Efficacy and safety of dalbavancin in the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) and other infections in a real-life setting: data from an Italian observational multicentric study (DALBITA study)

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of dalbavancin in ABSSSI and 'other sites' infections' (OTA).

METHODS

Observational study involving 11 Italian hospitals including patients that received ≥1 dose of dalbavancin in 2016-2019. The outcome was end-of-treatment efficacy and safety in ABSSSI and OTA in a real-life setting.

RESULTS

206 patients enrolled (males 50%, median age 62 [IQR 50-76] years), 60.2% ABSSSI, 39.8% OTA. 69.7% ABSSSI vs 90.7% OTA (p = 0.003) and 46.3% ABSSSI vs 37.2% OTA (p = 0.786) received previous and concomitant antibiotics, respectively. 82.5% reached clinical cure . Eleven (5.4%) patients had non-serious adverse events (AE). OTA patients showed longer hospitalization (13.5 days, 5.5-22 vs 3, 0-11.7; p<0.0001) and received longer previous (18 days, 9-30 vs 11, 7-19; p = 0.007)/concomitant antibiotic treatments (21 days, 14-52 vs 11, 8-14; p < 0.0001), compared to ABSSSI. ABSSSI and OTA showed similar efficacy (85.5% vs 75%, p = 0.459) and safety (no AE: 81.5% vs 64.3%, p = 0.258); efficacy was independent of previous/concomitant therapies.

CONCLUSIONS

Dalbavancin demonstrated a success rate of >80%, with similar efficacy/safety in ABSSSI and off-label indications. The preferential use of dalbavancin as second-line or combination therapy would seem to suggest the need for in-depth studies focused on its off-label use.

Advanced liver disease outcomes after hepatitis C eradication by human immunodeficiency virus infection in PITER cohort

Background

Liver disease progression after Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) eradication following direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment in the real-life setting according to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) coinfection was evaluated.

Methods

Patients consecutively enrolled in PITER between April 2014 and June 2019 and with at least 12-weeks follow-up following treatment were analysed. Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate HIV coinfection and factors independently associated with liver disease outcomes following viral eradication in DAA treated patients with pre-treatment liver cirrhosis.

Results

93 HIV/HCV coinfected and 1109 HCV monoinfected patients were evaluated during a median follow-up of 26.7 (range 6–44.6) and 24.6 (range 6.8–47.3) months, respectively. No difference in the cumulative HCC incidence and hepatic decompensation was observed between coinfected and monoinfected patients. Age (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.08; 95% CI 1.04–1.13), male sex (HR = 2.76; 95% CI 1.28–5.96), lower albumin levels (HR = 3.94; 95% CI 1.81–8.58), genotype 3 (HR = 5.05; 95% CI 1.75–14.57) and serum anti-HBc positivity (HR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.01–3.95) were independently associated with HCC incidence. Older age (HR = 1.03; 95% CI 1.00–1.07), male sex (HR = 2.13; 95% CI 1.06–4.26) and lower albumin levels (HR = 3.75; 95% CI 1.89–7.46) were independently associated with the appearance of a decompensating event after viral eradication.

Conclusion

Different demographic, clinical and genotype distribution between HIV coinfected vs those monoinfected, was observed in a representative cohort of HCV infected patients in Italy. Once liver cirrhosis is established the disease progression is decreased, but still persists regardless of viral eradication in both coinfected and monoinfected patients. In patients with cirrhosis, HIV coinfection was not associated with a higher probability of liver complications, after viral eradication.

Real-life use of elbasvir/grazoprevir in adults and elderly patients: a prospective evaluation of comedications used in the PITER cohort

BACKGROUND

In patients treated for HCV infection, potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can occur among direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) and comedications used. The real-life effectiveness and safety of elbasvir/grazoprevir (ELB/GZR) among co-medicated HCV patients was evaluated.

METHODS

We prospectively evaluated consecutive patients from 15 clinical centres participating in PITER who were treated with ELB/GZR and had been followed for at least 12 weeks after treatment. Data were prospectively collected on the use of comedications (including discontinuation, dose modification and addition of drugs) and potential DDIs with DAAs.

