IntroductionAchievement of optimal vancomycin exposure is crucial to improve the management of patients with life-threatening infections caused by susceptible Gram-positive bacteria and is of particular concern in patients with augmented renal clearance (ARC). The aim of this study was to develop a dosing nomogram for the administration of vancomycin by continuous infusion for the first 24 hours of therapy based on the measured urinary creatinine clearance (8 h CLCR).MethodsThis single-center study included all critically ill patients treated with vancomycin over a 13-month period (group 1), in which we retrospectively assessed the correlation between vancomycin clearance and 8 h CLCR. This data was used to develop a formula for optimised drug dosing. The efficiency of this formula was prospectively evaluated in a second cohort of 25 consecutive critically ill patients (group 2). Vancomycin serum concentrations between 20 to 30 mg/L were considered adequate. ARC was defined as 8 h CLCR more than 130 ml/min/1.73 m2.ResultsThe incidence of ARC was 36% (n = 29/79) and 40% (10/25) in group 1 (n = 79) and 2 (n = 25), respectively. The mean serum vancomycin concentration on day 1 was 21.5 (6.4) and 24.5 (5.2) mg/L, for both groups respectively. On the treatment day, vancomycin plasma clearance was 5.12 (1.9) L/h in group 1 and correlated significantly with the 8 h CLCR (r2 = 0.66; P <0.001). The achievement of adequate vancomycin serum concentrations in group 2 was 84% (n = 21/25) versus 51% (n = 40/79) – P <0.005.ConclusionsThis new vancomycin nomogram enabled the achievement of adequate serum concentrations in 84% of the patients on the first day of treatment.

Introduction: Hospital-acquired pneumonia continues to be a frequent complication in the intensive care unit and an important cause of admission in the intensive care unit. The aim of our study was to evaluate the demography, incidence, risk factors, causative bacterial pathogens and outcome of all episodes of Hospital-acquired pneumonia in our unit.Material and Methods: Prospective observational study, at a tertiary university hospital during one year (2014) including all the cases of hospital-acquired pneumonia in the intensive care unit.Results: Sixty patients were identified with pneumonia. Thirty-five (58.3%) had an intensive care unit acquired pneumonia, corresponding to 6.9 cases/1000 intubation-days. Antibiotic treatment in the previous 30 days was present in 75% of the cases. The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii was 26.2%, 20.0% and 9.2%, respectively. Patients with late-onset hospital-acquired pneumonia (≥ 7 days) showed higher frequency of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli isolates, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Combination therapy was performed in 67.0%, and de-escalation in 18.3%. The mortality rate was 18.3%. The adjusted odds ratio for intensive care unit mortality in the group of patients with non-intensive care unit acquired pneumonia was 5.2 (95% CI of 1.02 – 22.10; p = 0.046).Discussion: The knowledge of local bacterial flora and resistance patterns is of crucial importance and strongly recommended. This evidence increases the probability of success of empiric antibiotic therapy.Conclusion: S. aureus was the predominant causative agent of nosocomial pneumonia. The most frequent risk factor identified for infection with multidrug-resistant organisms was previous treatment with antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant organisms were present in 45% of documented hospital-acquired pneumonias. In admitted patients with non-intensive care unit acquired pneumonia, the intensive care unit mortality rate was nearly five times higher compared to intensive care unit acquired pneumonia.

care (18% globally) 11% felt they had 'never' or only 'sometimes' been treated with dignity and respect by their treatment team (9% globally). Conclusions: The survey demonstrates that a pan-European patient experience survey can take place. It also suggests more could be done across nations to improve lung cancer patients' experience, particularly involvement in decisions around treatment and care. We are grateful to all the patients who responded and shared their experiences.

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