Predictive prognostic biomarkers in patients with COVID‑19 infection.

The present study aimed to identify useful biomarkers to predict deterioration in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19). A total of 201 COVID‑19 patients were classified according to their disease severity into non‑severe (n=125) and severe (n=76) groups, and the behavior of laboratory biomarkers was examined according to the prognosis. Neutrophil count, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C‑reactive protein (CRP), sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL‑6 (KL‑6), procalcitonin (PCT), presepsin (PSP) and D‑dimer levels were significantly higher, and lymphocyte count and platelet count were significantly lower in the non‑severe group compared with the severe group.

The gut microbiota composition in patients with right- and left-sided colorectal cancer and after curative colectomy, as analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

Background: Gut pathological microbial imbalance or dysbiosis is closely associated with colorectal cancer. Although there are observable differences in molecular and clinical characteristics between patients with right- and left-sided colon cancer, differences in their gut microbiomes have not been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, subsequent changes in microbiota status after partial colectomy remain unknown.

Comparison of antibiotics use, urinary tract infection (UTI)-causative bacteria and their antibiotic susceptibilities among 4 hospitals with different backgrounds and regions in Japan.

In this study, we compared the antibiotic use, urinary tract infection-causative bacteria and their antibiotic susceptibilities among four hospitals with different backgrounds and regions in Japan in 2014. Frequency of antibiotic use (antibiotic use density: AUD/all AUD) were: ampicillin: 0.21-20.

Shock due to urosepsis: A multicentre study.

Introduction: Urosepsis is a severe infection that can cause shock afterwards. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical and bacterial risk factors for shock in those cases with urosepsis caused by urinary tract infection in a multicentre study.

Methods: Our study included 77 consecutive urosepsis cases from four hospitals We examined factors such as patient characteristics, underlying disease, serum white blood cell (WBC) count, platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP) level at the time of diagnosis of urosepsis, urinary tract occlusion, causative bacteria, and bacterial antibiotic susceptibilities.

Emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in catheter-associated urinary tract infection in neurogenic bladder patients.

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is a common clinic problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate recent trends in CAUTI in neurogenic bladder patients focusing on extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli.

Methods: Isolates from the urine of neurogenic bladder patients with UTI were investigated.