RESULTS

Of the 356 patients with at least 12-week post-treatment follow-up (median age 67, range 50-88 years), 338 (95%) achieved sustained virological response. Of these, 219 (60%) had at least one comorbidity (median 2, range 1-6); information on comedication was available for 212 of them. Of 190 comedications used, 15 (8%) drugs were modified during ELB/GZR therapy, specifically in 9 (4%) patients they were interrupted, in 2 (1%) of whom, the comedication was interrupted before the DAA therapy because of potential DDI (that is, patients treated with carbamazepine); in 12 (6%) patients the comedications were modified in terms of dosage. In 29 (14%) patients, the comedications required monitoring when used with ELB/GZR, as well as with all available DAAs. Of the 190 drugs, 27 (14%) used in 67% of patients were free of DDIs when used with ELB/GZR, whereas they required monitoring if used with other DAA regimens.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this prospective study support findings that ELB/GZR is effective and safe in most treated patients.

Emergence and spread of a multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clone producing both the carbapenemase OXA-23 and the 16S rRNA methylase ArmA

Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative organism reported worldwide as a cause of health-care-associated infections, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs). The aim of this study is to describe the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) isolates in hospitalized patients. From March to November 2009, multidrug-resistant CRAB isolates were obtained from 21 patients hospitalized in different wards (mostly ICUs). Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by using the Etest method. Carbapenem and aminoglycoside resistance determinants were studied by PCR and sequencing. Genetic relatedness was investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multiplex PCR identification of sequence groups. Clinical records of patients were examined retrospectively. CRAB isolates were consistently resistant to multiple drugs including fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides, whereas they retained a susceptibility to colistin. Molecular analysis revealed that 19 of the 21 CRAB isolates belonged to a single clone producing both the carbapenemase OXA-23 and the 16S rRNA methylase ArmA. Based on clinical data, the patients included in the study were classified as infected (n=13) or colonized (n=8). Colistin alone or in combination with ampicillin-sulbactam was administered to 11 of the 13 infected patients. A complete or partial response was obtained in eight cases, whereas a failure to respond was observed in one patient and a relapse was observed in two patients. An A. baumannii clone producing both OXA-23 and ArmA has been identified as an emerging and rapidly spreading pathogen. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the ArmA enzyme in A. baumannii in Italy and is the first report of hospital dissemination of A. baumannii carrying both bla(OXA-23) and armA genes.

Predictors of AIDS-defining events among advanced naïve patients after HAART

BACKGROUND

Baseline and follow-up predictors of new AIDS-defining events or death (ADE/death) among patients who started HAART late in their disease history have rarely been assessed simultaneously.

METHOD

ADE and mortality rates were assessed using Cox regression analyses. Variables were tested for prediction of ADE/death within the first 3 months of therapy and from month 3, thereafter.

RESULTS

751 HIV-infected patients with <200 CD4+/mm(3) before HAART were followed for a median of 49 months. 207 new ADE occurred (7.06 [6.16-8.10] per 100 patient-years). ADE/deaths clustered within the first 3 months of treatment (106/207, 51%). Higher CD4+ T-cell counts during the follow-up (per log(e) cells/mm(3): hazard ratio [HR] 0.51; 0.41-0.64; p < .001) and use of antiretroviral therapy (HR 0.38; 95% CI 0.21-0.69; p = .001) appeared to protect from ADE/death after month 3. Conversely, increasing follow-up with HIV RNA >400 copies/mL correlated with ADE/death (per month: HR 1.09; 95% CI 1.06-1.12; p = .001). Use of boosted protease inhibitors as first-line HAART and HCV-seropositivity were additional risk factors. Baseline CD4+ T-cell count and HIV RNA had a predominant impact in the first 3 months after HAART initiation.

CONCLUSION

A careful monitoring of patients with low CD4+ is particularly necessary during the first few months of HAART. Length and extent of viral replication during the follow-up appeared to induce a significantly higher risk of HIV disease progression afterwards, implying that new drugs and new strategies aimed at ensuring long-term suppression of HIV RNA are of outstanding importance.

Predictors of Clinical Progression among HIV-1–Positive Patients starting HAART with CD4+ T-cell Counts ≥200 cells/mm3

Background

Baseline and follow-up predictors of new AIDS-defining events (ADE) or death among patients who started HAART with CD4+ T-cell counts ≥200 cells/mm3 have rarely been assessed simultaneously.

