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Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly implanted in patients with advanced heart failure. Currently, LVAD care is predominantly concentrated at specialized tertiary care hospitals. However, the increasing workload and logistical burden for implanting centres pose significant challenges to accessing care for individual patients in remote areas. An emerging approach to LVAD patient management is the use of a shared care model (SCM), which facilitates collaboration between implanting centres and local non-implanting hospitals. This scoping review explores and synthesizes the current scientific evidence on the use of SCMs in LVAD care management. Eligible studies were identified in EMBASE, PubMed MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane and Google Scholar. Findings were synthesized in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Of the 950 records screened, five articles met the inclusion criteria. Four review articles focused on the proposed benefits and challenges of using SCMs. Main benefits included improved patient satisfaction and continuity of care. Important challenges were initial education of non-implanting centre staff and maintaining competency. One prospective study showed that absence of LVAD-specific care was associated with impaired survival and higher rates of pump thrombosis and LVAD-related infections. The use of SCMs is a promising approach in the long-term management of LVAD patients. However, sufficient evidence about the impact of SCMs on patients and the healthcare system is not currently available. Standardized protocols based on prospective studies are needed to develop safe and effective shared care for LVAD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Multimodal monitoring is the use of data from multiple physiological sensors combined in a way to provide individualized patient management. It is becoming commonplace in the civilian care of traumatic brain-injured patients. We hypothesized we could bring the technology to the battlefield using a noninvasive sensor suite and an artificial intelligence-based patient management guidance system. Methods Working with military medical personnel, we gathered requirements for a hand-held system that would adapt to the rapidly evolving field of neurocritical care. To select the optimal sensors, we developed a method to evaluate both the value of the sensor's measurement in managing brain injury and the burden to deploy that sensor in the battlefield. We called this the Value-Burden Analysis which resulted in a score weighted by the Role of Care. The Value was assessed using 7 criteria, 1 of which was the clinical value as assessed by a consensus of clinicians. The Burden was assessed using 16 factors such as size, weight, and ease of use. We evaluated and scored 17 sensors to test the assessment methodology. In addition, we developed a design for the guidance system, built a prototype, and tested the feasibility. Results The resulting architecture of the system was modular, requiring the development of an interoperable description of each component including sensors, guideline steps, medications, analytics, resources, and the context of care. A Knowledge Base was created to describe the interactions of the modules. A prototype test set-up demonstrated the feasibility of the system in that simulated physiological inputs would mimic the guidance provided by the current Clinical Practice Guidelines for Traumatic Brain Injury in Prolonged Care (CPG ID:63). The Value-Burden analysis yielded a ranking of sensors as well as sensor metadata useful in the Knowledge Base. Conclusion We developed a design and tested the feasibility of a system that would allow the use of physiological biomarkers as a management tool in forward care. A key feature is the modular design that allows the system to adapt to changes in sensors, resources, and context as well as to updates in guidelines as they are developed. Continued work consists of further validation of the concept with simulated scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction A US Naval hospital in the remote Pacific region has developed interfacility transfer (IFT) teams staffed by active duty personnel out of necessity due to a large percentage of critically ill patients requiring IFT and a lack of local resources. The IFT program underwent significant improvements in training and quality assurance in 2017. We sought to assess patient safety when transport was performed by our locally sourced and trained IFT teams. En route care (ERC) is a recognized critical capability gap in the US Navy requiring clinicians with current knowledge and skills to maintain competency. IFT programs may be a viable skill sustainment program for ERC clinicians. Materials and Methods A database was created as part of the quality assurance program to collate information on patient demographics, level of care provided, reason for transport, and interventions provided by the transporting team. A retrospective review of these data was conducted with emphasis on the appropriateness of patient management and skill sustainment for active duty personnel. The project was deemed institutional review board exempt. Results Of the 1,193 patient care reports reviewed, interventions were required in 128 (10.7%) of patients and 58 (4.9%) required ventilator management. Medical deterioration occurred during 22 (1.8%) of the transports, with 20 (90.9%) of the deterioration episodes managed appropriately. No patient harm occurred. Conclusions IFT teams with local training were able to safely transport critically ill patients with no adverse outcomes, defined as direct harm to the patients as a result of transport. Patient care during transports included routine interventions, ventilator management, and troubleshooting of patient deteriorations. Our data further suggest IFT programs may be a viable skill sustainment platform for ERC clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Emergent clinical care and patient movements through the military evacuation system improves survival. Patient management differs when transporting from the point-of-injury (POI) to the first medical treatment facility (MTF) versus transporting from the Role 2 to the Role 3 MTF secondary to care rendered within the MTF, including surgery and advanced resuscitation. The objective of this study was to describe care provided to patients during theater inter-facility transports and compare with pre-hospital transports (POI to first MTF). Materials and Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with the Role 2 to the Role 3 transports in Afghanistan and Iraq from 2007 to 2016. Data collected included procedures and events at the MTF and during transport. We compared the intra-theater transport data (Role 2 to Role 3) to data from a previous study evaluating pre-hospiital transports (POI to first MTF). Results We reviewed the records of 869 Role 2 to Role 3 transport patients. Role 2 to Role 3 transports were longer in duration compared to POI transports (39 minutes vs. 23 minutes) and were more likely to be staffed by advanced personnel (nurses, physician assistants, and physicians) (57% vs. 3%). The sample primarily consisted of military-aged males (mean age 27 years) who suffered from explosive or blunt force injuries. Procedures performed during each phase of care reflected the capabilities of the teams and locations. Pain and cardiac events were more common in POI evacuations compared to the Role 2 to Role 3 transports, but documentation of respiratory events, hemodynamic events, neurologic events, and equipment failure was more common during the Role 2 to Role 3 transports. Survival rates were slightly higher among the Role 2 to Role 3 cohort (98% vs. 95%, difference 3% [95% confidence interval of the difference 1-5%]). Conclusions Inter-facility transports (Role 2 to Role 3) are longer in duration, transport more complex patients, and are staffed by more advanced level provider types compared to transports from POI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the referrals and use of a hybrid care model for low back pain that includes on-site care by physical therapists, physical activity training, and psychologically informed practice (PiP) delivered by telehealth in the Improving Veteran Access to Integrated Management of Low Back Pain (AIM-Back) trial. Methods Data were collected from November 2020 through February 2023 from 5 Veteran Health Administration clinics participating in AIM-Back, a multisite, cluster-randomized embedded pragmatic trial. The authors extracted data from the Veteran Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse to describe referral and enrollment metrics, telehealth use (eg, distribution of physical activity and PiP calls), and treatments used by physical therapists and telehealth providers. Results Seven hundred one veterans were referred to the AIM-Back trial with 422 enrolling in the program (consult-to-enrollment rate = 60.2%). After travel restrictions were lifted, site visits resulted in a significant increase in referrals and a number of new referring providers. At initial evaluation by on-site physical therapists, 92.2% of veterans received pain modulation (eg, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, manual therapy). Over 81% of enrollees completed at least 1 telehealth physical activity call, with a mean of 2.8 (SD = 2.0) calls out of 6. Of the 167 veterans who screened as medium to high risk of persistent disability, 74.9% completed at least 1 PiP call, with a mean of 2.5 (SD = 2.0) calls out of 6. Of those who completed at least 1 PiP call (n  = 125), 100% received communication strategies, 97.6% received pain coping skills training, 89.6% received activity-based treatments, and 99.2% received education in a home program. Conclusion In implementing a hybrid care pathway for low back pain, the authors observed consistency in the delivery of core components (ie, pain modulation, use of physical activity training, and risk stratification to PiP), notable variability in telehealth calls, high use of PiP components, and increased referrals with tailored provider engagement. Impact These findings describe variability occurring within a hybrid care pathway and can inform future implementation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate the impact of UI TEAM RX, a pharmacy-based enhanced services and care model, on adherence in patients with hypertension and prescribed a renin-angiotensin system antagonist (RASA). Methods A single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted in an academic health system, University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health). The cohort consisted of patients who utilized UI Health's outpatient pharmacies between May 2016 and December 2018 to fill RASA prescriptions. Patients who were not part of the UI TEAM RX care model served as the control group, while patients enrolled in UI TEAM RX formed the intervention group. The control and intervention groups were matched based on index date, age, gender, and race. The primary outcome was mean change in a rolling 6-month calculation of proportion of days covered (PDC). The secondary outcome was the percentage of patients who had reached their blood pressure goal at follow-up at 12 months. Results Patients receiving UI TEAM RX intervention showed significant improvement in mean PDC at 6-month follow-up compared to control patients (P < 0.01). The proportion of patients with a PDC above 0.8 was higher in the intervention group, but this difference was not statistically significant. There was also a 16.4% increase in the proportion of patients who reached their blood pressure goal in the intervention group, although this increase was not statistically significant. Conclusion The UI TEAM RX program had a statistically significant impact on patients' mean PDCs. An increase in the number of patients reaching their blood pressure goal was also seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Care management has the potential to improve quality of care and health outcomes for chronic conditions, but questions remain about how patients perceive care management. Understanding patient perceptions is critical for ensuring care management can successfully engage patients and improve management of chronic conditions.Objective: To understand high-risk patients' experiences and perceptions of care management.Methods: We conducted 1-h phone interviews with 40 patients receiving care management at 12 practices participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Comprehensive Primary Care Plus model. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic approach.Results: Most patients reported discussing health goals with their providers that aligned with their values and care preferences; a few reported that goal setting did not result in desired action steps. Most reported positive experiences receiving behavioural health support; a few reported unmet behavioural health needs that they had not expressed to their practice. Patients reported financial and transportation barriers to following care managers' recommendations. Care managers' active listening skills, accessibility, and caring personalities facilitated patient engagement.Conclusions: Practices should consider patient perspectives as they improve care management activities. Future research is needed to confirm our findings about patient perspectives regarding goal setting, behavioural health support, and barriers and facilitators to engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In primary care (PC) many patients suffer from multimorbidity involving depression and/or anxiety. Collaborative care (CC) has shown promising results for patients with depression, anxiety, and multimorbidity involving depression. However, specific content in CC for patients with multimorbidity involving depression and/or anxiety is unknown.Objective: (i) To examine the effect of CC interventions in patients with multimorbidity involving depression and/or anxiety compared with usual care; (ii) to identify specific content of CC.Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review of randomized controlled trial studies evaluating CC models for adults with multimorbidity involving depression and/or anxiety in PC settings. PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsycInfo were searched in December 2019. We conducted a qualitative synthesis using an existing framework and developed a new framework to map the content for each studied intervention.Results: We identified 1,447 studies. Twelve publications were included. Eleven had medium-to-high quality of CC for patients with multimorbidity involving depression. Specific content of CC in these studies is: A stepped care model, involving medication and psychotherapy delivered by a nurse or psychologist Care Manager (CM) focusing on problem-solving techniques; follow-up including monitoring of symptoms and function, and relapse prevention strategies; scheduled CM supervision.Conclusions: Specific content for CC for patients with multimorbidity involving depression is identified from current research. Research gaps were found regarding CC for patients with multimorbidity and anxiety, depression and anxiety, and depression and/or anxiety and more than 2 diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors reduces the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease outcomes and lowers glycosylated haemoglobin (A1C), evidence on patient characteristics associated with clinically relevant A1C reduction is lacking.Objective: The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to identify patient characteristics associated with A1C reduction with initial GLP-1 or SGLT-2 use.Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes and a baseline A1C ≥7% who were dispensed a GLP-1 or SGLT-2 between 01/01/10 and 12/31/17 were included. Patients were categorized as having a ≥1% or <1% A1C reduction during the 90-365 days after GLP-1/SGLT-2 initiation. Patient characteristics were collected during the 180 days prior to initiation. Multivariable logistic and linear regression modelling was performed to identify characteristics associated with a ≥1% A1C reduction and absolute change in A1C, respectively.Results: Five hundred and seventy-two patients were included with 261 (46%) and 311 (54%) having and not having an ≥1% A1C reduction. Patients were primarily middle-aged, female, white, non-Hispanic and had a high burden of chronic disease. Characteristics associated with a ≥1% A1C reduction included: GLP-1/SGLT-2 persistence, congestive heart failure comorbidity, phentermine dispensing, care management team (CMT) enrollee and higher baseline A1C. Characteristics associated with absolute A1C reduction included: age, baseline A1C, CMT enrollee, GLP-1/SGLT-2 persistence and a phentermine dispensing.Conclusions: The results of this study provide practitioners with guidance on the patients who are most likely to have a clinically relevant A1C reduction with GLP-1 or SGLT-2 use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Describe a study protocol to establish the effect of DAA's strategic purchase and the clinical pathway in the clinical outcomes, general costs, and quality of healthcare of patients with CHC in Colombia. Methods: A quasi-experimental study will be carried out to compare clinical outcomes (treatment effectiveness), healthcare quality (access to treatment, time to treatment, patient's satisfaction and barriers/facilitators perceived) and direct costs before/after the implementation of the mentioned strategies. Patients ≥18 years old initiating DAA treatment between January 2015 and December 2019 in an outpatient pharmacist-led center in Colombia will be included. In order to reduce selection bias, the propensity score method will be used. In the bivariate analysis, χ 2 tests and t student will be used to analyse the study outcomes. A regression analysis will be used to explain the association of multiple variables with access to treatment, time to treatment and effectiveness. