Prevention of hepatitis B reactivation in patients with hematologic malignancies treated with novel systemic therapies: Who and Why?

The risk of reactivation in patients with chronic or past/resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection receiving chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs is a well-known possibility. The indication of antiviral prophylaxis with nucleo(t)side analogue is given according to the risk of HBV reactivation of the prescribed therapy. Though the advent of new drugs is occurring in all the field of medicine, in the setting of hematologic malignancies the last few years have been characterized by several drug classes and innovative cellular treatment. As novel therapies, there are few data about the rate of HBV reactivation and the decision of starting or not an antiviral prophylaxis could be challenging. Moreover, patients are often treated with a combination of different drugs, so evaluating the actual role of these new therapies in increasing the risk of HBV reactivation is difficult. First results are now available, but further studies are still needed. Patients with chronic HBV infection [hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive] are reasonably all treated. Past/resolved HBV patients (HBsAg negative) are the actual area of uncertainty where it could be difficult choosing between prophylaxis and pre-emptive strategy.

Tolerability of pulsed high-dose L-AmB as pre-emptive therapy in patients at high risk for intra-abdominal candidiasis: A phase 2 study (LAMBDA study)

BACKGROUND

Intra-abdominal candidiasis (IAC) has a high mortality rate. However, the correct management of a critically ill patient with suspected IAC remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of pulsed high-dose liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) in patients with suspected IAC managed with a beta-D-glucan (BDG)-guided strategy.

METHODS

This phase 2 prospective study enrolled adult patients with intra-abdominal sepsis following surgery. Patients received a single dose of L-AmB 5 mg/kg on day 1. On day 3, L-AmB was discontinued in patients with a negative basal BDG result, and continued (3 mg/kg/daily) in patients with a positive basal BDG result or microbiologically confirmed IAC. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of adverse events, defined using the Common Toxicity Criteria classification.

RESULTS

In total, 40 patients were enrolled from January 2019 to August 2022. Fifteen (37.5%) patients were male, and the median age was 65 [interquartile range (IQR) 49-76] years. Thirty-one (77.5%) patients underwent urgent surgery, and the principal indication was secondary/tertiary peritonitis (n=22, 55%); half of the patients had undergone a previous surgical operation within the preceding 30 days. Five (12.5%) patients met the criteria for septic shock at enrolment. The median APACHE II score on admission to the intensive care unit was 12 (IQR 10-15). IAC was excluded in 33 (85%) patients, but IAC was probable and proven in five (12.5%) and two (5%) patients, respectively. The single dose of L-AmB 5 mg/kg was well tolerated in all patients, and no early or late severe adverse events related to the drug were reported. L-AmB was discontinued in 65% of patients following a negative basal BDG result. The all-cause 30-day mortality rate was 15%, and no deaths were related to L-AmB administration or uncontrolled IAC. The mortality rates for patients with and without proven IAC were 0% and 15.8%, respectively (P=0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of proven IAC among critically ill high-risk patients was low (5%). A single dose of L-AmB 5 mg/kg, with prompt withdrawal in the case of a basal negative BDG result, seems to be a safe and effective approach in this population.

618. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis of combination therapy with continuous infusion (CI) fosfomycin plus extended-infusion (EI) or CI beta-lactams for treating documented carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bloodstream infections and/or hospital-acquired pneumonia: a case series

Background

To describe the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) behaviour and the microbiological outcome of combination therapy with continuous infusion (CI) fosfomycin plus extended-infusion (EI) or CI beta-lactams for treating severe carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CR-GN) infections.

Methods

Single-center retrospective study of patients who were treated with CI fosfomycin plus EI or CI beta-lactams for severe CR-GN infections and who underwent therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), from 01 April 2021 to 31 January 2022. Concentrations of CI fosfomycin, meropenem and ceftazidime-avibactam were determined at steady-state (Css), while those of EI cefiderocol were measured at trough (Cmin). The desired joint PK/PD targets of combination therapy were considered as optimal when simultaneously the area-under-the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC) ratio for fosfomycin was > 83 and the Css/MIC for meropenem or for ceftazidime-avibactam or the Cmin/MIC ratio for cefiderocol was > 4 (quasi-optimal if only one of the two was achieved, and suboptimal if none of the two was achieved). Relationship between the joint PK/PD targets and microbiological failure (MF) defined as isolation of the same pathogens from follow-up blood cultures or BAL and assessed within 30 days of treatment onset, was investigated.

Results

Among the 16 retrieved patients with documented CR-GN infections, 12 underwent TDM of both fosfomycin and beta-lactams, and seven out of these (3 HAP, 3 BSI+HAP, and one BSI) had determination of fosfomycin MIC determined by agar-dilution (see Table). The joint PK/PD targets were optimal in 4 cases and quasi-optimal in the other 3y. MF occurred in two patients (29%) who were affected by HAP, received combination therapy with ceftazidime-avibactam, and achieved only quasi-optimal joint PK/PD targets (with fosfomycin AUC/MIC < 83). No MF occurred in patients with optimal joint PK/PD targets.

Summary of the relationship between PK/PD targets and microbiological failure in patients receiving combination therapy with CI fosfomycin plus EI/CI beta-lactams

Conclusion

CI fosfomycin in combination with EI/CI beta-lactams may allow for the achievement of optimal joint PK/PD targets in most patients with CR-GN infections, and may represent a potential strategy for minimizing the risk of MF.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported disclosures.