Methods

A prospective observational cohort study (1996–2002) is reported. HIV-infected patients initiating HAART with a CD4+ T-cell count ≥200 cells/mm3 were studied. Baseline and time-varying factors were tested for the prediction of new ADE/death using Cox regression models.

Results

A total of 896 subjects were studied over a median of 5.1 years. The incidence of a new ADE was 1.6 (95% confidence interval 1.3–2.1) per 100 person-years. Among baseline factors, higher CD4+ T-cell counts before HAART were associated with lower risk of ADE/death, but not after adjustment for time-varying factors. On a multivariable analysis including both baseline and time-varying covariates, longer delay from HIV diagnosis to HAART was an independent predictor of ADE/death (per year, hazard ratio [HR] 1.06; P=0.025) and was independent of CD4+ T-cell count before treatment. Longer time spent with HIV RNA <400 copies/ml (per month, HR 0.96; P=0.003) and higher latest CD4+ T-cell count (per log2 cells/mm3, HR 0.65; P<0.001) were found to be protective.

Conclusions

Patients with higher CD4+ T-cell counts before HAART initiation had a better prognosis. However, except for the delay in starting HAART, viro-immunological evolution outweighed the effect of baseline factors. Moreover, suppressing HIV replication for as long as possible could improve the clinical outcome. Prospective randomized clinical trials to assess the optimal timing of HAART initiation are both feasible and urgently needed.

CD4+ T cell evolution and predictors of its trend before and after tenofovir/didanosine backbone in the presence of sustained undetectable HIV plasma viral load

BACKGROUND

Tenofovir with full-dose didanosine has been associated with paradoxical CD4 + T cell decrease despite virological suppression. We investigated whether tenofovir plus didanosine at a weight-adjusted dosage could be responsible for such an effect, and factors associated with CD4 + T cell count evolution under this combination.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational multicohort study (Italian MASTER and Spanish Hospital Carlos III HIV cohorts). Patients with HIV plasma viral load suppression for >/= 6 months who switched to an antiretroviral combination including tenofovir plus didanosine were studied, as long as virological success was maintained. CD4 + T cell count variations over time (slopes) were compared before and after switching to tenofovir plus didanosine using linear mixed models and segmented regression analysis.

RESULTS

Annual time-weighted CD4 + T cell count slope did not change significantly after the prescription of tenofovir plus didanosine: it was 14 cells/mm(3) [95% confidence interval (CI) - 7 to 35] from month - 24 to month - 12, 12 cells/mm(3) (95% CI - 14 to 38) from month - 12 to the time of switching, 30 cells/mm(3) (95% CI 5-55) from switching to month + 12 and 15 cells/mm(3) (95% CI - 8 to 39) from month + 12 to month + 24 after switching to tenofovir plus didanosine. No significant change in the slope of the segment after the switch to tenofovir plus didanosine-containing regimens when compared with the segment preceding the intervention was found (CD4 + T cell count slope change: 24 cells/mm(3); 95% CI - 10 to 58). Similar results were obtained using CD4 + T cell percentage over total lymphocytes. The significant independent predictors of lower CD4 + T cell count slope were older age (P = 0.006), lower nadir CD4 + T cell count (P < 0.001) and positive hepatitis C virus antibody (P = 0.03). Moreover, reduced estimated creatinine clearance was an additional independent predictor of lower CD4 + T cell count slope (P = 0.02), but only after excluding nadir CD4 + T cell count.

CONCLUSIONS

Tenofovir plus didanosine (weight-adjusted dosage) was not associated with paradoxical CD4 + T cell decrease in our patients maintaining undetectable HIV plasma viral load for a maximum of 24 months after switching. Several factors could explain variability in CD4 + T cell count evolution in these patients.

Predictors of clinical progression among HIV-1-positive patients starting HAART with CD4+ T-cell counts > or =200 cells/mm3

BACKGROUND

Baseline and follow-up predictors of new AIDS-defining events (ADE) or death among patients who started HAART with CD4+ T-cell counts > or =200 cells/mm3 have rarely been assessed simultaneously.

