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Kyriazopoulou E, Hasin-Brumshtein Y, Midic U, Poulakou G, Milionis H, Metallidis S, Astriti M, Fragkou A, Rapti A, Taddei E, Kalomenidis I, Chrysos G, Angheben A, Kainis I, Alexiou Z, Castelli F, Serino FS, Bakakos P, Nicastri E, Tzavara V, Ioannou S, Dagna L, Dimakou K, Tzatzagou G, Chini M, Bassetti M, Kotsis V, Tsoukalas DG, Selmi C, Konstantinou A, Samarkos M, Doumas M, Masgala A, Pagkratis K, Argyraki A, Akinosoglou K, Symbardi S, Netea MG, Panagopoulos P, Dalekos GN, Liesenfeld O, Sweeney TE, Khatri P, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ. Transitions of blood immune endotypes and improved outcome by anakinra in COVID-19 pneumonia: an analysis of the SAVE-MORE randomized controlled trial. Crit Care 2024; 28:73. [PMID: 38475786 PMCID: PMC10935809 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-024-04852-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endotype classification may guide immunomodulatory management of patients with bacterial and viral sepsis. We aimed to identify immune endotypes and transitions associated with response to anakinra (human interleukin 1 receptor antagonist) in participants in the SAVE-MORE trial. METHODS Adult patients hospitalized with radiological findings of PCR-confirmed severe pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 and plasma-soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor levels of ≥ 6 ng/ml in the SAVE-MORE trial (NCT04680949) were characterized at baseline and days 4 and 7 of treatment using a previously defined 33-messenger RNA classifier to assign an immunological endotype in blood. Endpoints were changes in endotypes and progression to severe respiratory failure (SRF) associated with anakinra treatment. RESULTS At baseline, 23.2% of 393 patients were designated as inflammopathic, 41.1% as adaptive, and 35.7% as coagulopathic. Only 23.9% were designated as the same endotype at days 4 and 7 compared to baseline, while all other patients transitioned between endotypes. Anakinra-treated patients were more likely to remain in the adaptive endotype during 7-day treatment (24.4% vs. 9.9%; p < 0.001). Anakinra also protected patients with coagulopathic endotype at day 7 against SRF compared to placebo (27.8% vs. 55.9%; p = 0.013). CONCLUSION We identify an association between endotypes defined using blood transcriptome and anakinra therapy for COVID-19 pneumonia, with anakinra-treated patients shifting toward endotypes associated with a better outcome, mainly the adaptive endotype. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04680949, December 23, 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evdoxia Kyriazopoulou
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Garyfallia Poulakou
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Haralampos Milionis
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Simeon Metallidis
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Myrto Astriti
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, G. Gennimatas General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Aggeliki Rapti
- 2nd Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleonora Taddei
- Dipartimento Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ioannis Kalomenidis
- 1st Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Chrysos
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Tzaneio General Hospital of Piraeus, Athens, Greece
| | - Andrea Angheben
- Department of Infectious - Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCSS Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy
| | - Ilias Kainis
- 10th Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital of Chest Diseases of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Zoi Alexiou
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Thriasio General Hospital of Eleusis, Athens, Greece
| | - Francesco Castelli
- Spedali Civili, Brescia ASST Spedali Civili Hospital, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Petros Bakakos
- 1st Department of Chest Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Emanuele Nicastri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Spallanzani Institute of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vasiliki Tzavara
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Korgialeneion-Benakeion General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia Ioannou
- Department of Therapeutics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Lorenzo Dagna
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases (UnIRAR), IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Katerina Dimakou
- 5th Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Glykeria Tzatzagou
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Papageorgiou General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Chini
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Unit, Korgialeneion-Benakeion General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Matteo Bassetti
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS and Department of Health Sciences, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Vasileios Kotsis
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dionysios G Tsoukalas
- 4th Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | - Carlo Selmi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University and IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Alexandra Konstantinou
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Asklepieio General Hospital of Voula, Voula, Greece
| | - Michael Samarkos
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Michael Doumas
- 2nd Department of Propedeutic Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Masgala
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Konstantopouleio General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Aikaterini Argyraki
- Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Styliani Symbardi
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Thriasio General Hospital of Eleusis, Athens, Greece
| | - Mihai G Netea
- Department of Internal Medicine and Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Immunology and Metabolism, Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Periklis Panagopoulos
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - George N Dalekos
- Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece
| | | | | | - Purvesh Khatri
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Biomedical Informatics Research, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Evangelos J Giamarellos-Bourboulis
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, ATTIKON University Hospital, 1 Rimini Street, 124 62, Athens, Greece.
