Recurrent Infection and Outcome of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Use: A Population-Based Assessment.

Background: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is recommended for the treatment of recurrent infection (rCDI). In the current study, we evaluated rates of rCDI and subsequent FMT in a large metropolitan area. We compared demographic and clinical differences in FMT recipients and nonrecipients and quantified differences in outcomes based on treatment modality.

Technical and clinical considerations of a physical liver phantom for CT radiomics analysis.

Objective: This study identifies key characteristics to help build a physical liver computed tomography (CT) phantom for radiomics harmonization; particularly, the higher-order texture metrics.

Materials And Methods: CT scans of a radiomics phantom comprising of 18 novel 3D printed inserts with varying size, shape, and material combinations were acquired on a 64-slice CT scanner (Brilliance 64, Philips Healthcare). The images were acquired at 120 kV, 250 mAs, CTDIvol of 16.

Potential underreporting of treated patients using a testing algorithm that screens with a nucleic acid amplification test.

Objective: Patients tested for infection (CDI) using a 2-step algorithm with a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) followed by toxin assay are not reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network as a laboratory-identified CDI event if they are NAAT positive (+)/toxin negative (-). We compared NAAT+/toxin- and NAAT+/toxin+ patients and identified factors associated with CDI treatment among NAAT+/toxin- patients.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Investigating the role of imaging factors in the variability of CT-based texture analysis metrics.

Objective: This study assesses the robustness of first-order radiomic texture features namely interquartile range (IQR), coefficient of variation (CV) and standard deviation (SD) derived from computed tomography (CT) images by varying dose, reconstruction algorithms and slice thickness using scans of a uniform water phantom, a commercial anthropomorphic liver phantom, and a human liver in-vivo.

Materials And Methods: Scans were acquired on a 16 cm detector GE Revolution Apex Edition CT scanner with variations across three different nominal slice thicknesses: 0.625, 1.

Reductions in inpatient fluoroquinolone use and postdischarge infection (CDI) from a systemwide antimicrobial stewardship intervention.

Objective: To determine the impact of an inpatient stewardship intervention targeting fluoroquinolone use on inpatient and postdischarge infection (CDI).

Design: We used an interrupted time series study design to evaluate the rate of hospital-onset CDI (HO-CDI), postdischarge CDI (PD-CDI) within 12 weeks, and inpatient fluoroquinolone use from 2 years prior to 1 year after a stewardship intervention.

Setting: An academic healthcare system with 4 hospitals.