METHODS

A prospective observational cohort study (1996-2002) is reported. HIV-infected patients initiating HAART with a CD4+ T-cell count > or =200 cells/mm3 were studied. Baseline and time-varying factors were tested for the prediction of new ADE/death using Cox regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 896 subjects were studied over a median of 5.1 years. The incidence of a new ADE was 1.6 (95% confidence interval 1.3-2.1) per 100 person-years. Among baseline factors, higher CD4+ T-cell counts before HAART were associated with lower risk of ADE/death, but not after adjustment for time-varying factors. On a multivariable analysis including both baseline and time-varying covariates, longer delay from HIV diagnosis to HAART was an independent predictor of ADE/death (per year, hazard ratio [HR] 1.06; P = 0.025) and was independent of CD4+ T-cell count before treatment. Longer time spent with HIV RNA <400 copies/ml (per month, HR 0.96; P = 0.003) and higher latest CD4+ T-cell count (per log2 cells/mm3, HR 0.65; P < 0.001) were found to be protective.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher CD4+ T-cell counts before HAART initiation had a better prognosis. However, except for the delay in starting HAART, viroimmunological evolution outweighed the effect of baseline factors. Moreover, suppressing HIV replication for as long as possible could improve the clinical outcome. Prospective randomized clinical trials to assess the optimal timing of HAART initiation are both feasible and urgently needed.

Evolution of HVR-1 Quasispecies after 1-Year Treatment in HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients According to the Pattern of Response to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) variability is mainly attributed to the ability of the virus to respond to host immune pressure, acting as a driving force for the evolution of quasispecies. This study was aimed at studying the changes in HVR-1 heterogeneity and the evolution of HCV quasispecies in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients according to the pattern of response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Sixteen HIV/HCV-coinfected patients harbouring HCV genotype 1 and who had been on HAART for at least 1 year, 8 showing increasing CD4+T-cell counts (immunological responders) and 8 showing a stable or decreasing CD4+ T-cell counts (immunological non-responders), were selected from a prospective cohort study.

After 1 year of HAART, 11 patients showed HIV viral load <2.6 log10 cp/ml (virological responders), and 5 showed HIV viral load above this value (virological non-responders). Plasma samples, collected before starting therapy and after 1 year of HAART, underwent clonal sequence analysis for HVR-1 region of HCV. Non-synonymous/synonymous substitutions ratio (Ka/Ks), aminoacidic complexity (normalized Shannon entropy) and diversity (p-distance), were considered as parameters of quasispecies heterogeneity. After 1 year of HAART, heterogeneity of HVR-1 quasispecies significantly decreased in virological non-responders, whereas the heterogeneity tended to increase in virological responders. The differences in the evolution were less stringent, when considering immunological response. On the other hand, profound qualitative modifications of HVR-1 quasispecies were observed only in patients with both immunological and virological HAART response.

On the whole, these findings suggest that, in patients undergoing HAART, the extent of HCV variability and the evolution of HVR-1 quasispecies is influenced by the pattern of response to antiretroviral therapy.

Response to Haart and Gb Virus Type C Coinfection in a Cohort of Antiretroviral-Naive HIV-Infected Individuals

The prognostic role of GB virus type C (GBV-C) viraemia in HIV-infected subjects treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is still undefined, The aim of this analysis is to assess the relationship between GBV-C infection and response to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected subjects initiating HAART when antiretroviral-naive.

A prospective, observational study of 400 HIV-infected patients with measurements of GBV-C RNA, hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and HCV RNA determined from plasma stored prior to HAART initiation, Time to virological (achieving HIV RNA ≤500 copies/ml) and immunological success (a CD4+ count increase of ≥200cells/μl), and the time to virological relapse (confirmed HIV RNA >500 copies/ml) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Of the subjects, 117 (29.3%) were GBV-C positive and, overall, 351 (87.8%) patients achieved virological success, After controlling for a number of confounders including HCV RNA, GBV-C viraemic patients experienced a significantly lower risk of HIV rebound than those who were GBV-C negative [relative hazard (RH)=0.56, 95% CI: 0.34–0.93, P=0.03], Conversely, the probability of achieving initial virological success or CD4+ count response after HAART did not differ between GBV-C-negative and -positive subjects, These results suggest that GBV-C coinfection may play a role in determining the rate of HIV rebound possibly by competing with HIV replication after HIV load has been successfully suppressed by HAART.

