Evaluation of Dalbavancin Use on Clinical Outcomes, Cost-Savings, and Adherence at a Large Safety Net Hospital

Dalbavancin is a second-generation lipoglycopeptide antibiotic with activity against Gram-positive organisms. Dalbavancin is Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for acute bacterial skin and soft tissue infections (ABSSTIs). There is a lack of substantial data on dalbavancin in more invasive infections, particularly in high-risk populations (patients with intravenous drug use and unstable living conditions). In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed all patients that received at least one dose of dalbavancin in an inpatient or outpatient setting at Parkland Hospital from February of 2019 to August of 2021. The demographics, type of infection, and rationale for dalbavancin were collected at the baseline. Clinical failure was measured by an avoidance of emergency department (ED) visits or hospital readmission at 30, 60, and 90 days. A separate analysis was conducted to estimate hospital, rehabilitation, or nursing facility days saved based on the projected length of treatment. 40 patients were included, and the majority were uninsured (85%), experiencing homelessness (60%), or had intravenous drug use (IDU) (57.5%). Indications for use included ABSSTIs (45%), bloodstream infection (67.5%), osteomyelitis (40%), infective endocarditis (10%), and septic arthritis (10%). Clinical failure was observed in 5 of the 40 patients (12.5%). Nonadherence to medical recommendations, a lack of source control, and ongoing IDU increased the risk of failure. Dalbavancin saved a total of 566 days of inpatient, rehabilitation, and nursing facility stays. Dalbavancin is a reasonable alternative to the standard of care in an at-risk population, offering decreased lengths of stays and cost savings. The uses of second-generation lipoglycopeptides are desirable alternatives to traditional outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapies for patients who otherwise would not qualify or for patients who desire less hospital contact in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. IMPORTANCE This study contributes additional experience to the literature of dalbavancin use in off-label indications, particularly for patients who do not qualify for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy. The majority of the patient population were people who inject drugs and the uninsured. There is difficulty in tracking outcomes in this patient population, given their outpatient follow-up rates; however, we were able to track emergency room visits and readmissions throughout the majority of the local metroplex. The clinical use of dalbavancin at our institution also increased in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to preserve hospital resources and limit health care exposure. In addition, we are able to provide institution-specific cost-saving data with the use of dalbavancin.

1028. Synergizing Infectious Diseases and Substance Use Treatment to Improve the Outcomes of Endocarditis in People Who Inject Drugs at a Large Academic Hospital

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Minimally invasive repair of post-pneumonectomy syndrome

We report on a 42-year-old female who underwent right pneumonectomy for hemoptysis from an aspergilloma cavity. Several years postoperatively she complained of increasing shortness of breath, wheezing, and dyspnea upon exertion. Chest computed tomography showed a counterclockwise rotation of the mediastinum with obstruction of the left lower lobe bronchus. Minimally invasive repair was carried out using an intrapleural tissue expander for dissection and an adjustable saline prosthesis for mediastinal centralization. Intraoperative bronchoscopy showed complete resolution of the left lower lobe bronchial obstruction, and postoperatively her symptoms resolved completely. This is the first reported case of a minimally invasive approach for the treatment of post-pneumonectomy syndrome in the United States.

The anti-non-gal xenoantibody response to xenoantigens on gal knockout pig cells is encoded by a restricted number of germline progenitors

Antibodies directed at non-gal xenoantigens are responsible for acute humoral xenograft rejection when gal knockout (GalTKO) pig organs are transplanted into nonhuman primates. We generated IgM and IgG gene libraries using peripheral blood lymphocytes of rhesus monkeys initiating active xenoantibody responses after immunization with GalTKO pig endothelial cells and used these libraries to identify IgV(H) genes that encode antibody responses to non-gal pig xenoantigens. Immunoglobulin genes derived from the IGHV3-21 germline progenitor encode xenoantibodies directed at non-gal xenoantigens. Transduction of GalTKO cells with lentiviral vectors expressing the porcine alpha1,3 galactosyltransferase gene responsible for gal carbohydrate expression results in a higher level of binding of 'anti-non-gal' xenoantibodies to transduced GalTKO cells expressing the gal carbohydrate, suggesting that anti-non-gal xenoantibodies cross react with carbohydrate xenoantigens. The galactosyltransferase two gene encoding isoglobotriaosylceramide synthase (iGb3 synthase) is not expressed in GalTKO pig cells. Our results demonstrate that anti-non-gal xenoantibodies in primates are encoded by IgV(H) genes that are restricted to IGHV3-21 and bind to an epitope that is structurally related to but distinct from the Gal carbohydrate.

