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Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the pathogen spectrum of community acquired pneumonia in people living with HIV (PLWH), and to compare it with a matched HIV negative group in order to reassess therapeutic strategies for PLWH. Methods: Seventy-three (n = 73) PLWH (median CD4 3–6 months before CAP: 515/µl; SD 309) with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) were matched with 218 HIV-negative CAP controls in a prospective study design. Pathogen identifications used blood culture, samples from the upper and lower respiratory tract (culture and multiplex PCR) and urinary pneumococcal and legionella antigen test. Results: Although the vaccination rate among PLWH with CAP was significantly higher (pneumococcal vaccination: 27.4 vs. 8.3%, p < 0.001; influenza vaccination: 34.2 vs. 17.4%, p = 0.009), pneumococci were found most frequently as pathogen among both PLWH (n = 19/21.3%) and controls (n = 34/17.2%; p = 0.410), followed by Haemophilus influenzae (PLWH, n = 12/13.5%, vs. controls, n = 25 / 12.6%; p = 0.850). Staphylococcus aureus was found equally in 20.2 and 19.2% in PLWH and controls, but infection or colonization could not be distinguished. Mortality during 6-month follow-up was significantly higher for PLWH (5/73, or 6.8%) versus controls (3/218, or 1.4%), however with lower case numbers than previously reported. Typical HIV-associated pathogens such as Pneumocystis jirovecii were found only exceptionally. Conclusions: Our study underscores the persistent clinical burden of CAP for PLWH. From pathogen perspective, empirical antibiotic treatment for CAP in PLWH on antiretroviral therapy should cover pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae and may be adopted from valid common recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few data on mortality after discharge with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Therefore, we evaluated risk factors for 30-day post-discharge mortality after CAP. We included all patients of the prospective multi-national CAPNETZ study between 2002 and 2018 with (1) hospitalized CAP, (2) survival until discharge, and (3) complete follow-up data. The study endpoint was death within 30 days after discharge. We evaluated risk factors including demographics, comorbidities, admission CAP severity, and laboratory values and treatment-related factors in uni- and multivariable analyses. A total of 126 (1.6%) of 7882 included patients died until day 30 after discharge, corresponding to 26% of all 476 deaths. After multivariable analysis, we identified 10 independent risk factors: higher age, lower BMI, presence of diabetes mellitus, chronic renal or chronic neurological disease (other than cerebrovascular diseases), low body temperature or higher thrombocytes on admission, extended length of hospitalization, oxygen therapy during hospitalization, and post-obstructive pneumonia. By addition these factors, we calculated a risk score with an AUC of 0.831 (95%CI 0.822–0.839, p < 0.001) for prediction of post-discharge mortality. Early post-discharge deaths account for ¼ of all CAP-associated deaths and are associated with patient- and CAP-severity-related risk factors. Additional studies are necessary to replicate our findings in independent cohorts. Study registration: NCT 02139163. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Thorough knowledge of the nature and frequency of co-infections is essential to optimize treatment strategies and risk assessment in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to evaluate the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening approach for community-acquired bacterial pathogens (CABPs) at hospital admission, which could facilitate identification of bacterial co-infections in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: Clinical data and biomaterials from 200 hospitalized COVID-19 patients from the observational cohort of the Competence Network for community-acquired pneumonia (CAPNETZ) prospectively recruited between March 17, 2020, and March 12, 2021 in 12 centers in Germany and Switzerland, were included in this study. Nasopharyngeal swab samples were analyzed on hospital admission using multiplex real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for a broad range of CABPs. Results: In total of 200 patients Staphylococcus aureus (27.0%), Haemophilus influenzae (13.