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Adami ME, Kotsaki A, Antonakos N, Giannitsioti E, Chalvatzis S, Saridaki M, Avgoustou C, Akinosoglou K, Dakou K, Damoraki G, Katrini K, Koufargyris P, Lekakis V, Panagaki A, Safarika A, Eugen-Olsen J, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ. qSOFA combined with suPAR for early risk detection and guidance of antibiotic treatment in the emergency department: a randomized controlled trial. Crit Care 2024; 28:42. [PMID: 38321472 PMCID: PMC10848347 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-024-04825-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sepsis guidelines suggest immediate start of resuscitation for patients with quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) 2 or 3. However, the interpretation of qSOFA 1 remains controversial. We investigated whether measurements of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) may improve risk detection when qSOFA is 1. METHODS The study had two parts. At the first part, the combination of suPAR with qSOFA was analyzed in a prospective cohort for early risk detection. At the second part, the double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) SUPERIOR evaluated the efficacy of the suPAR-guided medical intervention. SUPERIOR took place between November 2018 and December 2020. Multivariate stepwise Cox regression was used for the prospective cohort, while univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used for the RCT. Consecutive admissions at the emergency department (ED) with suspected infection, qSOFA 1 and suPAR ≥ 12 ng/mL were allocated to single infusion of placebo or meropenem. The primary endpoint was early deterioration, defined as at least one-point increase of admission Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score the first 24 h. RESULTS Most of the mortality risk was for patients with qSOFA 2 and 3. Taking the hazard ratio (HR) for death of patients with qSOFA = 1 and suPAR < 12 ng/mL as reference, the HR of qSOFA = 1 and suPAR ≥ 12 ng/mL for 28-day mortality was 2.98 (95% CI 2.11-3.96). The prospective RCT was prematurely ended due to pandemia-related ED re-allocations, with 91 patients enrolled: 47 in the placebo and 44 in the meropenem arm. The primary endpoint was met in 40.4% (n = 19) and 15.9% (n = 7), respectively (difference 24.5% [5.9-40.8]; odds ratio 0.14 [0.04-0.50]). One post hoc analysis showed significant median changes of SOFA score after 72 and 96 h equal to 0 and - 1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Combining qSOFA 1 with the biomarker suPAR improves its prognostic performance for unfavorable outcome and can help decision for earlier treatment. Trial registration EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT, 2018-001008-13) and Clinical-Trials.gov (NCT03717350). Registered 24 October 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Evangelia Adami
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Antigone Kotsaki
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Antonakos
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Efthymia Giannitsioti
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Stamatios Chalvatzis
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Saridaki
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Avgoustou
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Georgia Damoraki
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Katrini
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Koufargyris
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Vasileios Lekakis
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Antonia Panagaki
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Asimina Safarika
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece
| | - Jesper Eugen-Olsen
- Department of Clinical Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Evangelos J Giamarellos-Bourboulis
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATTIKON University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Str, 124 62, Athens, Greece.
- Hellenic Institute for the Study of Sepsis, Athens, Greece.
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Bacharaki D, Karagiannis M, Giannakopoulos P, Papachristou E, Divanis D, Sardeli A, Petrou D, Nikolopoulos P, Bratsiakou A, Zoi V, Piliouras N, Damoraki G, Liakopoulos V, Goumenos D, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ. Immune responses of patients on maintenance hemodialysis after infection by SARS-CoV-2: a prospective observational cohort study. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:581. [PMID: 37674148 PMCID: PMC10481459 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08569-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune dysregulation in patients with acute COVID-19 under chronic hemodialysis (CHD) is fully not elucidated. The changes of mononuclear counts and mediators before and after HD and associations with final outcome were studied. METHOD In this prospective study, hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 under CHD and matched comparators under HD were analyzed for their absolute counts of lymphoid cells and circulating inflammatory mediators. Blood samples were collected before start and at the end of the first HD session; dialysate samples were also collected. RESULT Fifty-nine patients with acute COVID-19 under CHD and 20 uninfected comparators under CHD were enrolled. Circulating concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-10, interferon-γ and platelet-derived growth factor-A were increased in patients. Concentrations of mediators did not differ before and after HD. Significant decreases of CD4-lymphocytes and CD19-lymphocytes were found in patients. The decrease of the expression of HLA-DR on CD14-monocytes was associated with unfavorable outcome (defined as WHO-CPS 6 or more by day 28); increased counts of CD19-lymphocytes were associated with better outcomes. CONCLUSION Patients under CHD develop an inflammatory reaction to SARS-CoV-2 characterized by increase of inflammatory mediators, decrease of circulating T-lymphocytes and decrease of the expression of HLA-DR on CD14-monocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitra Bacharaki
- Department of Nephrology, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece.
