Search

BACKGROUND Several severity indexes have been reported for critically ill patients. The Pitt bacteremia score (PBS) is commonly used to predict the risk of mortality in patients with bacteraemia. OBJECTIVES To develop a scoring system for predicting mortality in candidaemia patients. METHODS Medical records at five Japanese tertiary hospitals were reviewed. Factors associated with mortality were analysed using logistic regression modelling. The discriminatory power of scoring models was evaluated by assessing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). RESULTS In total, 422 candidaemia patients were included. Higher PBS, dialysis and retainment of central venous catheter were independent risk factors for all-cause 30-day mortality. However, among the five PBS components, fever was not associated with mortality; therefore, we developed a modified version of the PBS (mPBS) by replacing fever with dialysis. AUC for PBS and mPBS were 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-0.80) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.71-0.82), respectively. The increase in predictive ability of mPBS for 30-day mortality was statistically significant as assessed by NRI (0.24, 95% CI: 0.01-0.46, p = .04) and IRI (0.04, 95% CI: 0.02-0.06, p = .0008). When patients were stratified by mPBS into low (scores 0-3), moderate (4-7) and high risk (≥8), there were significant differences among the survival curves (p

An 88‐year‐old bedridden man with Alzheimer's disease developed fever and hypoxaemia. Chest radiography showed obstructive pneumonia caused by a foreign body in the airway. Examination using a flexible bronchoscope revealed a silver‐crowned molar, thought to have fallen out due to root caries, at the left lower lobe branch. Removal of the foreign body was unsuccessful with grasping or basket forceps, but successful with cryoadhesion using a cryoprobe. Removal of an airway foreign body by a cryoprobe depends on the nature of the foreign body, namely its water content. Therefore, cryoprobes are not inherently suitable for removing foreign bodies of aspirated teeth, but a tooth covered with mucus for a long time after aspiration can be cryoadhered with cryoprobes. Airway foreign bodies that remain in the airway for a long time should also be considered for removal by cryoprobe, regardless of the water content of the material., In this report, we demonstrate the efficacy of a cryoprobe in removing airway foreign bodies caused by dental aspiration in an older patient.

Summary Background Hepatotoxicity and visual symptoms are common adverse effects (AEs) of voriconazole therapy. Objective To retrospectively evaluate the effects of treatment modification based on therapeutic drug monitoring on AEs in patients undergoing voriconazole therapy. Methods The target voriconazole trough concentration (C min) was 1‐5 µg/mL. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine C min cut‐offs for AEs. Results A total of 401 patients were included. Among 108 patients with high initial C min, voriconazole was discontinued in 32 and the dose was reduced in 71. Among 44 patients with low initial C min, voriconazole was discontinued in 4 and the dose was increased in 19. Hepatotoxicity occurred in 6.0% of patients, after a median of 10 days. Visual symptoms were evident in 9.5% of patients after a median of 4 days. Initial C min was significantly associated with visual symptoms but not hepatotoxicity, which suggested the effect of treatment modification on hepatotoxicity. However, both hepatotoxicity and visual symptoms were significantly correlated with C min at the onset of AEs, and the C min cut‐offs were 3.5 μg/mL for hepatotoxicity and 4.2 μg/mL for visual symptoms. Voriconazole was discontinued after the occurrence of AEs in 62.5% of patients with hepatotoxicity but only 26.3% of patients with visual symptoms. With dose adjustment, treatment was completed in 8/9 patients with hepatotoxicity and 27/28 patients with visual symptoms. Conclusions A significant preventive effect was demonstrated on hepatotoxicity, but not on visual symptoms because of earlier occurrence. With treatment modification after the occurrence of AEs, most patients completed therapy.

Background The incidence of ocular candidiasis (OC) in patients with candidemia varies across different reports, and the issue of whether routine ophthalmoscopy improves outcomes has been raised. This study investigated the incidence of OC and evaluate whether the extent of OC impacts the clinical outcomes. Methods This retrospective study included non-neutropenic patients with candidemia who underwent treatment at one of 15 medical centers between 2010 and 2016. Chorioretinitis without other possible causes for the ocular lesions and endophthalmitis was classified as a probable OC. If signs of chorioretinitis were observed in patients with a systemic disease that causes similar ocular lesions, they were classified as a possible OC. Results In total, 781 of 1089 patients with candidemia underwent an ophthalmic examination. The prevalence of OC was 19.5%. The time from the collection of a positive blood culture to the initial ophthalmic examination was 5.0 ± 3.9 days in patients with OC. The leading isolate was Candida albicans (77.9%). Possible OC was associated with unsuccessful treatments (resolution of ocular findings) (odds ratio: 0.354, 95% confidence interval: 0.141-0.887), indicating an overdiagnosis in patients with a possible OC. If these patients were excluded, the incidence fell to 12.8%. Endophthalmitis and/or macular involvement, both of which require aggressive therapy, were detected in 43.1% of patients; a significantly higher incidence of visual symptoms was observed in these patients. Conclusion Even when early routine ophthalmic examinations were performed, a high incidence of advanced ocular lesions was observed. These results suggest that routine ophthalmic examinations are still warranted in patients with candidemia.

