Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment Practices in Two Large Integrated Health Systems in California, 2009-2018.

Background: Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is highly effective at preventing active tuberculosis (TB) disease. Understanding LTBI treatment practices in US health system settings is critical to identify opportunities to improve treatment prescription, initiation, and completion, and thus to prevent TB disease.

Methods: We assessed LTBI treatment practices among a cohort of adults after their first positive LTBI test (tuberculin skin test [TST] or interferon gamma release assay [IGRA]) between 2009 and 2018 at 2 large integrated health systems in California.

SARS-CoV-2 Positivity and Mask Utilization Among Health Care Workers.

This cohort study examines the association of mask use with COVID-19 transmission among health care workers in California.

Obesity and Mortality Among Patients Diagnosed With COVID-19: Results From an Integrated Health Care Organization.

Background: Obesity, race/ethnicity, and other correlated characteristics have emerged as high-profile risk factors for adverse coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated outcomes, yet studies have not adequately disentangled their effects.

Objective: To determine the adjusted effect of body mass index (BMI), associated comorbidities, time, neighborhood-level sociodemographic factors, and other factors on risk for death due to COVID-19.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Do Inpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs Help Us in the Battle Against Antimicrobial Resistance?

Background: Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) have demonstrated success at reducing costs, yet there is limited quality evidence of their effectiveness in reducing infections of high-profile drug-resistant organisms.

Methods: This retrospective, cohort study included all Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) members aged ≥18 years hospitalized in 9 KPSC hospitals from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2016. We measured the impact of staggered ASP implementation on consumption of 18 ASP-targeted antibiotics using generalized linear mixed-effects models.

Opportunities to Improve Antibiotic Appropriateness in U.S. ICUs: A Multicenter Evaluation.

Objectives: To use a standardized tool for a multicenter assessment of antibiotic appropriateness in ICUs and identify local antibiotic stewardship improvement opportunities.

Design: Pilot point prevalence conducted on October 5, 2016; point prevalence survey conducted on March 1, 2017.

Setting: ICUs in 12 U.