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyse the patient's satisfaction and barriers/facilitators perceived. Key findings: Implementing local government policies is necessary to improve access to medicines and decrease disease burden. The strategies adopted by the Colombian Ministry of Health to manage CHC needs to be evaluated. Therefore, studies are required to establish their effects on clinical outcomes, overall costs, and quality of care. Conclusions: This study will provide evidence on the effect of Colombian strategies to address the problem of HCC. It will provide information to policymakers in low- and middle-income countries that could reduce disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Physical Therapy Association has supported the development of clinical practice guidelines to promote and support evidence-based practice and reduce unwarranted practice variation. Essential to the success of this effort is the generation of knowledge translation, a concept that emphasizes the translation of global knowledge to an application that can be effectively integrated into clinical practice. The Physical Therapy Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Individuals with Heart Failure published in the Physical Therapy Journal in January 2020 provides a broad base of knowledge related to evidence-based treatment interventions for patients with heart failure. However, the application and integration of this knowledge in clinical practice need further elucidation. Therefore, this perspective paper aims to serve as a complementary knowledge translation resource to the recently published practice guideline to maximize the utilization of contemporary evidence in clinical practice. This resource provides the physical therapist with practical guidance in the management of patients with heart failure by placing research findings in the context of other knowledge and practice norms that can be applied at the point of care and across the continuum of care. We propose a novel ABCDE (assessment, behavior modification, cardiorespiratory fitness, dosage, and education) practical framework. This clinical paradigm is grounded in ongoing physical therapist assessment throughout the episode of care, along with behavior modification, assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness, appropriate selection and dosing of interventions, and patient education. Examples highlighting the use of this model in patients with heart failure across the continuum of care are provided for application in clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To provide pharmacists with information on counseling patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) receiving oral semaglutide. Summary Oral semaglutide, the first oral glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), was approved for the treatment of adults with T2D by the US Food and Drug Administration in September 2019. Semaglutide has been coformulated with the absorption enhancer sodium N -(8-[2-hydroxybenzoyl] amino) caprylate to improve bioavailability of semaglutide following oral administration. Oral semaglutide has been shown to have efficacy and safety profiles similar to those of other GLP-1RAs. Many patients with T2D have a complex oral medication regimen to manage their T2D and concomitant chronic comorbid conditions. Therefore, it is important that patients follow the dose administration instructions closely: oral semaglutide should be taken on an empty stomach upon waking with a sip (≤120 mL) of plain water and at least 30 minutes before the first food, beverage, or other oral medications of the day. The most common adverse effects of oral semaglutide are gastrointestinal (typically nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting). It is important for pharmacists to counsel patients prescribed oral semaglutide about optimal oral dosing, why correct dosing conditions are necessary, expected therapeutic response, and effective strategies to mitigate potential gastrointestinal adverse events. Conclusion Information and practical strategies provided by pharmacists may facilitate initiation and maintenance of oral semaglutide therapy and ensure that each patient achieves an optimal therapeutic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Implementation of person-directed care planning is a challenge for nursing home services. User satisfaction is indispensable to implement it.Objective: The aim of this study was to address user and family satisfaction with nursing homes and the scales used and to identify the determinants of satisfaction with this service.Methods: A systematic review was conducted, and the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL databases were searched between December 2019 and April 2020. Studies involving assessment of user or family satisfaction with nursing homes and users ≥65 years old or their families were included in this review. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute reviewer's manual.Results: Eight articles were included based on the eligibility criteria, from a total of 2378 records found in the electronic search. All studies presented a cross-sectional design, and the total sample of this review was 57 214 older people. Most of the studies included showed positive overall satisfaction with nursing homes. There was no consensus about the best scale to assess satisfaction because of the huge variety of tools among studies. The most common determinants of satisfaction among studies were quality of life (mental and physical components), anxiety and social and health factors.Conclusion: The findings of our review may contribute to a better view of satisfaction with nursing homes experienced by users and families and to an improvement of care in these institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biomarkers assist in diagnosing neonatal sepsis but often provide results 6 to 48 h later. Bedside C-reactive protein (CRP) test may help to expedite clinical management. We assessed the performance of point of care test (POCT) CRP against routine laboratory analysis and determined the time difference in obtaining results.Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted over 4 months. Neonates clinically indicated, had CRP simultaneously tested using the POCT and laboratory assays.Results: Using similar decision cut-off values of 10 mg/l, POCT compared favourably to laboratory testing. The median times to POCT result was 4 min whereas laboratory results were entered at a median of 4.1 h (95th percentile 8 h) but only checked after 5.5 h (95th percentile 19.8 h).Conclusions: POCT may be a quick and reliable method to determine CRP. It may rationalize antibiotic usage, allow for earlier patient discharge and reduce overall patient management cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients with unexplained falls, syncope and dizziness frequently present acutely. There are multiple IT systems in operation across the acute hospital network with varying functionality relating to activity capture. MAXIMS is an electronic healthcare record used to capture attendances in our ED. Within our department a digital patient management system Electronic Patient Management System (EPMS) records clinical information from admission through to discharge. The Hospital Inpatient Enquiry System (HIPE) is the principal national source of discharge information from acute hospitals. We aimed to look at this cohort of patients and compare the clinical data available on each of these information sources used in a Model 4 teaching hospital. Methods MAXIMS database was interrogated to examine patients who presented to the ED with the search terms "falls", "syncope" and "dizziness". We conducted a review of all patients who met our search terms over two non-consecutive weeks in 2018. For the same period EPMS was interrogated and HIPE data were requested and analysed. Results MAXIMS, EPMS and HIPE records over the two-week period captured 190, 104 and 24 patients respectively. Mean age was 62, 75 and 72 years. Of 190 records on MAXIMS, 107 (56%) were not coded on HIPE following discharge. Of these 107 patients, 93 (87%) did not require a hospital admission and 14 (13%) patients self-discharged. Conclusion Current available digital systems provide inconsistent information relating to patients presenting acutely with falls, dizziness and syncope. How these conditions are captured electronically can vary between systems due to which parameters are recorded. HIPE stats were lower than Maxims/EPMS which may reflect the fact that HIPE only captures discharge diagnosis as opposed to presenting symptoms. In order to get a clearer picture of these conditions, and for planning purposes, an approach amalgamating the data from all systems into one electronic source would be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of precision oncology, bladder cancer (BlCa) is characterized by generic patient management and lack of personalized prognosis and surveillance. Herein, we have studied the clinical significance of urothelial cancer associated 1 (UCA1) lncRNA in improving patients' risk stratification and prognosis. A screening cohort of 176 BlCa patients was used for UCA1 quantification. The Hedegaard et al. (n = 476) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) provisional (n = 413) were analyzed as validation cohorts for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), respectively. Patients' survival outcome was assessed using recurrence and progression for NMIBC or death for MIBC as clinical endpoint events. Bootstrap analysis was performed for internal validation of Cox regression analysis, whereas the