV-1.

Role of Cefiderocol in Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Central Nervous System Infections: Real Life Experience and State-of-the-Art.

Cefiderocol is a new molecule effective against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens. Currently, there is limited evidence regarding the use of cefiderocol in central nervous system (CNS) infections. Data on the cerebrospinal fluid penetration rate of cefiderocol are limited and heterogeneous, and there is no consensus on the dosing scheme of cefiderocol to penetrate the blood-brain barrier.

Dolutegravir and Folic Acid Interaction during Neural System Development in Zebrafish Embryos.

Dolutegravir (DTG) is one of the most prescribed antiretroviral drugs for treating people with HIV infection, including women of child-bearing potential or pregnant. Nonetheless, neuropsychiatric symptoms are frequently reported. Early reports suggested that, probably in relation to folic acid (FA) shortage, DTG may induce neural tube defects in infants born to women taking the drug during pregnancy.

Inflammatory Response Associated with West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) infection is a seasonal arbovirosis with the potential to cause severe neurological disease. Outcomes of the infection from WNV depend on viral factors (e.g.

Visceral Leishmaniasis in Immunocompetent Hosts in Brescia: A Case Series and Analysis of Cytokine Cascade.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic zoonosis caused by spp. that usually manifests itself in immunocompromised subjects. It is a rare and neglected disease, and it is not endemic in the province of Brescia (Italy).

The impact of time since SARS-Cov-2 vaccination, age, sex and comorbidities on COVID-19 outcome in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

We evaluated the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on disease outcome in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection with a prospective study. 745 vaccinated and 451 unvaccinated patients consecutively admitted to a COVID-19 Hospital from 1st September 2021 to 1st September 2022 were included. Compared with unvaccinated cases, vaccinated patients were older, had more comorbidities, but had a lower risk of O2 need (odds ratio, OR, 0.

Finger nodules with a papulovesicular hands and feet eruption: a complicated human Orf virus infection.

Background: Orf virus (ORFV) is the pathogen responsible for Orf, a zoonotic viral infection that can be spread to humans from sheep and goats. Here, we present a case of human Orf complicated by an immune-related reaction, to raise awareness of this under-recognized disease avoiding unnecessary investigations and overtreatment.

Case Report: A 51-year-old woman with no previous medical history presented with a one-week history of three asymptomatic swelling nodules with a grey necrotic center and red outer halo on her index finger.

High frequency of type I interferon auto-antibodies in a group of middle-aged HIV-infected patients: A cross-sectional exploratory study.

Background: Auto-antibodies neutralizing the activity of type I interferons have been recently described in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2. They can be present even before the onset of the infection. Since type I interferons exert a dichotomous role in the pathogenesis of acute versus chronic HIV infection and auto-antibodies are often found in untreated and anti-retroviral treated HIV patients, we investigated whether auto-antibodies anti-type I interferons are present at high prevalence in those HIV patients with concomitant opportunistic infections (OIs).

Postoperative Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Patients With and Without Preoperative Colonization.

Importance: Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infections (SSIs) and bloodstream infections (BSIs) are important complications of surgical procedures for which prevention remains suboptimal. Contemporary data on the incidence of and etiologic factors for these infections are needed to support the development of improved preventive strategies.

Objectives: To assess the occurrence of postoperative S aureus SSIs and BSIs and quantify its association with patient-related and contextual factors.