Predictors of Mortality in Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis in an Outpatient Clinic Setting

Narrative Review on the Use of Cladribine Tablets as Exit Therapy for Stable Elderly Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

The number of ageing people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) is increasing. The efficacy of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for RMS declines with age. Also, older persons with MS may be more susceptible to infections, hospitalisations and malignancy. Aging people with MS have higher rates of comorbidities versus aged-matched controls, increasing the individual risk of disability. We review the therapeutic properties of cladribine tablets (CladT) in ageing people with RMS, with regard to their utility for allowing these individuals to cease continuous administration of a DMT (i.e. to act as an "exit therapy"). CladT is thought to be an immune reconstitution therapy, in that two short courses of oral treatment 1 year apart provide suppression of MS disease activity in responders that far outlasts the duration of treatment and post-treatment reductions in lymphocyte counts. Post hoc analyses, long-term follow-up of populations with RMS in randomised trials, and real-world evidence suggest that the efficacy of CladT is probably independent of age, although more data in the elderly are still needed. No clear adverse signals for lymphopenia or other adverse safety signals have emerged with increasing age, although immunosenescence in the setting of age-related "inflammaging" may predispose elderly patients to a higher risk of infections. Updating vaccination status is recommended, especially against pneumococci and herpes zoster for older patients, to minimise the risk of these infections. CladT may be a useful alternative treatment for ageing people with MS who often bear a burden of multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy and who are more exposed to the adverse effects of continuous immunosuppressive therapy.

The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant and multidrug-resistant bacteria in urine cultures from inpatients with spinal cord injuries and disorders: an 8-year, single-center study

Background

Patients, especially inpatients, with spinal cord lesions and disorders (SCI/D) have an elevated risk of recurrent urinary tract infections with multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. This study evaluated antimicrobial resistance and the prevalence of multidrug resistance and determined the risk factors for multidrug resistance.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, urine culture results were used to calculate the antimicrobial resistance rate and the incidence of infection with MDR bacteria in the SCI/D population. MDR was defined as acquired nonsusceptibility to at least one agent from three or more antimicrobial categories. The cohort included 402 inpatients from 2013 to 2020, with 1385 urine isolates. We included only the first isolate; duplicate isolates, defined as positive cultures of the same strain within 14 days, were excluded from the evaluation.

Results

The most common MDR strains were Klebsiella spp. (29%) and Escherichia coli (24%). MDR isolates were detected in 50% of the samples and extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolates were detected in 26%, while carbapenem resistance was found in 0.1%. Significantly higher rates of infection with MDR bacteria were identified in groups of patients with indwelling urethral/suprapubic catheters (p = 0.003) and severity scores of C1–C4/AIS A–C (p = 0.01). We identified age (OR: 0.99, 95% CI; 0.98–0.99, p = 0.000), sex (OR: 1.55, 95% CI; 1.16–2.06, p = 0.003), management with urethral/suprapubic catheters (OR: 2.76, 95% CI; 2.04–3.74, p = 0.000), and spontaneous voiding (OR: 1.84, 95% CI; 1.03–3.29, p = 0.038) as independent predictors of multidrug resistance in our study population.

Conclusions

We identified a high antibiotic resistance rate and an increasing prevalence of infection with MDR bacteria in the SCI/D inpatient population. Particular attention should be given to bladder management, with an emphasis on minimizing the use of indwelling catheters.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria in urine culture among patients with spinal cord injury and disorder: Time to first detection and analysis of risk factors

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the time to first detection of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) in urine culture and identify risk factors associated with the first detection of MDRB (1^st MDRB).

SETTING

Spinal Care Ward and Department of Microbiology, Regional Hospital Liberec a.s., Liberec, Czech Republic.

METHOD

We cultured urine samples from patients in the acute phase of spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D). Multidrug resistance (MDR) was defined as acquired nonsusceptibility to at least one agent from three or more antimicrobial categories. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association of bladder management, broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure, mechanical ventilation, pressure ulcers, positive urine culture on admission, and other risk factors with 1^st MDRB. We used only the first urine culture with MDRB for evaluation.

RESULTS

A total of 655 urine cultures from 246 individuals were evaluated, and 829 isolates were obtained. The MDRB prevalence among all isolates was 40.2%. MDRB was detected in 146 (59.3%) patients for the first time, and 76.0% of these isolates were from patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria. The median time to 1^st MDRB was 37 days (95% CI, 33-41). According to multivariate logistic regression, 1^st MDRB was associated with bladder management with urethral or suprapubic catheterization (OR: 2.8, 95% CI, 1.1-7.2).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of infections caused by MDRB was high among the SCI/D population, with three-quarters from patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Bladder management with an indwelling catheter is associated with an increased risk of 1^st MDRB.

Lymphocyte counts and infection rates: Long-term fingolimod treatment in primary progressive MS

Objective

To evaluate lymphocyte counts and incidences of infections in patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS) receiving fingolimod 0.5 mg/d or placebo over 5 years during the INFORMS study, to assess infection rates with longer-term treatment.

Methods

INFORMS was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase 3 study of the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator fingolimod in patients with PPMS. Lymphocyte counts and incidences of infections were compared in patients receiving fingolimod or placebo. Infection rates were assessed in patients receiving fingolimod according to nadir and mean absolute lymphocyte count (ALC).

Results

Overall, 336 patients received fingolimod 0.5 mg/d (total exposure: 908.1 patient-years), and 487 received placebo (1,423.5 patient-years). In patients receiving fingolimod, mean ALC decreased by approximately 70% in the 2 weeks following treatment initiation and remained stable throughout the study. The incidences of all infections in the fingolimod and placebo groups were similar (53.6 vs 51.9 per 100 patient-years). The most common infections in patients receiving fingolimod were urinary tract infections (5.7 per 100 patient-years), upper respiratory tract infections (4.2 per 100 patient-years), and influenza (3.2 per 100 patient-years); incidences were similar in the placebo group (5.9, 4.2, and 3.1 per 100 patient-years, respectively). There was no apparent association between nadir or mean ALC and incidence of infection-related adverse events.

Conclusions

In patients with PPMS, long-term treatment with fingolimod 0.5 mg/d for up to 5 years led to an expected decrease of approximately 70% in mean ALC and did not appear to correlate with increased risk of infection.

Classification of evidence

Because this is a secondary analysis, this study provides Class II evidence that long-term PPMS treatment with fingolimod decreased mean ALC by approximately 70%, but did not significantly increase infection risk.