clinical benefit of disease prognosis was assessed by decision curve analysis. UCA1 was significantly overexpressed in bladder tumors compared with normal urothelium, which was confirmed only in the case of NMIBC. Interestingly, reduced expression of UCA1 was correlated with muscle-invasive disease as well as with tumors of higher stage and grade. UCA1 loss was strongly associated with higher risk of short-term relapse [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.974; P = 0.032] and progression to invasive stages (HR = 3.476; P = 0.023) in NMIBC. In this regard, Hedegaard et al. and TCGA validation cohorts confirmed the unfavorable prognostic nature of UCA1 loss in BlCa. Finally, prognosis prediction models integrating UCA1 underexpression and established clinical disease markers contributed to improved stratification specificity and superior clinical benefit for NMIBC prognosis. Underexpression of UCA1 correlates with worse disease outcome in NMIBC and contributes to superior prediction of disease early relapse and progression as well as improved patient stratification specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients suffering from mental health disorders have complex care needs, associating poorer physical health status and depreved social condition. Given their central role in primary health care, GPs should be highly involved in providing global and cooperative care to these patients in partnership with mental health specialists.Objective: To understand the GP's views, attitudes and needs in the care of patients with mental disorders.Methods: We led a qualitative study from June to July 2017, with semi-structured interviews led on GPs' activity in Marseille (France). We performed an inductive thematic content analysis, using Excel software.Results: We interviewed 22 GPs. The GPs felt comfortable providing total care for their patients with anxiety and depression (most of the time perceived as 'minor cases'), whereas they felt uncomfortable and poorly integrated in the care of patients with psychotic symptoms (often perceived as 'severe'). They wanted to improve communication with psychiatrists.Conclusion: The GPs seemed to assess the complexity of the cases and therefore their ability to deal with them, based on the type of their patients' psychiatric symptoms. For the 'severe patients', they felt they didn't have a significant role to play as a family doctor, while it has been shown that these patients have poorer physical health and need more coordinated care than other patient groups. An improved communication between GPs and mental health providers could reduce the difficulties for GPs in the care of people with mental health disorders and make possible a whole patient-centred approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical trials in the past decade have established the antitumor effects of immune checkpoint inhibition as a revolutionary treatment for cancer. Namely, blocking antibodies to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 and programmed death 1 or its ligand have reached routine clinical use. Manipulation of the immune system is not without side effects, and autoimmune toxicities often known as immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) are observed. Endocrine IRAEs, such as hypophysitis, thyroid dysfunction, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, can present with unique profiles that are not seen with the use of traditional chemotherapeutics. In this Review, we discuss the current hypotheses regarding the mechanism of these endocrinopathies and their clinical presentations. Further, we suggest guidelines and algorithms for patient management and future clinical trials to optimize the detection and treatment of immune checkpoint–related endocrinopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive outpatient care programs (IOCPs) have shown promise for high-risk patients who account for disproportionate acute care utilization and costs. These programs typically address medical, behavioral, and social needs through intensive case management, health care navigation, coordination, and access to a range of social and community services. However, the value of these programs is often limited by patient engagement challenges (i.e., difficulty engaging patients in self-care, decision-making, and follow-up with recommended services). The purpose of this study was to develop a framework for engaging high-risk patients with complex medical, behavioral, and social needs in IOCPs. We conducted a qualitative study with 20 leaders and clinicians (e.g., physicians, nurses, psychologists, case workers) from 12 IOCPs affiliated with diverse settings (academic hospitals, county healthcare systems, Veterans Affairs facilities, community health centers, and private health systems). After completing a brief survey, participants were asked to describe how their program conceptualizes patient engagement and to describe characteristics of highly engaged patients. We used conventional content analysis methods to analyze qualitative data. Three domains of engagement were identified and are summarized in the Engagement Through CARInG Framework: Communication and actions to improve health; Relationships built on trust in IOCP staff; and Insight and goal-setting ability. Qualitative findings illustrate the spectrum and interrelatedness of these domains. The Engagement Through CARInG Framework can guide interventions that aim to enhance self-care and improve care coordination for high-risk patients with complex medical, behavioral, and social needs. Engaging patients with complex medical, behavioral, and social needs requires the development of trusting relationships, a focus on patient insight and goal-setting, and support for patient communication and health-related actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Although carbapenem susceptibility testing has been recommended for all Enterobacteriaceae from clinical specimens, for practical reasons a carbapenem is not included in many primary antibiotic panels for urine specimens. The 'iCREST' study sought carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in routine urine specimens yielding Gram-negative growth in five diagnostic laboratories in the UK. We sought also to compare locally and centrally determined MICs of meropenem and ceftazidime/avibactam.Methods: Positive growth from up to 2000 urine specimens per laboratory was plated onto chromID® CARBA SMART agar. Suspected CPE colonies were tested locally by Etest for susceptibility to meropenem and ceftazidime/avibactam, and referred to central laboratories for PCR confirmation of CPE status and microbroth MIC determination.Results: Twenty-two suspected CPE were identified from 7504 urine specimens. Ten were confirmed by PCR to have NDM (5), IMP (2), KPC (2) or OXA-48-like (1) carbapenemases. Locally determined ceftazidime/avibactam MICs showed complete categorical agreement with those determined centrally by microbroth methodology. The seven ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant isolates (MICs ≥256 mg/L) had NDM or IMP metallo-carbapenemases.Conclusions: The frequency of confirmed CPE among Gram-negative urinary isolates was low, at 0.13% (10/7504), but CPE were found in urines at all five participating sites and the diversity of carbapenemase genes detected reflected the complex epidemiology of CPE in the UK. These data can inform local policies about the cost-effectiveness and clinical value of testing Gram-negative bacteria from urine specimens routinely against a carbapenem as part of patient management and/or infection prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is a severe fungal infection with a high morbidity and mortality, and is usually seen in immunocompetent patients with respiratory disorders. Clinical presentation is nonspecific and often overlaps with the symptoms and the radiological pattern caused by the underlying disease. Clinical management of CPA is further hampered by limited information about the epidemiology, disease dynamics, sensitivity and specificity of different mycological tests, mechanisms of antifungal resistance, efficient treatment and management strategies. In order to contribute to a better understanding and to improve CPA patient management and outcome, we established the Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis Network (CPAnet), a self-organized multinational research collaboration. Key research priorities, defined by using a modified Delphi process, include the establishment of a multinational web-based registry, the validation of different diagnostic tests, the establishment of a culture collection from samples of patients with proven CPA and the establishment of a consensus on a treatment outcome definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The terms population health, population health improvement, and population health management are discussed. Summary. A key concept in defining population health activities is clearly delineating the population(s) of focus. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement's (IHI's) Triple Aim Initiative uses the term population health management to describe the work by healthcare organizations to improve outcomes for individual patients to maximize population health. The National Academy of Medicine favors the term population health improvement and uses this term to describe work to identify and improve aspects of or contributors to population health, expanding the focus beyond traditional healthcare delivery systems. As organizations like IHI and the National Academy of Medicine continue to focus on population health, the terms and definitions used to describe these activities will continue to evolve. Conclusion. The use of consistent, clear definitions for population health activities is critical to the practice of pharmacy and healthcare delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: GPs insufficiently follow guidelines regarding consultation and referral for chronic kidney disease (CKD).Objective: To identify patient characteristics and quality of care (QoC) in CKD patients with whom consultation and referral recommendations were not followed.Method: A 14 month prospective observational cohort study of primary care patients with CKD stage 3-5. 47 practices participated, serving 207469 people. 2547 CKD patients fulfilled consultation criteria, 225 fulfilled referral criteria. We compared characteristics of patients managed by GPs with patients receiving nephrologist co-management. We assessed QoC as adherence to monitoring criteria, CKD recognition and achievement of blood pressure (BP) targets.Results: Patients treated in primary care despite a consultation recommendation (94%) had higher eGFR values (OR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.05-1.09), were less often monitored for renal function (OR 0.42; 95% CI: 0.24-0.74) and potassium (OR 0.56; 95% CI: 0.35-0.92) and CKD was less frequently recognised (OR 0.46; 95% CI: 0.31-0.68) than in patients with nephrologist co-management. Patients treated in primary care despite referral recommendation (70%) were older (OR 1.03; 95% CI:1.01-1.06) and had less cardiovascular disease (OR 0.37; 95% CI: 0.19-0.73). Overall, in patients solely managed by GPs, CKD recognition was 50%, monitoring disease progression in 36% and metabolic parameters in 3%, BP targets were achieved in 51%. Monitoring of renal function and BP was positively associated with diabetes (OR 3.10; 95% CI: 2.47-3.88 and OR 7.78; 95% CI: 3.21-18.87) and hypertension (OR 3.19; 95% CI: 2.67-3.82 and OR 3.35; 95% CI: 1.45-7.77).Conclusion: Patients remaining in primary care despite nephrologists' co-management recommendations were inadequately monitored, and BP targets were insufficiently met. CKD patients without cardiovascular comorbidity or diabetes require extra attention to guarantee adequate monitoring of renal function and BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Consultation of a nephrologist is important in aligning care for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at the primary-secondary care interface. However, current consultation methods come with practical difficulties that can lead to postponed consultation or patient referral instead.Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether a web-based consultation platform, telenephrology, led to a lower referral rate of indicated patients. Furthermore, we assessed consultation rate, quality of care, costs and general practitioner (GPs') experiences with telenephrology.Methods: Cluster randomized controlled trial with 47 general practices in the Netherlands was randomized to access to telenephrology or to enhanced usual care. A total of 3004 CKD patients aged 18 years or older who were under primary care were included (intervention group n = 1277, control group n = 1727) and 2693 completed the trial. All practices participated in a CKD management course and were given an overview of their CKD patients.Results: The referral rates amounted to 2.3% (n = 29) in the intervention group and 3.0% (n = 52) in the control group, which was a non-significant difference, OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.31 to 1.23. The intervention group's consultation rate was 6.3% (n = 81) against 5.0% (n = 87) (OR 2.00; 95% CI 0.75-5.33). We found no difference in quality of care or costs. The majority of GPs had a positive opinion about telenephrology.Conclusion: The data in our study do not allow for conclusions on the effect of telenephrology on the rate of patient referrals and provider-to-provider consultations, compared to conventional methods. It was positively evaluated by GPs and was non-inferior in terms of quality of care and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rapid and effective screening of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) appears essential for adequate patient management and rapid implementation of infection control measures. Most of these screening techniques require a minimum of 24 h of culture. Molecular assays are an exception since these can be achieved within 1 h, but are expensive and usually require specialized facilities and trained personnel. In this context, lateral immunochromatography performed directly from rectal swab samples could represent a cost-effective alternative with a reduced turnaround time.Objectives: In this study, we assessed the performance of the OKN K-SeT test (Coris BioConcept, Gembloux, Belgium) for the rapid detection of OXA-48, KPC and NDM CPE directly from rectal swab samples.Methods: A total of 149 residual rectal swabs, routinely screened for CPE through selective culture and confirmed by PCR, were tested with a defined protocol consisting of a 2.5 h incubation of the swab in an enrichment medium containing meropenem followed by OKN K-SeT testing after centrifugation.Results: This method displayed an overall sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 100% with a limit of detection ranging between 104 and 105 cfu/mL.Conclusions: Whereas this assay appears highly specific, it displays a reduced sensitivity compared with the standard procedure encompassing a culture step. Nonetheless, this rapid method allows an accelerated identification of most CPE carriers at a lower cost and, accordingly, the implementation of early appropriate management procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While health systems are striving for patient-centered care, they have little evidence to guide them on how to engage patients in their care, or how this may affect patient experiences and outcomes.Objective: To explore which specific patient-centered aspects of care were best associated with depression improvement and care satisfaction.Methods: Design: observational.Setting: 83 primary care clinics across Minnesota.Subjects: Primary care patients with new prescriptions for antidepressants for depression were recruited from 2007 to 2009.Outcome Measures: Patients completed phone surveys regarding demographics and self-rated health status and depression severity at baseline and 6 months. Patient centeredness was assessed via a modified version of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care. Differences in rates of remission and satisfaction between positive and negative responses for each care process were evaluated using chi-square tests.Results: At 6 months, 37% of 792 patients ages 18-88 achieved depression remission, and 79% rated their care as good-to-excellent. Soliciting patient preferences for care and questions or concerns, providing treatment plans, utilizing depression scales and asking about suicide risk were patient-centered measures that were positively associated with depression remission in the unadjusted model; these associations were mildly weakened after adjustment for depression severity and health status. Nearly all measures of patient centeredness were positively associated with care ratings.Conclusion: The patient centeredness of care influences how patients experience and rate their care. This study identified specific actions providers can take to improve patient satisfaction and depression outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence-based guidelines for care of coronary heart disease patients are not fully implemented. Primary care practices provide most of the care for these patients.Objective: To learn how providers and staff in a busy primary care practice implement interventions to provide evidence-based care of coronary heart disease patients.Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis of the responses to open-ended questions in nine electronically administered bimonthly surveys of key physicians, clinic staff and managers in the practice.Results: Ten to 16 (mean=12.3) personnel responded to each survey. Nearly 30% were physicians and 40.5% were clinic staff. Four major themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (i) giving data about not-at-goal patients to providers for care plan development; (ii) developing team roles and defining tasks; (iii) providing patient care and implementing care plans and (iv) providing technology support to generate useful, accurate data. The frequency that the subthemes were mentioned varied from survey to survey, but their mention persisted over the entire time of all nine surveys.Conclusions: Developing a system for implementing evidence-based care involves considerations of roles and teamwork, technology use to develop a patient registry and obtain needed clinical data, care processes for pre-visit planning, and between-visit care management. A registered nurse care manager is a central figure in implementing and sustaining the process. Implementing evidence-based guidelines is an ongoing process of revision, retraining and reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Profile of Chronic Pain: Screen (PCP:S) in primary care. The PCP:S is a brief assessment device designed to gauge pain severity, interference, and emotional burden. Design. Questionnaire survey with short-term reliability and validity follow-up. Methods. Two hundred and forty-four outpatients (52% female) with chronic pain recruited from five primary care settings completed the 15-item PCP:S at an initial testing session. Approximately 1 week later, two subgroups participated in a retest reliability and validity follow-up. The battery of follow-up questionnaires included a measure of social desirability response bias and several instruments designed to provide convergent validity for the PCP:S. Results. Retest reliability, internal consistency, factor structure, and social desirability bias were all found to be acceptable. Likewise, preliminary evidence suggests that, by virtue of its correlation with established measures of pain adjustment, the PCP:S is a valid pain assessment device. Conclusions. Although the PCP:S was initially developed and validated using a national community sample of adults with chronic pain who provided data via telephone interviews, the present findings support its use as a brief and psychometrically sound paper-and-pencil measure for the assessment of three key components of chronic pain in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background C/T has demonstrated efficacy in randomized clinical trials to treat cIAI and cUTI and recently completed a study in ventilator-associated bacterial and ventilated hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the real-world clinical use and outcomes of C/T in a multi-national study. Methods SPECTRA is a multi-national, multicenter, retrospective, inpatient, observational study of patients treated with C/T in Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom. Patients admitted with greater than 48 hours of C/T treatment were included. Demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment management patterns, microbiological findings and outcomes were analyzed. Results There were 155 patients from 20 participating hospitals in 6 countries. The average age was 58.0 years (±17.8) and most were male 114 (74%). The majority 130 (84%) had at least one comorbidity, with the most common being renal impairment 87 (56%), immunocompromised 62 (40%), and diabetes 52 (34%). The majority, 94 (61%), had previous hospitalizations ≥ 6 months prior to receiving C/T, of which 29 (31%) had an ICU stay and surgeries 64 (42%). Most patients 126 (82%) received antibacterials within 30 days of receiving C/T, 61 (40%) received carbapenems and 47 (31%) received aminoglycoside. The average duration of C/T was 15 (SD12) days. The source of infection was cUTI for 31 (20%), cIAI for 19 (12%) and respiratory for 43 (28%) of C/T treated patients. Most 107 (70%) had an ID consult with an average of 7 (SD 11.3) consults. The top pathogen was Pseudomonas 124 (81%) followed by E. coli 22 (14%), with 56 (37%) having a polymicrobial infection. Over half of the patients were in the ICU 84 (55%), 58 (38%) underwent at least 1 surgery, with 65 (48%) being related to the infection, 60 (39%) had sepsis and 21 (14%) had septic shock. All-cause in hospital mortality was 16%. 30-day all-cause readmission was 12% and 6% were infection related. Conclusion Despite the complexity of the patients in this real-world analysis, most C/T patients had beneficial outcomes that are similar to results of controlled clinical trials. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Psittacosis is a respiratory illness caused by Chlamydia psittaci. The most commonly available diagnostic tests are serologic tests, which have low sensitivity and can cross-react with other chlamydial species. Serologic tests also require paired sera collected weeks apart, which is impractical for patient management. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) testing for C. psittaci is rapid, sensitive, and specific. However, rtRCR testing is only available at the CDC Respiratory Diseases Branch laboratory, and appropriate clinical specimen types need to be validated since psittacosis case detection is infrequent. In 2018, the first large psittacosis outbreak in the United States in 30 years occurred, allowing assessment of rtPCR performance among multiple clinical specimen types. Methods rtPCR test positivity rate and turnaround time were determined among 89 specimens tested at CDC from 54 outbreak patients with suspected psittacosis. rtPCR testing was performed on nucleic acid extracted from clinical specimens using oligonucleotides targeting the C. psittaci locus tag CPSIT_RS01985. Clinical information was collected by patient interview and medical record review. Results Positivity rates among the most common specimen types were 4.4% (2/46) for nasopharyngeal (NP) swab, 36.4% (8/22) for sputum, and 80.0% (4/5) for stool. Of 21 (24%) specimens with available data, the average time from patient symptom onset to specimen collection was 6 days (range 1–11 days). C. psittaci was detected in specimens from 13 of 54 outbreak patients tested (Table 1); all 13 patients had radiographically-confirmed pneumonia, and 7 were rtPCR-positive from a lower respiratory specimen only. Paired sputum and NP swab specimens were tested for 6 patients; C. psittaci was detected in all sputum but only 1 NP swab. The positive NP swab was from a patient requiring intensive care unit admission and intubation. All results were reported within 1 business day of specimen receipt in the lab. Conclusion These data suggest that lower respiratory specimens are more sensitive than NP swabs for rtPCR detection of C. psittaci ; stool might be a suitable alternative. Widespread implementation of rtPCR testing using appropriate specimen types could improve psittacosis detection and inform timely public health interventions. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The more rapidly a pathogen can be identified in cases of sepsis, the more swiftly targeted therapy can be commenced. We aimed to evaluate the accuracy and clinical utility of a method for rapid microorganism identification from blood and sterile site fluid enrichment cultures using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in a high-throughput regional microbiology laboratory. Methods A drop of blood or fluid from cultures flagging positive was inoculated onto chocolate agar and incubated until MALDI-TOF MS analysis 5–6 hours later. Results obtained with conventional overnight incubation were used as controls. The number of isolates reliably and correctly identified, and recommendations for changes to clinical management were recorded. A pilot study was undertaken to demonstrate feasibility using a cut-off score of ≥2.0, following which the method was integrated into the laboratory workflow using a cut-off score of ≥1.7 (identification to genus level) because patient management can often be altered with this degree of accuracy. Results In the pilot study, 154/210 blood cultures (73.3%) were reliably identified (score ≥2.0) and, of these, 151 (98.1%) were correctly identified. The operational study included 144 blood cultures and 14 sterile site fluid enrichment cultures. 121 (76.6%) were reliably identified (score ≥1.7) and, of these, 117 (96.7%) were correctly identified. Four isolates (2.5%) were yeasts, 104 (65.8%) were Gram-positive bacteria and 50 (31.6%) were Gram-negative bacteria. 78 of the 104 bacteria (75.0%) were correctly identified. The median score for Gram-positives was 1.89 (IQR 0.36). For Gram-negatives, 47 of the 50 isolates (94.0%) were correctly identified. The median score for Gram-negatives was 2.29 (IQR 0.14). No yeasts were reliably identified. Recommendations for changes to clinical management were made for seven (3.8%) and nine patients (6.0%) in the pilot study and operational study, respectively. The method was easily integrated into the laboratory workflow and did not require additional staff. Conclusion We build on previous work by providing a simple method for rapid micro-organism identification which allows easy integration into a busy laboratory, and which improves clinical management. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late disease recurrence (more than 5 years after initial diagnosis) represents a clinical challenge in the treatment and management of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (BC). An international workshop was convened in Toronto, Canada, in February 2018 to review the current understanding of late recurrence and to identify critical issues that require future study. The underlying biological causes of late recurrence are complex, with the processes governing cancer cell dormancy, including immunosurveillance, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and cellular stemness, being integral to disease progression. These critical processes are described herein as well as their role in influencing risk of recurrence. Moreover, observational and interventional clinical trials are proposed, with a focus on methods to identify patients at risk of recurrence and possible strategies to combat this in patients with estrogen receptor-positive BC. Because the problem of late BC recurrence of great importance, recent advances in disease detection and patient monitoring should be incorporated into novel clinical trials to evaluate approaches to enhance patient management. Indeed, future research on these issues is planned and will offer new options for effective late recurrence treatment and prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a highly morbid chronic inflammatory skin disease resulting in painful and purulent lesions classically occurring in areas with a high density of apocrine glands such as the groin and axillae. This is the case of a 53-year-old male with medically refractory Hurley stage III HS affecting multiple anatomical sites including the dorsum of the right foot, an atypical location. Throughout his hospital course, he underwent a series of surgical excision and graft procedures to treat extensive HS lesions on various anatomical locations. In patients with a history of HS, mechanical stress may result in atypical lesion locations. In addition to the standard medical and surgical treatment, management should include optimizing nutritional parameters, smoking cessation, wound care and reducing friction and pressure at the affected area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Rapid detection of pathogens involved in central nervous system (CNS) infections could be important for the optimal patient management and overall hospitalization cost. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possible benefits with the use of BioFire® FilmArray® meningitis/encephalitis (FA) panel in children with suspected CNS infection. Methods A prospective cohort study, was performed on children admitted to a tertiary pediatric hospital, over a period of 1 year (April 2018–April 2019), with possible CNS infection and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis (>15 cells/mm3). For each child that FA was used for the diagnosis, an age-matched control was selected, and separate molecular CSF microbiological tests were sent according to pediatrician's discretion. Conventional microbiological procedures were performed in all children. Length of hospital stay, duration of antimicrobials, and total cost of hospitalization were compared between groups. FA enables rapid automated cerebrospinal fluid testing for 14 common viral, bacterial and yeast pathogens that cause CNS infections. The cost was estimated according to ICD-10 diagnosis standard cost, adding additional daily hospitalization cost, FA or other molecular microbiological tests costs. Results A total of 142 children were included in the study (71 cases). The median age of cases and controls was 2.5 months (IQR: 1–72) and 2 months (IQR: 0.7–36) respectively (P = 0.157). A pathogen was detected in 38/71 (53.5%) children with the use of FA and in 16/71 (22.5%) in the control group (P < 0.001). In aseptic meningitis cases a virus was detected in 27/60 (45%) and in 11/64 (16.4%) controls (P < 0.001). Length of stay in cases and controls with aseptic meningitis was 5 days (IQR: 4–8) and 8 (IQR: 6–10) respectively (P < 0.001). The median duration of antimicrobials in cases was 4 days (IQR: 2–5.7) and 7 (IQR: 5–10) respectively (P < 0.001). The hospitalization cost was calculated in cases and controls 1,042 (IQR: 932–1372€) and 1,522 (IQR: 1,302–1,742€) respectively (P < 0.001). Conclusion The use of FA was able to reduce significantly the hospitalization days and the total cost comparing to the control group in children with suspected CNS infection. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background One of the most common bacterial infections overall and among the most common causes for ED referral and/or hospital admission, ABSSSIs continue to impart a significant public health burden. The rising tide of MDROs has limited the clinical utility of many traditional antibiotics and increasing age and comorbid conditions such as diabetes, impaired renal or hepatic function, and CVD disease further complicate patient management strategies, putting patients at increased risk for treatment failure. Methods A continuing medical education (CME)-certified clinical practice assessment comprising 25 multiple choice questions that measured ID specialists' knowledge, competence, confidence and current practices in the management of ABSSSIs. The survey instrument was launched on a website dedicated to continuous professional development on July 27/18. Respondent confidentiality was maintained and responses were de-identified and aggregated prior to analyses. Results To date, 2921HCPs, including 2,380 physicians have participated in the activity. Data for ID specialists who had participated as of April 17, 2019 are presented; data collection are ongoing. The majority of ID specialists (68%; n = 268) practiced in the inpatient setting. Despite a relatively high level of confidence in several areas (Table 1 and data not shown), the data identified several knowledge and competence gaps with regard to antimicrobial agent selection, treatment duration, and management of complicated ABSSSIs (Table 2). The most frequently cited barriers to optimal care included: (i) logistical challenges in arranging for appropriate patient follow-up (33%; n = 122); (ii) knowledge about appropriate duration of antibiotic therapy (19%; n = 71); and (iii) access to more expensive antibiotic therapies that may be more effective (19%; n = 71). Conclusion This activity identified knowledge and competency gaps in the management of patients with ABSSSIs. These findings will be used to inform the development of educational programs that may help narrow these gaps and improve patient care. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Concurrent gonococcal infections could impact treatment success in cases of anatomic site-specific strains with different antimicrobial susceptibilities; however, little is known about same-patient differences in susceptibility as most antibiotic resistance surveillance is based on only male urethral isolates. Methods In August 2017, the enhanced Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (eGISP) began collecting male and female genital and extragenital gonococcal isolates from patients in 12 STD clinics. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) for penicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, cefixime, ceftriaxone and azithromycin were determined by agar dilution. We identified patients with isolates from multiple anatomic sites of infection collected during the same clinic visit. Isolate sets were categorized as pairs or triplets based on the number of culture positive anatomic sites. We identified same-patient isolate sets with differing MICs (≥2 dilution difference) for each antibiotic, and identified if the difference affected susceptibility categorization. All isolates in a set were tested in the same batch run by the same laboratory. Results From August 2017-February 2019, 280 isolates were collected from 135 patients, representing 136 isolate sets (128 pairs and 8 triplets); one patient contributed 2 isolate sets. Of the 136 isolate sets, the majority (72; 53%) were grouped as genital and pharyngeal isolates (Table 1). Overall, 33 isolate sets (24%) had differing MICs for ≥1 antibiotic and 21 sets (15%) for ≥2 antibiotics. Across all anatomical site combinations, differing MICs were most common for ciprofloxacin (10.3%), penicillin (9.6%) and azithromycin (9.6%). Only 18 isolate sets (13%) demonstrated differing MICs where an isolate was considered susceptible and another was considered resistant or reduced-susceptible. Conclusion Among persons with concurrent gonococcal infections, MICs can vary by ≥2 dilutions between sites and may change susceptibility interpretation. Variation by the anatomic site can result from initial infection with multiple strains or differential development of resistance after infection. Continued surveillance of multi-site infections could help understand resistance development and inform patient management. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mycoplasma genitalium is a significant agent of sexually transmitted infection (STI). Cure rates have declined as rates of macrolide resistance has become increasingly prevalent. Diagnosis of M. genitalium infection and macrolide resistance detection is possible using nucleic-acid amplification tests (NAAT); use of such assays could improve patient management and antimicrobial stewardship. In this study we used one such assay, ResistancePlus MG (RPMG) to determine the prevalence of M. genitalium infection and macrolide resistance in a cohort of patients attending 3 public sexual health clinics in mid-Atlantic US states. Methods De-identified urogenital samples submitted to the LabCorp facility in Burlington, NC for routine Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) NAAT testing from 3 public sexual health clinics were analyzed in the study. All samples had been collected in the Aptima Specimen Collection system and tested with the Aptima Combo 2 CT/NG NAAT. A total of 1,261 samples (770 male, 491 female) from this cohort were successfully tested for M. genitalium and macrolide-resistance mediating mutations (MRMM) using the RPMG multiplexed PCR assay. Results The prevalence of M. genitalium in this patient cohort was 10.4% (131/1,261), not significantly different to the prevalence of C. trachomatis (12.0%; P = 0.202) but significantly higher than the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (6.7%; P = 0.0009). Sixty of the 131 M. genitalium positives were also positive for MRMM and thus azithromycin resistant. Conclusion M. genitalium infections were common amongst unselected individuals evaluated for treatable STI in the eastern United States and the rate of macrolide resistance in this population was significant. In addition, the RPMG assay was shown to be a simple and accurate method for simultaneously diagnosing M. genitalium infections and detecting MRMM and could be used to inform therapeutic decisions. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Molecular diagnostic tests can provide microbiologic results rapidly and with greater sensitivity than traditional methods. However, these tests come with considerable costs, so thoughtful diagnostic stewardship is essential to ensure that resources and outcomes are optimized. We sought to evaluate the impact of PNGS testing on patient management. Methods From February 2017 to January 2019, physicians in our group ordered 164 PNGS tests (Karius, Redwood City CA) on 125 patients. A retrospective chart review was performed to determine the clinical indication and utility of the test. Results The assay failure rate was 4.9% (8/164). Positive (pos) results were noted in 34% (53/156), of which 23 (43.4%) represented false pos results; 28 were true pos (52.8%) but 2 were unnecessary (also had pos blood cultures). The most common reason for testing was to assess for Mycobacterium chimera (Mc) infection, representing 94 of 156 (60.3%) tests. Of the 21 patients with known Mc, only 10/21 had pos initial tests (47.6%); if patients with Mc localized to the sternum were excluded (8 patients), 76.9% with deep organ involvement had pos initial tests. Five patients with deep Mc infection had persistently pos results while on therapy; 4 of these had not had surgery; 1 was 6 months s/p valve replacement for Mc. The next most common indication was to r/o endocarditis in 18/156 (11.5%) and had an impact in 8/18 (44.4%), including 4 patients whose PNGS result identified a likely pathogen in culture negative endocarditis (CNE). Of the 62 tests done for non-Mc patients, 33.9% (21/62) were useful for management decisions. Among patients who eventually had a diagnosis made but had negative PNGS results included patients with Whipple's (1), CNS infection (2), and fungal infections (5). Conclusion Overall, only 17.9% (28/156) of tests yielded true pos results. The most common reason was to evaluate for Mc infection. PNGS did not detect Mc in patients with proven local disease and was pos in >75% with deep/disseminated disease. However, a negative result did not exclude significant Mc infection. Repeat testing can be considered if clinical suspicion is high but should not be done before standard blood cultures are negative. While more than 60% of the non-Mc tests were not clinically useful, there was modest added utility where infection is high on the differential especially patients with CNE. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Survival of patients with septic shock is dependent on the timing of effective antibiotic administration. The initial notification by the microbiology lab of a positive blood culture is a key factor in improving patient outcomes. It can take >24 hours to definitively identify bacteria from positive blood cultures. Accordingly, we employed rapid organism identification and studied the impact of this on patient management from a quality improvement perspective. Methods Rapid organism identification was performed for bacteremic patients admitted to an ICU at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, ON, by creating a pellet from positive blood culture bottles using a lysis centrifugation technique. MALDI-TOF was then used to obtain an organism identification. The microbiology lab verbally notified the ward clerk of the identification and surveys were conducted with treating physicians within 24–48 hours to evaluate the downstream impact of the rapid identification including changes to antibiotics, diagnostic testing, central line management and requests for specialty consultations. Results Between January 28 and April 28, 2019, 17 rapid blood culture results were included for study. When asked how physicians received the result, in 7 cases the physician did not remember; other responses included microbiology report (2), nurse (2), pharmacist (1), antimicrobial stewardship or lab (1), on-call team (1) and residents (1). Antibiotics were adjusted in 13 patients; 3 of which may have changed antibiotics for reasons other than the organism identification. Reasons for not changing therapy include: appropriate empiric treatment, likely contaminants, or physician not being notified of the result. In 5 cases, all antibiotics were discontinued, in another 2 cases the antibiotics were broadened and a further 5 narrowed to cover the organism; the remaining 5 continued the same empiric therapy. Repeat blood cultures were obtained for 5 cases, follow-up imaging in 5 cases and lines were changed/removed in 5 cases. Consultation was requested for 7 cases. Conclusion Based on preliminary data, rapid organism identification shows promise of improved patient management with line removal and antibiotics adjustments occurring 1 day sooner with rapid results. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common pyogenic bacteria associated with CAP in children, but the proportion of cases might be underestimated because of the low sensitivity of current standard diagnostic methods. Nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage of pneumococcus commonly precedes the development of pneumococcal pneumonia, and facilitates pneumococcus interactions with other respiratory pathogens and the host immune response. This study investigated the relationship between pneumococcal carriage and the severity of CAP in children. Methods We conducted a prospective, multicenter, observational study for CAP among previously healthy children aged 2 months through 18 years in six children's hospitals in Ohio. Blood, pleural fluid, and NP swabs were collected for pathogen detection by culture and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). S. pneumoniae was quantified in NP swabs by real-time PCR. Patient management followed the standard of care in each study site. Results Among 441 children with radiologically confirmed CAP, 156 (35.4%) had no bacterial or viral pathogens identified as etiologic agents. NP pneumococcal carriage rate in this group was 34.6%. Children with CAP and pneumococcal carriage (53/156) were younger (5.9 vs. 9.6 years, P < 0.001) than those with no carriage (103/156). Median neutrophil counts and median procalcitonin concentrations were significantly higher in the pneumococcal carriage group (12,030 vs. 8,370 cells/mm3 and 1.0 vs. 0.5 mg/dl, respectively; P < 0.05 for both) than in the non-carriage group. Children with documented pneumococcal carriage received respiratory support more frequently (50.0% vs. 28.2%, p = 0.012) and had a longer duration of hospitalization (3.5 ± 3.8 vs. 2.1 ± 2.0 days, P = 0.026) than those without pneumococcal carriage. Age was not associated with any of the variables used to assess clinical disease severity. Conclusion Pneumococcal carriage was associated with higher inflammatory markers and greater clinical disease severity in children with CAP in whom no pathogens were identified by standard diagnostics. This suggests that NP carriage of pneumococcus in children with CAP may modulate the host immune response and possibly influence clinical disease severity. Disclosures Octavio Ramilo, MD, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Research Grant; Janssen: Research Grant; Merck: Advisory Board; NIH: Research Grant; Ohio Children's Hospital Association (OCHA): Research Grant; Pfizer: Advisory Board, Consultant, Lectures; Sanofi/Medimmune: Advisory Board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The abdominal cavity has an infinite number of potential pathologies and gynecologic pathology is often intertwined with intestinal disease. Case presentation: A 74-year-old female believed to have an adnexal mass on prior imaging presented with small bowel obstruction, which failed to resolve with non-operative management. Given her suspected adnexal mass, multidisciplinary operative intervention was arranged. She was found to have a large, extraluminal mass on her small intestines; serving as the lead point for her midgut volvulus and resultant small bowel obstruction. Conclusion: Physical exam and radiographic discordance should prompt consideration of alternative diagnoses. Making the appropriate initial diagnosis is key in correct patient management; however, this is not always possible and appropriate pre-operative planning should be arranged for best patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]