Background We previously developed management bundles for candidemia and beneficial effects on clinical outcomes were shown in compliant patients (JAC 2015). However, there is a risk for bias because some elements cannot be achieved in patients who have an early death. Methods Patients with candidemia who were treated at six medical centers between 2015 and 2017 were prospectively evaluated. Bundle elements consisted of removal of central venous catheters within 24 hours, initial appropriate selection and dosing of antifungals, an ophthalmological examination, follow-up blood cultures, consideration of alternative antifungals on the 3rd to 5th days, and at least 2 weeks of therapy. To exclude bias by early death, we investigated the clinical results in patients who survived ≥2 weeks. Results Among 221 patients with candidemia, 190 patients were analyzed (31 patients were excluded because of early death). Clinical success and the 28-day mortality rate were 77.4% (171/221) and 22.2% (49/221) in all patients with candidemia and 88.9% (167/190) and 9.5% (18/190) in eligible patients, respectively. Compliance in achieving all bundle elements was accomplished in 67.9% of eligible patients. In multivariate analysis, compliance with the bundles was an independent factor for 28-day mortality (4.7% vs. 19.7%, odds ratio 0.19, 95% confidence interval 0.05–0.63). However, compliance did not affect clinical success (92.2% vs. 82.0%, odds ratio 2.13, 95% CI 0.77–5.86). Non-Candida albicans, disseminated candidiasis, and total parenteral nutrition were independent factors for poor clinical success. Severe severity and total parenteral nutrition were independent factors for 28-day mortality. Conclusion With prospective use of bundles as a checklist in patients with candidemia, compliance of bundles has a beneficial effect on clinical outcomes. This research was supported by AMED (JP18fk0108045). Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Background TDM of VRCZ might be useful, especially in Asian people because of CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms. However, limited data are available because of the small sample size. Methods Patients who received VRCZ and had TDM were reviewed retrospectively at five institutions. Adequate VRCZ dosage was defined as a loading dose of 5–6 ± 0.5 mg/kg twice daily followed by a maintenance dose of 3–4 ± 0.5 mg/kg twice daily. For prophylaxis, the loading dose was left to the physician’s discretion. Optimal timing of TDM was defined as 4–7 days after starting therapy. Patients with adequate dosing and optimal timing of TDM were evaluated for analysis of trough levels (Cmin). Target Cmin was set at 1–5 µg/mL. Results The study included 584 patients (treatment: 402; prophylaxis: 182). TDM was conducted on days 4–7 in 66.5% of patients (>7, 30.2%). A low adequate dosage (44.5%) was observed for treatment mainly because of a low performance of the loading dose (46.8%). Achievement of target Cmin was obtained in 62.7% (>5 µg/mL, 32.2%) in the treatment group and in 67.6% (11.0%) in the prophylaxis group. Seventy-one of 81 (81.7%) patients who required a dose reduction reached target Cmin by the second TDM. In 38 patients whose dose was not altered at oral switching, Cmin was significantly reduced from 2.5 ± 1.6 to 1.2 ± 1.3 μg/mL (P = 0.002), which indicated the necessity of TDM after oral switching. Hepatotoxicity occurred in 4.6% and visual symptoms in 7.9% of patients. Visual symptoms resolved without discontinuation of VRCZ in 73.9% of patients. Because of dosage adjustment based on TDM, high Cmin did not cause hepatotoxicity. However, the incidence of visual symptoms was significantly higher in patients with a high Cmin (12.7% vs. 5.4%, P = 0.002). Conclusion One-third of Japanese patients who underwent VRCZ treatment with a loading dose showed high Cmin. Occurrence of hepatotoxicity was prevented with alteration of dosage in these patients (AMED, JP18fk0108045). Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.