Unusual subacute endocarditis following herpes zoster infection. a case report.

Objective: This paper presents a rare case of subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) following a herpes zoster (HZ) episode, with no prior records found in the existing literature.

Patient Information: Specifically, we describe a case of a 76-year-old female whose diagnosis of SBE was hindered by the concurrent manifestation of HZ symptoms, which had emerged 3 weeks before the onset of SBE indicators.

Follow-up And Outcomes: This delay in diagnosis resulted in profound complications, including a cerebrovascular accident and significant mitral valve destruction.

Adherence to Guidelines in Heart Failure, Is It Valid for Elderly Patients?

Background: Current guidelines for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are based on studies that have excluded or underrepresented older patients.

Objectives: To assess the value of guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) in HFrEF patients 80 years of age and older.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study included patients hospitalized with a first and primary diagnosis of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and ejection fraction (EF) of ≤ 40%.

Association between IgG antibody levels and adverse events after first and second Bnt162b2 mRNA vaccine doses.

Objectives: This study sought to correlate the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody response level to the BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech) mRNA vaccine after the first and second doses with the reported adverse events.

Methods: This cohort study examined the adverse events profiles of people vaccinated with BNT162b2 in our institute between late 2020 and May 2021. Adverse events, age, and sex were reported using an electronic questionnaire, and their SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels were retrieved from the hospital database.

The Association Between Opioid Use and Opioid Type and the Clinical Course and Outcomes of Acute Pancreatitis.

Objectives: Basic science studies suggest that opioids aggravate disease severity and outcomes in acute pancreatitis. We sought to determine the association of opioid use and opioid type with the clinical course and outcome of acute pancreatitis.

Methods: In this retrospective single-center observational study, we included all adult patients admitted with acute pancreatitis between 2008 and 2021.

Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experience of the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.

Background: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced drastic changes in all layers of life. Social distancing and lockdown drove the educational system to uncharted territories at an accelerated pace, leaving educators little time to adjust.

Objectives: To describe changes in teaching during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Career Trajectory of Physicians Following a Fellowship Program: A Descriptive Study.

Introduction: A clinical and/or research fellowship abroad has become a prevalent choice among Israeli physicians. However, the influence of fellowship programs on the career path is unclear. We evaluated the role of physicians returning from fellowship in the organizational hierarchy and their professional and academic status.

β-lactam antibiotics vs. vancomycin for the early treatment of enterococcal bacteraemia: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: The efficacy of vancomycin compared with ampicillin for enterococcal infections is unknown. This study aimed to compare their efficacy among patients with enterococcal bacteraemia.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study including adults aged >16 years with enterococcal bacteraemia, treated with β-lactam antibiotics active against Enterococcus spp.

[REDUCTION OF ANTIBIOTIC CONSUMPTION IN RAMBAM HEALTH CARE CAMPUS - THE ROLE OF AN ANTIBIOTIC STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM].

Introduction: Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP) are designed to optimize antibiotic use in hospitals. Antibiotic consumption is one of the measures assessing the effects of ASPs.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of an ASP on antibiotic consumption in our hospital and compare it to hospitals in Israel and worldwide.

Natural history and decolonization strategies for ESBL/carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae carriage: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are rapidly spreading worldwide. Their natural reservoir is intestinal.

Methods: We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate CRE and ESBL carriage duration and to evaluate the effect of decolonization therapy.

[SYNCOPE CAUSED BY INTRA-OCULAR TIMOLOL].

Introduction: Timolol eye-drops are commonly used for the treatment of glaucoma. Despite being topically applied, some systemic absorption occurs with the resulting adverse reactions related to its beta-adrenoreceptor blocking activity

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 68 years old healthy male who was admitted to our department for further workup following two episodes of syncope. Medical history taking revealed that the episodes of syncope occurred soon after beginning treatment with intra-ocular timolol for glaucoma.

