Prediction of mortality in metastatic colorectal cancer in a real-life population: a multicenter explorative analysis.

Background: Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) remains a lethal disease. Survival, however, is increasing due to a growing number of treatment options. Yet due to the number of prognostic factors and their interactions, prediction of mortality is difficult.

Prognostic value of metastatic pattern in colorectal cancer: a multicenter retrospective analysis in a real-life cohort.

Background: Metastatic patterns have been linked with prognosis in colorectal cancer. We aim to determine the distribution of metastases, their dynamics during disease and their prognostic impact for specific clinical treatment scenarios (resection of metastasis and/or systemic treatment, best supportive care).

Material And Methods: 978 patients diagnosed with metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma treated at three oncological centers from 2006 to 2018 were included.

Clinical Outcome in Patients with Carcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction Treated with Neoadjuvant Radiochemotherapy or Perioperative Chemotherapy: A Two-Center Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) is a rare but rising tumor entity in the Western world. Treatment is complex, as multimodality is key to optimal results. However, trials solely including AEG are rare, and the question if neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (NRCT) or neoadjuvant/perioperative chemotherapy (NACT) is superior remains unanswered.

Development and validation of potential structure indicators for evaluating antimicrobial stewardship programmes in European hospitals.

This study describes the development of structure indicators for hospital antimicrobial stewardship programmes and pilot validation across European hospitals. A multi-disciplinary panel from four European countries developed structure indicators in three steps: identification and listing of indicators, remote ranking of indicators using multi-criteria scoring, selection of indicators in a face-to-face consensus meeting. Additionally, the top-ten indicators were identified as a minimal set of key indicators.

Prospective multicentre feasibility study of a quality of care indicator for intravenous to oral switch therapy with highly bioavailable antibiotics.

Background: Enhanced oral (po) bioavailability of antimicrobial drugs allows conversion to po therapy once a patient meets defined clinical criteria. This can reduce length of hospital stay, healthcare costs and risk of complications related to intravenous (iv) access. We developed a quality indicator for assessing the appropriate iv-to-po switch of bioavailable antibiotics and evaluated its feasibility and clinical relevance across acute healthcare systems.

Shortening of treatment duration in patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2 and 3 - impact of ribavirin dose - a randomized multicentre trial.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) Patients, infected with genotype (GT) 2 or 3 are treated with Peg-IFN and ribavirin (RBV) (800 mg/day) for 24 weeks. Treatment duration can be shortened to 12-16 weeks if a higher dose of RBV (1.000/1.

Trends in the occurrence of MRSA strains in Upper Austria from 2006 to 2009.

Between 2006 and 2009, all MRSA isolates recovered from human patients in Upper Austria were subjected to molecular biological analysis. Whereas the isolate number decreased from year to year, the proportion of the most common sequence types (ST5, ST8 and ST22) as well as the frequency of associated PFGE subtypes and spa-types remained similar. The rate of PVL-positive MRSA increased, whereupon the most common sequence types were ST152, ST8 including clone USA300, ST5, ST777 and ST88.

Antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis C in clinical routine.

Objective: Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin is the standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Sustained virological response (SVR) rates of up to 60% are reported in randomized controlled trials, but it is unclear whether the results from such trials are reproducible in the clinical routine setting. We investigated consecutive treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C patients at our center to examine the efficacy of treatment with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in clinical routine.

Chronic hepatitis C in Austria, 1992-2006: genotype distribution and demographic factors.

Chronic hepatitis C is a leading cause of end-stage liver disease and, with a worldwide prevalence of up to 3%, is a pandemic infectious disease. Austria, like most western European countries can be considered as a low prevalence country. This analysis aimed to assess the distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in patients with chronic HCV infection in Upper Austria.

Ten years of antibiotic consumption in ambulatory care: trends in prescribing practice and antibiotic resistance in Austria.

Background: The primary aims of this study were (i) to determine the quantity and pattern of antibiotic use in Austria between 1998 and 2007 and (ii) to analyze antibiotic esistance rates in relation to antibiotic consumption in important clinical situations in order to provide data for empirical therapeutic regimens for key indications.

Methods: Consumption data and resistance data were obtained via the Austrian surveillance networks European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) and European Surveillance on Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC). The EARSS collects data on isolates from blood and cerebrospinal fluid obtained predominantly in the hospital setting.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST398 from human patients, upper Austria.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clonal type ST398 is usually associated with animals. We examined 1,098 confirmed MRSA samples from human patients and found that 21 were MRSA ST398. Most (16) patients were farmers.

The European surveillance activities EARSS and ESAC in the context of ABS International.

Development of resistance obstructs the successful use of antimicrobial drugs, since shortly after each and every introduction of a new antibiotic resistant pathogens have emerged. The hope of being able to reverse or at least slow down the occurrence of antibiotic resistance has led to a number of actions and initiatives. The project "ABS International - Implementing antibiotic strategies for appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals in member states of the European Union", together with the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) and the European Surveillance on Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC), covers a large proportion of possible actions against antibiotic resistance.

PVL-positive MRSA in Austria.

The objective of this study was to present, for the first time, an overview of the existing Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains in Austria and to compare the situation with that found in other countries. Between 2001 and 2006 we analysed 1150 MRSA isolates - from infections as well as from colonisation - for the presence of PVL genes. The most common multilocus sequence types of the 94 PVL-positive MRSA strains were ST8, ST152, ST30, ST80, and ST5; the ST22, and ST777 sequences were also detected.