Long-term impact of COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic use in primary care: lessons to optimize antimicrobial use.

Background: Lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with changes in the pattern of use of antimicrobials, but persistence of changes after lockdowns has not been described. The objective was to describe the number of patients with dispensed antibiotic treatment and consumption of antibiotics in outpatients from primary care in Catalonia 18 months after the end of the emergency period.

Research Design And Methods: Data for the COVID-19 pandemic period was obtained from March 2020 to December 2021.

Ampicillin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible bacteremia: a clinical narrative review.

Introduction: is a commensal microorganism that can cause infections such as bacteremia. Incidence of ampicillin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible (EfARSV) bacteremia is on the rise, and the mortality rate is high. Despite much data, the most appropriate treatment remains a question.

Changing Trends in the Global Consumption of Treatments Used in Hospitalized Patients for COVID-19: A Time Series Multicentre Study.

Aim: To analyze trends in the prescription of COVID-19 treatments for hospitalized patients during the pandemic.

Methods: Multicenter, ecological, time-series study of aggregate data for all adult patients with COVID-19 treated in five acute-care hospitals in Barcelona, Spain, between March 2020 and May 2021. Trends in the monthly prevalence of drugs used against COVID-19 were analyzed by the Mantel-Haenszel test.

Cross-Sectional Survey on the Current Role of Clinical Pharmacists among Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes in Catalonia: Much Ado about Nothing.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance killed 1.27 million people in 2019, so urgent actions are desperately needed. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) are essential to optimize antimicrobial use.

Dynamics of Humoral and Cellular Responses in Renal Transplant Recipients Receiving 3 Doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine.

Background: The original SARS-CoV-2 vaccination regimen (2 doses) induces insufficient short-term response in kidney transplant (KT) recipients. This study assessed the response to a third dose and the long-term immunogenicity after 2 doses in KT.

Methods: We analyzed the dynamics of the humoral and cellular response by monitoring SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies against the Spike-protein (IgG-Spike) and QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 IFN-γ release assay 6 mo after the second dose (T2) and 28 d after the third dose of mRNA vaccines (T3) to KT and controls (dialysis patients and healthy individuals).

Real-world effectiveness and persistence of reference etanercept versus biosimilar etanercept GP2015 among rheumatoid arthritis patients: A cohort study.

Although several randomized clinical trials have confirmed that there is no difference in efficacy between etanercept and its biosimilar versions in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), limited real-world evidence is available. We conducted a cohort study to compare the effectiveness and treatment persistence between the reference etanercept (ETN) and the biosimilar GP2015 in RA patients in a real-life setting. Adults with a diagnosis of RA who initiated treatment with ETN or GP2015, between January 2007 and December 2019, were included.

Scientific evidence of the duration of antibiotic treatment in intra-abdominal infections with surgical focus control.

A non-systematic review of the published scientific evidence has been carried out on the duration of empirical antibiotic treatment in surgical intra-abdominal infections (IIA) with effective focus control. Given the progressive increase in antibiotic resistance, it is urgent to have strategies to reduce the pressure on the microbiota. The American guidelines made by Mazuski et al.

Intravenous Iron Replacement Improves Exercise Tolerance in COPD: A Single-Blind Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Iron deficiency affects exercise capacity because of the critical role iron plays in the optimal functioning of skeletal muscle metabolism. We hypothesized that intravenous iron may improve exercise tolerance, quality of life (QoL), and daily physical activity (DPA) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: This was a placebo-controlled, single-blind, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial.

Aminoglycoside or Polymyxin Monotherapy for Treating Complicated Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A Propensity Score-Adjusted and Matched Cohort Study.

Introduction: Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections are difficult to treat. We aimed to compare aminoglycosides or polymyxin monotherapy versus other antibiotic regimens (carbapenems, aztreonam, ceftazidime, cefepime, ceftolozane-tazobactam, or ceftazidime-avibactam) in complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) caused by XDR-PA.

Methods: Study performed at a tertiary-care hospital from 2010 to 2019.

SARS-CoV-2 could be spread through hospital medication dispensed to patients: A prospective observational study.

Our objective was to analyze in vitro the persistence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the packaging material of the drugs dispensed to hospital wards. Additionally, to evaluate if the protection with a double plastic bag prevents the contamination of the medication dispensed to an intensive care unit (ICU).On the first part, different materials containing different drugs within an ICU were sampled to confirm the lack of contamination by SARS-CoV-2.