A pharmacoeconomic analysis of Neoral without intravenous cyclosporine in liver transplantation in Canada

Neoral, a microemulsion formulation of cyclosporin A (CsA), has improved absorption compared to Sandimmune and has allowed induction of immunosuppression in liver transplantation (LT) without the use of intravenous (i.v.) CsA. The improved bioavailability with less inter- and intra-patient dosing variability coupled with the lack of requirement for i.v. CsA may provide a mechanism for cost savings when Neoral is used for induction immunosuppression. This retrospective case-control study compares the relative costs associated with Neoral induction without i.v. CsA versus induction with i.v. CsA followed by oral CsA in adult liver transplant recipients. Twenty consecutive patients receiving Neoral 12-15 mg/kg per d were compared to a control group of 21 patients receiving i.v. CsA followed by oral CsA for induction. Both groups received the same rapidly tapered dose of methyl-prednisilone. Health care resource utilization was assigned based on days in hospital and acute rejection episodes (ARE). Hospital per diem rates at specified care levels were used to assign costs associated with hospital stay, while a previously developed case-costing model was used to assign costs to episodes of acute rejection. All patients were followed for a 3-month period post-transplant. Although there was a trend towards shorter hospital stay in the Neoral group the majority of cost savings were achieved by reducing costs associated with episodes of acute rejection. There were seven and 19 episodes of ARE in the Neoral and i.v. CsA groups respectively (p < 0.05.) A separate cost effective assessment of the effect of reducing rejection by decision tree analysis demonstrated a cost reduction of $2162 per patient. The savings achieved with Neoral proved robust on sensitivity analysis. The change of practice to an induction immunosuppression regimen of Neoral without i.v. CsA has achieved a cost savings in adult liver transplantation at our center.

A complication of tongue piercing

The trend of tongue piercing is becoming more popular. A patient with Ludwig's angina, secondary to recent tongue piercing, is presented. The management of the patients and the implications of tongue piercing are discussed.

Maxillary antral bone grafts for repair of orbital fractures

Use of bone from the maxillary antrum to repair defects in the orbital floor was described more than 20 years ago but has not been reported for correction of orbital rim fractures. The method is appealing because the source is contiguous with the recipient site; enhanced exposure might allow better fracture reduction and evacuation of debris and hematoma from the maxillary sinus. The intraoral approach also avoids an external incision and scar, prevents such complications as pneumothorax or dural perforation, and reduces postoperative pain. In 60 cases of orbital and zygomatic complex fractures seen between 1985 and 1990, less than 8% required more extensive graft material than the maxillary antra could provide. To assess the potential advantages of local over extraanatomical bone grafts, we evaluated maxillary antral bone grafts obtained through buccal sulcus incisions in 14 patients for restoration following fractures of the orbit. Several of these patients are described. Bone union was complete in all patients and there was no morbidity related to infection, oroantral fistula formation, dehiscence, or disfigurement. Sufficient bone was available from the uninvolved contralateral side to repair even severely comminuted fractures. In zygomatic complex fractures, maxillary antral grafts appeared to provide additional strength in the region of the fractured maxillary buttress. The success of the procedure in our experience, coupled with the safety of bone harvesting from this source, and the avoidance of an external scar make maxillary antral bone well suited to reconstruction of all areas of the orbit.

The significance of preoperative hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy for predicting the pregnancy outcome in patients with a bilateral hydrosalpinx

We analyzed the importance of 3 factors derived from the HSG (nature of the mucosal pattern, diameter of the hydrosalpinx, expandability of the ampulla) and of four factors from the findings at laparoscopy (extent of adhesions, nature of adhesions, thickness of tubal wall and diameter of the hydrosalpinx) for predicting the pregnancy outcome in 98 patients with bilateral hydrosalpinx. Each factor was categorized into 3 scores and each patient was scored for both the right and the left tube, resulting in 6 score-combinations. An association between the pregnancy prospects based on the score-combinations and the actual pregnancy outcome seemed to be present for all factors evaluated, except for the extent of adhesions and the diameter of the hydrosalpinx (laparoscopy). The results further indicate that a favourable score on the nature of mucosal pattern in one or both tubes concurs with good pregnancy prospects. In contrast, the presence of an unfavourable score for most of the other factors in at least one tube is associated with a poor fertility prognosis, regardless of the condition of the other tube.

Compliance, mass, and shape of the canine left ventricle after global ischemia analyzed with two-dimensional echocardiography

End-diastolic pressure (EDP)-volume (EDV) curves were constructed for the left ventricle (LV) in 10 dogs on cardiopulmonary bypass before and after 45 min of normothermic ischemic arrest. LVEDV and mass were calculated from three perpendicular two-dimensional echocardiographic sections using a Simpson's rule algorithm. The echocardiographic method employed was specially developed in earlier work for physiologic studies in dogs. Postmortem pressure-volume curves were measured for comparison by direct saline infusion into sealed ventricles. LVEDV was plotted against LVEDP (0-20 mm Hg) and data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance and also by exponential curve fitting to the relation EDP = alpha e beta EDV, where beta is the derived exponential constant reflecting slope and thereby ventricular stiffness. Postischemic EDP-EDV curves shifted to the left and the beta constant increased (beta = 0.02 +/- 0.005 (SE) vs 0.05 +/- 0.01, P less than 0.05). LV eccentricity, the ratio between long- and short-axis measurements, was unchanged (1.43 +/- 0.05 vs 1.46 +/- 0.06 postischemia, NS), but LV mass increased (105 +/- 7 vs 128 +/- 9 g postischemia, P less than 0.001). Postischemic LV mass by echo was not significantly different from measured postmortem LV mass (r = 0.87). The nonparallel alteration in the EDP-EDV curves, lack of change in LV shape (eccentricity), and increase in LV mass in the postischemic ventricle suggest that increased ventricular stiffness rather than direct encroachment by the edematous endocardium on chamber volume is responsible for postischemic changes in LV diastolic properties.