Publications by authors named "Steven M Smoke"

We report on 11 critically ill burn patients treated with cefiderocol for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections. Clinical success was achieved in 36% and complicated by treatment-emergent resistance and interpatient transmission of cefiderocol-resistant A. baumannii.

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Evidence from clinical trials suggest anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mABs) may reduce coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related hospitalizations. The purpose of this study was to assess the real-world impact of mAB administration on COVID-19 hospitalization among patients 65 years or older. This was a retrospective, propensity-matched cohort study that included patients aged 65 years and older who presented to the emergency department (ED) within 10 days of symptom onset of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection.

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What Is Known And Objective: A pandemic can strain all aspects of the healthcare system, including the ability to monitor the safety of medication use. Reviewing the adequacy of medication safety practices during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to informing responses to future pandemics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate medication safety practices at a height of both COVID-19 cases and hydroxychloroquine use.

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Background: Many antibiotic stewardship programs have sought to reduce fluoroquinolone use due to their association with a myriad of negative consequences. In hospital settings with fewer resources, initiatives that are less labor intensive may offer a more feasible approach to addressing fluoroquinolone use and improving patient care.

Objective: This study assessed the impact of a non-restrictive fluoroquinolone reduction initiative on antibiotic use and resistance.

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Background: Limited sample size and disparate outcome measures can hinder the ability of antimicrobial stewardship programs to assess the utility of their quality improvement interventions. Desirability of outcome ranking (DOOR) is a novel methodology that incorporates multiple outcomes into a single value to more comprehensively compare therapeutic strategies. The objective of this study was to apply DOOR to a single center antibiotic stewardship intervention.

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Severe COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is associated with elevated inflammatory markers, consistent with cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor effective in treating CRS secondary to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy. The efficacy of tocilizumab in treating COVID-19 is unknown.

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