Variability in the Interpretation of Transmitted Genotypic HIV-1 Drug Resistance and Prediction of Virological Outcomes of the Initial Haart by Distinct Systems

High level HIV-1 drug resistance in recently infected treatment-naive individuals correlates with sub-optimal virological responses to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). To determine whether genotypic HIV-1 drug resistance in chronic naive patients, as interpreted by various systems, could predict the virological outcomes of HAART, isolates from patients enrolled in a prospective observational cohort (ICoNA) prior to treatment start were genotyped. Genotypic susceptibility scores (GSS) assigned to the initial HAART regimens using the interpretations of pre-therapy resistance mutations by 13 systems were related to virological outcomes. Of 415 patients, 42 (10%) had at least one major resistance mutation. According to the different interpretations, 1.9–20.5% of patients had some level of resistance to at least one drug in the initial regimen. In multivariable analysis, GSS from two systems significantly predicted the time to virological success: Rega 5.5, for each unit increase in GSS adjusted relative hazard (RH) 1.86 [95% confidence intervals (95% CI): 1.15–3.02] and hivresistanceWeb v3, RH 1.87 (95% CI: 1.00–3.48). With three other systems, GSS showed a trend towards a significant prediction of success: Retrogram 1.6, RH 2.33 (95% CI: 0.98–5.53), Menéndez 2002, RH 2.36 (95% CI: 0.97–5.72) and Stanford hivdb, RH 2.06 (95% CI: 0.94–4.49). Genotypic resistance testing coupled with adequate interpretation in chronic naive patients can usefully identify those at risk of sub-optimal virological response to HAART.

The Management of Hepatitis B Virus/HIV-1 Co-Infected Patients Starting Their First Haart Regimen. Treating Two Infections for the Price of One Drug?

We examined the impact of a lamivudine-containing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen on 164 hepatitis B virus/HIV co-infected individuals starting their first HAART. Lamivudine-treated patients (accounting for 73% of the study population) showed a significantly lower level of alanine aminotransferase over follow-up [–81.1 mU/ml mean difference; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI): –30.3; –131.7, P=0.003] and a significantly reduced risk of liver-related morbidity/mortality [Relative hazard (RH)=0.07; 95% CI: 0.01–0.38, P=0.002] than those starting a lamivudine sparing-regimen.

Higher levels of HIV DNA in memory and naive CD4(+) T cell subsets of viremic compared to non-viremic patients after 18 and 24 months of HAART

The degree of infection of memory and naive CD4(+) T cells in patients treated with HAART and with durable undetectable or detectable viral load in plasma was evaluated. The following two groups of patients were analyzed cross-sectionally: (i) patients with undetectable HIV RNA plasma levels during follow-up (responders); (ii) patients with no reduction or with rebound in HIV RNA levels during treatment (non-responders). Patients were examined following 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of HAART, respectively, by quantifying: (i) plasma HIV RNA load; (ii) CD4(+) T cells; (iii) memory and naive CD4(+) T cells; (iv) HIV DNA levels in memory and naive CD4(+) T cells. HIV RNA plasma levels were significantly higher in non-responders vs responders at each time point (P<0.02), while CD4(+) T cell counts as well as memory and naive CD4(+) T cell levels were comparable in both viremic and non-viremic patients. However, higher HIV DNA values were observed in both memory and naive CD4(+) T cells of non-responders vs responders after 18 and 24 months of HAART (P<0.02), suggesting an increased amount of HIV-infected naive CD4(+) T cells and a sustained high degree of infection of memory CD4(+) T cells. Immunological reconstitution following HAART might potentially be hampered in viremic patients despite the absolute increase in CD4(+) T cell counts.

Self-perceptions of Sicillian male youth

An Italian version of the AVA was included in the test battery for a pilot study of Project Talent in Sicily. Ss were 395 male students attending a public technical school in Palermo, Sicily. Profiles of basic self and social self-concepts, as well as the composite self-concept yielded by the AVA, were analyzed for the Sicilian sample. The latter were also compared with those for an American normative sample ( N = 7732). Two heavily concentrated clusters were noted in the self-perceptions of the Sicilians in contrast to those of the American sample which are more evenly distributed throughout the personality spheroid comprising the AVA model.