Economic impact of individualized antimicrobial dose optimization in the critically ill patient in Spain.

Objective: To estimate the economic impact of individualized dose optimization guided by antimicrobial therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in Spain, compared to no monitoring.

Methods: A cost analysis of antibiotic treatment of critically ill patients, with and without TDM, was performed using a probabilistic Markov model (with second-order Monte Carlo simulations). Three scenarios were analyzed based on three published meta-analyses (Analysis 1: Pai Mangalore, 2022; Analysis 2: Sanz-Codina, 2023; Analysis 3: Takahashi, 2023).

Gram-positive infections in special populations. Expert view on the role of dalbavancin.

Introduction: This review considers special populations as those patients for whom Gram-positive infections are particularly challenging to treat. We examine the potential benefits of dalbavancin in these patients.

Areas Covered: We focus on patients with renal impairment, hepatic failure or obesity, and, also, pediatric patients, elderly patients and socially vulnerable individuals.

Pharmacodynamic interaction of apotransferrin and anti-pseudomonal antibiotics against extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a dynamic PK/PD model.

The rise of antibiotic resistance in clinical settings poses a major challenge. Apotransferrin has emerged as a potential non-traditional therapy for combating infections, potentially preventing resistance development while enhancing bactericidal effects. This study evaluated the efficacy of apotransferrin combined with antipseudomonal antibiotics against extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates.

Addressing carbapenemase-producing extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa: the potential of cefiderocol and ceftazidime/avibactam plus aztreonam therapy.

This study evaluated the activity of cefiderocol and the combination of ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA) plus aztreonam against carbapenemase-producing extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. Nine clinical XDR P. aeruginosa isolates with different sequence types and class A (GES) or B (VIM, IMP or NDM) carbapenemases were analysed.

Penetration of linezolid into the pleural cavity in critically ill patients with proven or suspected Gram-positive bacterial infections: a retrospective pharmacokinetic study.

Objectives: To describe the pharmacokinetics (PK) of linezolid in plasma and pleural fluid (PF) in critically ill patients with proven or suspected Gram-positive bacterial infections.

Patients And Methods: Observational PK study in 14 critically ill patients treated with linezolid at standard doses. Blood and PF samples were collected and analysed by HPLC.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of antibiotic and antifungical drugs in paediatric and newborn patients. Consensus Guidelines of the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH) and the Spanish Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases (SEIP).

Therapeutic monitoring of antibiotics and antifungals based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameters is a strategy increasingly used for the optimization of therapy to improve efficacy, reduce the occurrence of toxicities, and prevent the selection of antimicrobial resistance, particularly in vulnerable patients including neonates and the critical or immunocompromised paediatric host. In neonates and children, infections account for a high percentage of hospital admissions, and anti-infectives are the most used drugs. However, paediatric PK/PD studies and the evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of some newly marketed antibiotics and antifungals-usually used off-label in paediatrics-to determine the optimal drug dosage regimens are limited.

[Translated article] Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of antibiotic and antifungical drugs in paediatric and newborn patients. Consensus Guidelines of the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH) and the Spanish Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases (SEIP).

Therapeutic monitoring of antibiotics and antifungals based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameters is a strategy increasingly used for the optimization of therapy to improve efficacy, reduce the occurrence of toxicities, and prevent the selection of antimicrobial resistance, particularly in vulnerable patients including neonates and the critical or immunocompromised paediatric host. In neonates and children, infections account for a high percentage of hospital admissions, and anti-infectives are the most used drugs. However, paediatric PK/PD studies and the evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of some newly marketed antibiotics and antifungals-usually used off-label in paediatrics-to determine the optimal drug dosage regimens are limited.

Efficacy and safety of colistin plus beta-lactams for bone and joint infection caused by fluoroquinolone-resistant gram-negative bacilli: a prospective multicenter study.

Objectives: The prognosis of bone and joint infections (BJI) caused by Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) worsens significantly in the face of fluoroquinolone-resistance. In this setting, scarce pre-clinical and clinical reports suggest that intravenous beta-lactams plus colistin may improve outcome. Our aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of this treatment in a well-characterized prospective cohort.

Synergistic efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam against carbapenemase-producing : insights from the hollow-fiber infection model.

Background: Combination therapy is an attractive therapeutic option for extensively drug-resistant (XDR) infections. Existing data support the combination of aztreonam and ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA) against class serine-β-lactamase (SBL)- and metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) - producing However, data about that combination against SBL- and MBL-producing are scarce. The objective of the study was to assess the activity of CZA and aztreonam alone and in combination against SBL- and MBL-producing XDR isolates.

New Predictive Equation for the Estimation of Plasma Concentrations of Formed Colistin in Patients Treated With Colistimethate Sodium for Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections.

Background: The clinical use of colistin methanesulphonate (CMS) is limited by potential nephrotoxicity. The selection of an efficient and safe CMS dose for individual patients is complicated by the narrow therapeutic window and high interpatient pharmacokinetic variability. In this study, a simple predictive equation for estimating the plasma concentration of formed colistin in patients with multidrug and extremely drug-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections was developed.

Complementary and alternative medicine in HIV care: frequency of consumption, risks and interactions with antiretroviral therapy.