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (5.5%), Moraxella catarrhalis (2.5%), and Legionella pneumophila (1.5%) were the most frequently detected bacterial pathogens. PCR detection of bacterial pathogens correlated with purulent sputum, and showed no correlation with ICU admission, mortality, and inflammation markers. Although patients who received antimicrobial treatment were more often admitted to the ICU and had a higher mortality rate, PCR pathogen detection was not significantly related to antimicrobial treatment. Conclusion: General CABP screening using multiplex PCR with nasopharyngeal swabs may not facilitate prediction or identification of bacterial co-infections in the early phase of COVID-19-related hospitalization. Most patients with positive PCR results appear to be colonized rather than infected at that time, questioning the value of routine antibiotic treatment on admission in COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the most relevant pathogens for CAP in Germany, patients with radiologically confirmed pulmonary infiltrates and at least one clinical sign of lung infection were prospectively recruited within the CAPNETZ cohort from 2004 until 2016. In 990 out of 4.672 patients (21%) receiving complete diagnostics the most prominent change of pathogens was a decrease of S. pneumoniae (58% in 2004 to 37.5% in 2016; p ≤ 0.001, ρ = − 0.148) and an increase of H. influenzae (12.2% to 20.8%; p = 0.001, ρ = 0.104). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The first SARS-CoV-2 cases in Europe were reported in January 2020. Recently, concern arose on unrecognized infections before this date. For a better understanding of the pandemic, we retrospectively analyzed patient samples for SARS-CoV-2 from the prospective CAPNETZ study cohort. Methods: We used nasopharyngeal swab samples from a cohort of well characterized patients with community acquired pneumonia of the CAPNETZ study group, recruited from different geographic regions across Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Switzerland between 02nd December 2019 and 28th April 2020. Multiplex real-time RT-PCR for a broad range of respiratory pathogens and SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR were performed on all samples. Results: In our cohort, respiratory pathogens other than SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 21.5% (42/195) of patients with rhinovirus as the most frequently detected pathogen. The detection rate increased to 29.7% (58/195) when SARS-CoV-2 was included. No SARS-CoV-2 positive sample was detected before end of March 2020. Conclusions: Respiratory viral pathogens accounted for a considerable number of positive results but no SARS-CoV-2 case was identified before the end of March 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In recent years, the number of patients requiring mechanical ventilation has increased steadily. In some cases, weaning is not successful. These patients depend on home mechanical ventilation and intensive outpatient care. Surprisingly, most of these patients were never treated in a weaning center. Thus, weaning might still be possible in at least some of them. Health insurance companies have recognized this problem., Methods: AOK Hessen, a major health insurance company in the German federal state of Hesse, identified some starting points for improvement after having surveyed their patients in ambulant intensive care. Principal points for future measures are expertise of the treating medical center (weaning experience, weaning center), establishment of new centers for homecare ventilation for long term therapy of these patients and a coordinated follow up., Results: Centers for homecare ventilation are wards with a non-hospital atmosphere affiliated to a weaning center. The main focus here is not weaning itself but daily physical and speech therapy. Patients in home care ventilation centers have time (up to 6 months) to improve their physical and mental strength. Afterwards, depending to their development, they can be transferred to the weaning center again., Discussion: In this paper, we introduce the concept of the home care ventilation centers. Initial data suggests that home care ventilation centers can contribute to successful weaning., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Until a short time ago efficient computer assisted reporting of electrophoretograms was not possible owing to the lack of appropriate technology. By integrating a fully mechanized electrophoresis system into the laboratory data processing system of a centralized institute of clinical chemistry, the separation and the interpretation of results can be performed for 300 samples per day. The interpretation is based upon available patient data (specified clinical diagnoses, previous results), calculated fractions and analysis of the electrophoretic curve in the area of albumin and the beta- and gamma-globulin fraction. In this way it is possible to classify hereditary bisalbuminaemias and to detect transient bisalbuminaemias and monoclonal gammopathies. Diagnostic indications of specific dysproteinaemias and defect proteinaemias are printed on the report form if individual serum protein fractions and the total protein content are changed specifically. The results of the different electrophoretic fractions, the total protein and a set of possible alterations of the curve are numerically coded according to the scaled biochemical ranges in five definite sections or to a decision matrix (alteration 'given' or 'not given'), respectively. The composed 'result patterns' are matched with preassigned 'reference patterns' stored in the computer file. The procedure is efficient and adaptable to other areas of analysis.