| | - Minas Karagiannis
- Department of Nephrology, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Evangelos Papachristou
- Department of Nephrology, Rion University Hospital, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Divanis
- 2nd Department of Nephrology, AHEPA Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aggeliki Sardeli
- Department of Nephrology, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Petrou
- Department of Nephrology, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Nikolopoulos
- Department of Nephrology, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece
| | - Adamantia Bratsiakou
- Department of Nephrology, Rion University Hospital, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Vassiliki Zoi
- Department of Nephrology, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikitas Piliouras
- Department of Nephrology, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Damoraki
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilios Liakopoulos
- 2nd Department of Nephrology, AHEPA Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Goumenos
- Department of Nephrology, Rion University Hospital, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
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Katsouda A, Valakos D, Dionellis VS, Bibli SI, Akoumianakis I, Karaliota S, Zuhra K, Fleming I, Nagahara N, Havaki S, Gorgoulis VG, Thanos D, Antoniades C, Szabo C, Papapetropoulos A. MPST sulfurtransferase maintains mitochondrial protein import and cellular bioenergetics to attenuate obesity. J Exp Med 2022; 219:e20211894. [PMID: 35616614 PMCID: PMC9143789 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the clinical, economic, and societal impact of obesity, unraveling the mechanisms of adipose tissue expansion remains of fundamental significance. We previously showed that white adipose tissue (WAT) levels of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST), a mitochondrial cysteine-catabolizing enzyme that yields pyruvate and sulfide species, are downregulated in obesity. Here, we report that Mpst deletion results in fat accumulation in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) through transcriptional and metabolic maladaptation. Mpst-deficient mice on HFD exhibit increased body weight and inguinal WAT mass, reduced metabolic rate, and impaired glucose/insulin tolerance. At the molecular level, Mpst ablation activates HIF1α, downregulates subunits of the translocase of outer/inner membrane (TIM/TOM) complex, and impairs mitochondrial protein import. MPST deficiency suppresses the TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid oxidation, enhancing lipid accumulation. Sulfide donor administration to obese mice reverses the HFD-induced changes. These findings reveal the significance of MPST for white adipose tissue biology and metabolic health and identify a potential new therapeutic target for obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Katsouda
- Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Valakos
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Sofia-Iris Bibli
- Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research Partner Site Rhein-Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ioannis Akoumianakis
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Sevasti Karaliota
- Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD
| | - Karim Zuhra
- Chair of Pharmacology, Section of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Ingrid Fleming
- Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research Partner Site Rhein-Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Sophia Havaki
- Molecular Carcinogenesis Group, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis G. Gorgoulis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Molecular Carcinogenesis Group, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris Thanos
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Charalambos Antoniades
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Csaba Szabo
- Chair of Pharmacology, Section of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Papapetropoulos
- Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ, Daikos GL, Gargalianos P, Gogos C, Lazanas M, Panagopoulos P, Poulakou G, Sambatakou H, Samarkos M. The Role of Macrolides for the Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia and Pneumonia by the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): A Position Paper by Four Medical Societies from Greece. Infect Dis Ther 2021; 10:1-15. [PMID: 34155472 PMCID: PMC8208612 DOI: 10.1007/s40121-021-00471-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In light of the accumulating evidence for survival benefit coming from the use of macrolides for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), a group of experts from the field of internal medicine and infectious diseases frame a position statement on the use of macrolides for the management of bacterial CAP and for infection by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The statement is framed taking into consideration existing publications and own research experience. The main content of this statement is that the combination of one β-lactam and a macrolide should be the first treatment of choice for patients with severe bacterial CAP. Severity is assessed as scoring 2 or more points on the CURB65 scoring system of severity or as pneumonia severity index III to V or C-reactive protein more than 150 mg/l; the suggested macrolide is either azithromycin or clarithromycin. The experts also suggest that in COVID-19 pneumonia, the combination of one β-lactam and a macrolide should be reserved only when there is strong suspicion of bacterial co-infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - George L. Daikos
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Charalambos Gogos
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Marios Lazanas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Iaso General Athens Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Periklis Panagopoulos
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Garyphallia Poulakou
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Helen Sambatakou
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Michael Samarkos
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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