Objectives: People living with HIV (PLWH) are common users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The main objective of this study was to study the frequency and patterns of CAM natural products use in a large cohort of PLWH and to identify potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) and the impact on their antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence and efficacy.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional multicenter survey including 420 PLWH from different Spanish hospitals.

Stability Studies of Antipseudomonal Beta Lactam Agents for Outpatient Therapy.

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is a useful treatment strategy against and other multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, it is hindered by the lack of stability data for the administration of antibiotics under OPAT conditions. Our objective was to investigate the stability of nine antipseudomonal and broad-spectrum beta lactam antibiotics (aztreonam, cefepime, cefiderocol, ceftazidime, ceftazidime/avibactam, ceftolozane/tazobactam, meropenem, meropenem/vaborbactam, and piperacillin/tazobactam) to allow the spread of OPAT programs.

Colistin plasma concentrations are not associated with better clinical outcomes in patients with pneumonia caused by extremely drug-resistant .

In some cases, colistin is the only treatment option for infections caused by the very drug-resistant . However, in the past decade, there have been questions concerning its pharmacokinetics and concentration at the site of infection. In this scenario, its use in a difficult-to-treat infection like pneumonia is currently debatable.

Agreement between pharmacists and physicians on the assessment of appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing.

Introduction: Audits for monitoring the quality of antimicrobial prescribing are a main tool in antimicrobial stewardship programs; however, interobserver reliability has not been conclusively assessed. Our objective was to measure the level of agreement between pharmacists and physicians on the appropriateness of antimicrobials prescribing in hospitals.

Methods: A national multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted of patients who were receiving antimicrobials one day of April 2021.

Clinical, Microbiological and Treatment Characteristics of Severe Postoperative Respiratory Infections: An Observational Cohort Study.

Respiratory infections are frequent and life-threatening complications of surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, microbiological and treatment characteristics of severe postoperative pneumonia (POP) and tracheobronchitis (POT) in a large series of patients. This single-center, prospective observational cohort study included patients with POP or POT requiring intensive care unit admission in the past 10 years.

Real-world experience of therapeutic drug monitoring and PK/PD achievement of ceftaroline administered by different infusion regimens in patients with confirmed infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria.

Background: Ceftaroline is a novel cephalosporin active against MDR Gram-positive (GP) bacteria. For β-lactam antibiotics, such as ceftaroline, prolonged infusions and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) are used for dosage optimization based on their pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD).

Objectives: To describe our experience with TDM and PK/PD target attainment of ceftaroline administered by intermittent and prolonged infusion in a cohort of patients with MDR-GP bacterial infections.

Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Predicting Non-Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy.

Several patient-related factors that influence adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been described. However, studies that propose a practical and simple tool to predict nonadherence after ART initiation are still scarce. In this study, we develop and validate a score to predict the risk of nonadherence in people starting ART.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Vancomycin Concentrations for the Management of Bone and Joint Infections: An Urgent Need.

Vancomycin is used for the treatment of bone and joint infections (BJI), but scarce information is available about its pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) characteristics. We aimed to identify the risk factors associated with the non-achievement of an optimal PK/PD target in the first therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital from January 2020 to January 2022.

Suboptimal Concentrations of Ceftazidime/Avibactam (CAZ-AVI) May Select for CAZ-AVI Resistance in Extensively Drug-Resistant : In Vivo and In Vitro Evidence.

This study correlates in vivo findings in a patient with an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) infection who developed resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) with in vitro results of a 7-day hollow-fiber infection model (HFIM) testing the same bacterial strain. The patient was critically ill with ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by XDR ST175 with CAZ-AVI MIC of 6 mg/L and was treated with CAZ-AVI in continuous infusion at doses adjusted for renal function. Plasma concentrations of CAZ-AVI were analyzed on days 3, 7, and 10.

Comparison of Ceftolozane/Tazobactam Infusion Regimens in a Hollow-Fiber Infection Model against Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of intermittent (1-h), extended (4-h), and continuous ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T) infusion against three extensively drug-resistant (XDR) sequence type (ST) 175 P. aeruginosa isolates with different susceptibilities to C/T (MIC = 2 to 16 mg/L) in a 7-day hollow-fiber infection model (HFIM). C/T in continuous infusion achieved the largest reduction in total number of bacterial colonies in the overall treatment arms for both C/T-susceptible and -resistant isolates.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Prolonged Infusions of Ceftolozane/Tazobactam for MDR/XDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections: An Observational Study.

Background And Objective: Prolonged infusion of ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) is a strategy used to increase achievement of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets for the treatment of multi- or extensively drug-resistant MDR/XDR Gram-negative microorganisms. The objective of this study was to describe our therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) experience of C/T administered by prolonged infusion or intermittent infusion to patients with MDR/XDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Our outcomes of interest were pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target achievement and clinical cure.

Primary care electronic medication record discrepancies in patients starting treatment at a hospital-based ambulatory care pharmacy and impact on prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence of discrepancies between primary care electronic medication records (EMR) and patient reported medication (PRM) in ambulatory patients starting a hospital dispensing treatment (HDT) at a hospital-based ambulatory care pharmacy (HACPh). Our secondary aims were to analyse factors associated with the presence of discrepancies and their impact on the prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with the HDT.

Methods: Retrospective study including 230 patients starting a HDT at the HACPh.