Ertapenem plus meropenem combination treatment in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia: an analysis of 53 cases

Herein, we aimed to describe the outcomes of patients with blood stream infections due to carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) who received ertapenem plus meropenem combination treatment (EMCT). A total of 53 patients with culture proven CR-Kp bacteremia treated with ertapenem + meropenem were included. The patients with secondary bacteremia due to urinary tract infection exhibited a significantly lower 1-month mortality (OMM), particularly in those with microbiological eradication and those with end-of-treatment success. Salvage EMCT resulted in 49% 1-month survival.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on diagnosis and treatment access of patients with viral hepatitis in Turkey

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to evaluate access to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up in patients with viral hepatitis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODOLOGY

Patients who started treatment for hepatitis B and hepatitis C were included in the study and analyzed in two periods: before-pandemic and during-pandemic. Indication for treatment and frequency of laboratory follow-up was obtained from hospital records. A telephone survey was administered to evaluate treatment access and compliance.

RESULTS

Four centers with 258 patients were included in the study. Of these 161 (62.4%) were male, median age was 50 years. The number of patients, admitted to outpatient clinics was 134647 in the before-pandemic period and 106548 in the during-pandemic period. Number of patients who started treatment for hepatitis B were significantly high during-pandemic period compared with before-pandemic (78 (0.07%); 73 (0.05%) respectively; p = 0.04). The number who received treatment for hepatitis C was similar in both periods: 43 (0.04%); 64 (0.05%), respectively (p = 0.25). Prophylactic treatment for hepatitis B, due to immunosuppressive agents was significantly higher in during-pandemic period (p = 0.001). In the laboratory follow-ups at 4th, 12th and 24th weeks of treatment, worse adherence was detected in during-pandemic (for all p < 0.05). Access to treatment and compliance of all patients was over 90% and did not differ in the two periods.

CONCLUSIONS

During-pandemic, hepatitis patients' access to diagnosis, treatment initiation and follow-up had worsened in Turkey. The health policy implemented during the pandemic had a positive impact on patients' access to and compliance to treatment.

Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens associated with septic shock: a review of 120 cases

This study aimed to evaluate the influencing variables for outcomes in patients with septic shock having culture-proven carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. It included 120 patients (mean age 64.29 ± 1.35 years and 58.3% female). The mean Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score during septic shock diagnosis was found to be 11.22 ± 0.43 and 9 ± 0.79 among the patients with mortality and among the survivors, respectively (P = 0.017). The logistic regression analysis showed that empirical treatment as mono Gram-negative bacteria-oriented antibiotic therapy (P = 0.016, odds ratio (OR) = 17.730, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.728-182.691), Charlson Comorbidity Index >2 (P = 0.032, OR = 7.312, 95% CI: 5.7-18.3), and systemic inflammatory response syndrome score 3 or 4 during septic shock diagnosis (P = 0.014, OR = 5.675, 95% CI: 1.424-22.619) were found as independent risk factors for day 30 mortality. Despite early diagnosis and effective management of patients with septic shock, the mortality rates are quite high in CRGNP-infected patients.

[Friend or Foe? Evaluation of BCG Vaccine and Latent Tuberculosis Infection Effect in Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19 Infection]

While severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread rapidly worldwide, some issues such as the uncertainty of the disease progress, whether intensive care will be needed, and risk classification are still important for clinicians. It is notable that in countries where latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is common and participating in the national Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination program, the case-fatality rates are relatively low throughout the world. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effects of the BCG vaccine and LTBI status on the course of the disease in patients diagnosed with coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) infection and to compare the LTBI rate with people with and without COVID-19 infection. The patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection who were hospitalized during a period of seven months between May 1st to December 1st, 2020 were investigated by the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) test in the blood samples for the presence of LTBI. For the comparison of the patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and people without COVID-19 infections in terms of LTBI rate retrospectively; all consecutive patients who were sent blood samples to the mycobacteriology laboratory for the QFT-Plus test between January 2016 and December 2019 were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, radiological, laboratory, and follow-up data of the patients were obtained from the electronic patient file. A total of 170 patients (n= 9 8 male [57.6%], n= 72 female [42.3%], mean age= 53.5 ± 15.8 years) were enrolled. Twenty-five patients' (25/170 [14.7%]) QFT-plus tests were positive. When the cases with positive QFT-Plus test (n= 25) and the cases with negative QFT-Plus test (n = 145) were compared in terms of disease severity respectively; it was determined that mild/moderate patients were 18/25 (72%) and 108/145 (74.5%), severe patients were 7/25 (28%) and 37/145 (25.5%) (p= 0.988). When these two groups were compared in terms of the clinical course respectively; the need for intensive care was 6/25 (24%) and 34/145 (23.4%) (p= 1.00), oxygen therapy requirement was 13/25 (52%) and 49/145 (33.8%) (p= 0.128), and death was 5/25 (20%) and 18/145 (12.4%) (p= 0.341). QFT-Plus positivity was 25/170 (14.7%) in patients diagnosed with COVID-19, while in control group it was 198/496 (39.9%) (OR= 0.259, 95% CI [0.164-0.411], p<0.001). When the values were evaluated quantitatively, in the COVID-19 patient group, QFT-Plus T1/T2 (IU/ml) interferon (IFN)-ɣ was 0.87 ± 1.52/0.62 ± 1.53, while in the control group it was 1.52 ± 3.69/1.50 ± 3.33 (p= 0.032, p= 0.04). There was no significant difference in the parameters investigated between 82 (48.2%) patients with BCG vaccine and those 88 (51.8%) without BCG vaccine. Although it was not statistically significant in our study, increased oxygen therapy requirement and higher mortality rates in the QFT-Plus positive group were remarkable. The detection of statistically significantly lower LTBI rates and T1-T2/IFN-ɣ values in the COVID-19 group supported that SARS-CoV-2 infection may suppress lymphocyte functions in patients and IFN-ɣ response. We believe that the results of our study are remarkably valuable, but more clinical studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between BCG vaccine, LTBI, and COVID-19 infection.

