A bundle orientated to improving adherence to evidence-based QCIs improved the management of patients with SAB and was associated with reduced mortality.

Pharmacists published specific guidelines about vancomycin dosage and monitoring. However, these guidelines have not been updated in the past 6 years. This review analyzes the new available information about vancomycin published in recent years regarding pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, serum concentration monitoring, and optimal vancomycin dosing in special situations (obese people, burn patients, renal replacement therapy, among others). Vancomycin efficacy is linked to a correct dosage which should aim to reach an area under the curve (AUC)/MIC ratio of >400; serum trough levels of 15 to 20 mg/liter are considered a surrogate marker of an AUC/MIC ratio of >400 for a MIC of <1 mg/liter. For Staphylococcus aureus strains presenting with a MIC >1 mg/liter, an alternative agent should be considered. Vancomycin doses must be adjusted according to body weight and the plasma trough levels of the drug. Nephrotoxicity has been associated with target vancomycin trough levels above 15 mg/liter. Continuous infusion is an option, especially for patients at high risk of renal impairment or unstable vancomycin clearance. In such cases, vancomycin plasma steady-state level and creatinine monitoring are strongly indicated. Vancomycin has traditionally been used as a first-line agent for treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other Gram-positive beta-lactam-resistant bacteria (1), which are frequent etiologies of severe health-related infections (2, 3).Although the effectiveness of vancomycin is supported by more than 5 decades of use and multiple studies, the clinical and microbiological scenario in which it is used is always changing. Attaining an appropriate dosage of vancomycin for S. aureus infections might be difficult due to the clinical impact of the creep in the MIC of vancomycin and heteroresistance among MRSA strains, or due to complex pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) situations. In this context, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) introduced a practice guideline in 2009 (4), marking a milestone in vancomycin therapy. However, several questions, such as the optimal dosing in some special clinical situations (e.g., with renal replacement therapies or in burn patients or obese patients), the role of continuous infusion, or the renal toxicity when the suggested vancomycin serum levels are achieved, remain unanswered. The present review mainly focuses on these issues. VANCOMYCIN PHARMACODYNAMICS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR DRUG MONITORINGThe killing effect of vancomycin is characterized by a slow mode of action and is further hampered by a large bacterial inoculum, a stationary growth phase, and anaerobic conditions (5, 6). Although several pharmacodynamic parameters have been proposed to determine vancomycin activity, data from experimental and clinical studies have selected the area under the curve (AUC)/ MIC ratio as the best parameter to predict the...

Our data do not support an association of CT with reduced mortality in MDRAB infections. More data for specific types of infection and combinations are needed.

Female patients with CA-SAB experienced increased 30-day mortality compared with male patients. Gender should be considered in the triage and risk stratification of CA-SAB patients.

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The aim was to analyze the characteristics and predictors of unfavorable outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) with COVID-19. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 210 consecutive SOTRs hospitalized with COVID-19 in 12 Spanish centers from 21 February to 6 May 2020. Data pertaining to demographics, chronic underlying diseases, transplantation features, clinical, therapeutics, and complications were collected. The primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with these unfavorable outcomes. Males accounted for 148 (70.5%) patients, the median age was 63 years, and 189 (90.0%) patients had pneumonia. Common symptoms were fever, cough, gastrointestinal disturbances, and dyspnea. The most used antiviral or host-targeted therapies included hydroxychloroquine 193/200 (96.5%), lopinavir/ritonavir 91/200 (45.5%), and tocilizumab 49/200 (24.5%). Thirty-seven (17.6%) patients required ICU admission, 12 (5.7%) suffered graft dysfunction, and 45 (21.4%) died. A shorter interval between transplantation and COVID-19 diagnosis had a negative impact on clinical prognosis. Four baseline features were identified as independent predictors of intensive care need or death: advanced age, high respiratory rate, lymphopenia, and elevated level of lactate dehydrogenase. In summary, this study presents comprehensive information on characteristics and complications of COVID-19 in hospitalized SOTRs and provides indicators available upon hospital admission for the identification of SOTRs at risk of critical disease or death, underlining the need for stringent preventative measures in the early post-transplant period.

We observed significant differences in adjusted mortality between hospitals, suggesting differences in quality of care. However, mortality is strongly influenced by patient mix and thus, crude mortality is not a suitable quality indicator.

When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged < 65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Conclusion: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the < 65-year group.