Serum inorganic phosphorus levels predict 30-day mortality in patients with community acquired pneumonia.

Background: Community acquired pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The association between serum phosphorus levels on admission and the outcome of patients with community acquired pneumonia has not been widely examined. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of serum phosphorus levels on admission on the 30- day mortality.

From hypomagnesaemia to Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: an adverse effect of a proton pump inhibitor.

We describe the case of a 53-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain, diarrhoea and hypomagnesaemia. The hypomagnesaemia proved to be due to gastrointestinal loss as urinary fractional excretion was very low, suggesting non-renal loss. Common causes were discarded and the hypomagnesaemia was attributed to chronic use of the proton pump inhibitor, omeprazole.

Pregnancy-associated listeriosis: clinical characteristics and geospatial analysis of a 10-year period in Israel.

Background: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes life-threatening infections in elderly, immunocompromised, and pregnant women. In pregnancy it may cause fetal loss or a preterm delivery, and the neonate is prone to neonatal sepsis and death.

Methods: We created a cohort of all L.

Adrenocortical carcinoma presenting as bilateral pitting leg oedema.

We report a case of a 54-year-old woman presented with bilateral pitting leg oedema. Initial workup for common aetiologies was unrevealing and diuretic therapy was ineffective. A CT scan of the abdomen demonstrated left adrenal mass with direct invasion of the adrenal vein and inferior vena cava with direct extension to the right atrium.

Is elevated red cell distribution width a prognostic predictor in adult patients with community acquired pneumonia?

Background: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We recently demonstrated that among young patients (<60 years old) with CAP, elevated red blood cell distribution width (RDW) level on admission was associated with significant higher rates of mortality and severe morbidity. We aimed to investigate the prognostic predictive value of RDW among CAP patients in general population of internal wards.

Group G streptococcal endocarditis-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.

We report the case of a 28-year-old previously healthy male who presented with a 1-week history of fever, headache, vomiting, and jaundice. Blood cultures were positive for group G streptococci and transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated vegetations on the aortic valve, leading to a definitive diagnosis of infective endocarditis. The combination of fever, splenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypertriglyceridemia, elevated ferritin level, low natural killer (NK) cell activity, and hemophagocytosis in bone marrow aspirate confirmed the diagnosis of hemophagocytic syndrome (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis).

Incidence and risk factors for endocarditis among patients with health care-associated Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis (IE) is a characteristic community-acquired infection, however most cases are presently occurring in the health care setting. This study investigated the incidence and risk factors for S. aureus IE in patients with nosocomial and health care-associated S.

Elevated red cell distribution width predicts poor outcome in young patients with community acquired pneumonia.

Introduction: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. While there is much data about risk factors for severe outcome in the general population, there is less focus on younger group of patients. Therefore, we aimed to detect simple prognostic factors for severe morbidity and mortality in young patients with CAP.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia upon hospital admission: risk factors for mortality and influence of inadequate empirical antimicrobial therapy.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an uncommon cause of bacteremia upon hospital admission (UHA) and the chosen empirical antimicrobial therapy may not cover it appropriately. In a multicenter prospective study conducted in Israel, we evaluated risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia UHA and determined the influence of delay in adequate empirical antimicrobial therapy on patients' outcome.

Sepsis impairs alveolar epithelial function by downregulating Na-K-ATPase pump.

Widespread vascular endothelial injury is the major mechanism for multiorgan dysfunction in sepsis. Following this process, the permeability of the alveolar capillaries is augmented with subsequent increase in water content and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Nevertheless, the role of alveolar epithelium is less known.

National multicenter study of predictors and outcomes of bacteremia upon hospital admission caused by Enterobacteriaceae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are pathogens that may lead to a spectrum of clinical syndromes. We aimed to identify predictors and outcomes of ESBL bacteremia upon hospital admission (UHA) in a nationwide prospective study. Thus, a multicenter prospective study was conducted in 10 Israeli hospitals.