A travel-related infection case associated with triple vector-associated infections: Malaria-Dengue-Zika virus

As international travels and destinations increase, travel-related infections increase. It is reported that 6-87% of the travellers contract travel-related infection during or after the trip. Vector-associated pathogens comprise a significant percentage of travel-related infections. Apart from the ubiquitous COVID19, threats such as Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika virus and tick-borne agents have emerged or re-emerged in recent years. The fact that these infections are carried with similar vectors and cause similar symptoms makes diagnosis difficult. Herein, a case of travel-associated infection with nonspecific symptoms is presented.

Retrospective evaluation of 377 patients with penetrating foreign body injuries: a university hospital experience (a present case of missed sponge foreign body injury)

Background/aim

This study aimed to retrospectively analyse patients with foreign body (FB) injuries in our hospital and to present a patient with missed penetrating sponge FB injury.

Materials and methods

This study lasted 12 years (2008–2020) and reviewed all patients with FB injuries who were admitted to the emergency department (ED) of our hospital. Along with our overall results, we present a case with missed penetrating sponge FB injury in detail.

Results

Approximately 377 patients were included in the study (age: 28.3 ± 18.3 years, m/f: 229/148). The foot (n = 148, 39.3%) and the hand (n = 143, 37.9%) were the most frequently injured body parts. Regarding FB types, sewing needles (n = 140, 37.1%), metal pieces (n = 91, 24.1%), and glass (n = 80, 21.2%) were the most frequently observed objects. Most of the patients were injured at home, often by needles or glass. The injury-admission mean time was 7.38 ± 2.5 days. FBs were frequently removed in the ED (n = 176, 46.7%). Plain radiography is the first line in identifying FBs. Soft tissue infection was the most common complication. MRIs were much useful than USGs in detecting the missed penetrating sponge injury of the single patient in the study.

Conclusion

For diagnosis of FBs, besides recording the patient’s history, obtaining a two-sided radiogram is of great importance. For nonradiolucent or deeply located FBs, further clinical or radiological investigation must be considered to avoid complications. Although most of the FBs can be removed in the ED, patients may require hospitalisation and operation for FB removal, depending upon FB location and age.

219. Is the modified quick SOFA scale superior to quick SOFA in patients with diagnosed septic shock?

Background

In this study it was aimed to compare the effects of qSOFA (Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) score with modified qSOFA score (PLoS One. 2018 Sep 26;13(9):e0204608) for predicting one month survival in patients with diagnosed septic shock (SS) in a tertiary-care educational university hospital in a developing country.

Methods

Modified qSOFA was created by adding age factor (>50 years=1 point) to patients with qSOFA scale 1 or 2 or 3 who had SS (sepsis+hypotension+adrenergic agent) and consulted by Infectious Diseases consultants between December 2013-December 2018. Arterial lactate level of >2 mmol/L criterion was added as an including criteria for SS according to 3^rd International Sepsis and Septic Shock Consensus Statement after 23^rd February 2016. Statistical analysis was performed via Chi-square test and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

The number of patients with qSOFA score of 1 or 2 or 3 from 527 patients are in Table1 [some of the cases were diagnosed as septic shock according to elder definition (without lactate criterion) and there was a subgroup with qSOFA score 1]. Among the >50-year aged group, the 30-day survival rate was lower in patients with qSOFA3 vs. qSOFA 2 vs. qSOFA 1 (Table1, 3x2 Chi Square test, P = 0.0057). Among the <50 years group, the qSOFA one month survival rate was lower in patients with qSOFA 3 vs. qSOFA 2 vs. qSOFA 1 (Table, 3x2 Chi Square Test, P = 0.0052). According to modified qSOFA, there was a significant difference for one month survival among SS cases with scores of 1, 2, 3 and 4 (12/21 57% vs. Fifty/126 40% vs. 78/269 29% vs. 22/111 20%, 4x2 Chi-square test, P = 0.0003). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in terms of one month survival when we performed subgroup analysis in qSOFA score 1, 2, or 3 subgroups, as ≤50 years vs. >50 years (table, Chi-square test, 12/21 vs. 39/97 P = 0.224, 11/29 vs. 75/244 P = 0.526, 3/25 vs. 22/111 P = 0.572).

Conclusion

In terms of survival at one month, there was a significant difference between qSOFA score 1, 2, 3 and 4 subgroups. In patients with qSOFA score of 1 or 2 or 3, being under 50 years did not have a significant effect on one-month survival. Modified qSOFA may be beneficial to foresee the probable mortality but these findings need to be validated in larger cohorts

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.