In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiagn Microbiol Infect Dis
August 2024
This retrospective chart review evaluated whether 20 mg/kg vancomycin loading doses increase early area under the curve (AUC) target attainment within 48 hours in comparison to non-loading dose regimens. There were no differences between groups for the primary outcome (46 % vs. 50 %; P = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: When methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is the causative pathogen in pneumonia, in-hospital mortality rate is approximately 31.2%. However, the occurrence of MRSA pneumonia is uncommon, with a reported incidence of approximately 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: COVID-19 can cause serious illness requiring multimodal treatment and is associated with secondary infections. Studies have suggested an increased risk of fungal infections, including candidemia following severe COVID-19 though understanding of risk factors and clinical outcomes remains unclear.
Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics, outcomes and risk factors of candidemia among patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis case report describes a patient with post-neurosurgical infection and bacteremia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. There is limited evidence to guide antibiotic treatment decisions for such infections. The patient was treated with meropenem-vaborbactam (MEV).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvidence 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhat 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: 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.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Antimicrob Agents
February 2021
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent estimates of inpatient antibiotic use in the USA suggest that broad-spectrum antibiotic use has increased significantly. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a selective antibiotic susceptibility reporting intervention on broad-spectrum intravenous (i.v.
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