Impact of Generic Entry on Hospital Antimicrobial Use: A Retrospective Quasi-Experimental Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

Background: The impact of antimicrobials generic entry (GE) is controversial. Their introduction could provide an economic benefit yet may also increase their consumption, leading to a higher risk of resistance. Our aim was to analyze the impact of GE on trends of antimicrobial consumption in an acute-care hospital.

Negative immune responses to two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in renal allograft recipients assessed with simple antibody and interferon gamma release assay cellular monitoring.

Studies are urgently needed to characterize immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccines in kidney transplant (KT) recipients, excluded from major clinical trials. Complex ELISPOT and other cellular response techniques have been applied, but simpler tools are needed. An easy-to-use real-world monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies against the Spike protein and QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 IFNγ release assay (IGRA) were performed at baseline and 28 days after the second dose in KT recipients and controls (dialysis patients and healthy ones).

Antimicrobial Consumption among 66 Acute Care Hospitals in Catalonia: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Antimicrobials have been widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the antimicrobial consumption of 66 hospitals in Catalonia.

Methods: Adult antibacterial and antimycotic consumption was calculated as defined daily doses (DDD)/100 bed-days and DDD/100 discharges.

Pharmacological management of antifungal agents in pulmonary aspergillosis: an updated review.

Introduction: may cause different types of lung infections: invasive, chronic pulmonary or allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Pharmacological management with antifungals poses as a challenge. Patients diagnosed with pulmonary aspergillosis are complex, as well as the problems associated with antifungal agents.

Daptomycin versus Glycopeptides for the Treatment of Bacteraemia: A Cohort Study.

Background: Ampicillin resistant and glycopeptide susceptible bloodstream infection (GSEF-BSI) incidence has risen. However, the treatment of choice remains unknown. Daptomycin use for the treatment of enterococcal infections has increased, despite effectiveness and safety concerns.

Risk Factors for Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Resistance in Community-Onset Urinary Tract Infections Caused by or : The Role of Prior Exposure to Fluoroquinolones.

Background: High rates of amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC) resistance among Enterobacterales isolated from urinary tract infections (UTIs) were observed in our area. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with AMC resistance in patients with community-onset UTI in emergency departments (EDs).

Methods: A retrospective study was performed of all ED patients with positive urine cultures for or in a Spanish tertiary-care hospital.

Osteoarticular Cryptococcosis Successfully Treated with High-Dose Liposomal Amphotericin B Followed by Oral Fluconazole.

Background: Skeletal involvement of is infrequent and usually associated with disseminated cryptococcosis or underlying predisposing conditions. We present an atypical case of osteoarticular cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent patient.

Case Presentation: We herein report a case of bone and soft tissue cryptococcal infection in a 42-year-old male from Pakistan with well-controlled diabetes without other associated immunodeficiencies treated with antifungal therapy without surgical debridement.

Evolution of Antimicrobial Consumption During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The first wave of COVID-19 pandemic may have significantly impacted antimicrobial consumption in hospitals. The objective of this study was to assess the evolution of antimicrobial consumption during this period : A retrospective quasi-experimental before-after study was conducted in a Spanish tertiary care hospital. The study compared two periods: pre-pandemic, from January 2018 to February 2020, and during the COVID-19 pandemic from March to June 2020.

Prognostic factors and effect on survival of immune-related adverse events in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint blockage.

Our aim was to describe the incidence and characteristics of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and to evaluate their impact on outcome. All cases of NSCLC patients treated with ICIs in the second-line setting between December 2015 and May 2018 were evaluated. Seventy patients were included.

Azithromycin in the treatment of COVID-19: a review.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus that causes coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Antiviral and immunomodulatory agents have been proposed as potential treatments. Azithromycin exhibits both properties and therefore may play a role.

Antibiotic consumption trends among acute care hospitals in Catalonia (2008-2016): impact of different adjustments on the results.

Objectives: Hospital antibiotic consumption is measured using defined-daily-doses (DDD) divided by bed days. However,other denominators as discharges could provide a more accurate interpretation of consumption. The main objective was to analyze trends of antibiotic consumption among hospitals in Catalonia during the period 2008-2016, using both DDD/100 bed days and DDD/100 discharges.