Infección por Rothia mucilaginosa. ¿Un patógeno respiratorio?

Introduction

To describe the spectrum of infections caused by Rothia mucilaginosa.

Methods

Retrospective study of 20 cases diagnosed with R. mucilaginosa from 2009 to 2012.

Results

Pulmonary infection was the most frequent clinical presentation (n = 14, 70%): bronchiectasis infected (10), followed by pleural empyema (2), pneumonia (1) and acute bronchitis (1). Two episodes were of gastrointestinal origin: cholangitis secondary to biliary drainage and secondary peritonitis. Two episodes included bacteremia in patients with hematological malignancy. One patient had a surgical wound infection with bacteremia, and another had a bacteremic urinary tract infection in a patient with nephrostomy.

Discussion

R. mucilaginosa may be responsible for infections of the lower respiratory tract in predisposed patients.     

Dificultades en el diagnóstico de los pacientes con enfermedad de Wilson en la práctica clínica: experiencia de 15 casos

Background

Wilson disease (WD) is an inherited disorder that causes copper (Cu) accumulation, leading to mainly liver, neurological and/or psychiatric manifestations. In the absence of some of the typical features, diagnosis of WD is difficult and is based on the combination of clinical, biochemical and genetic testing. The aim of this study was to illustrate the complexity of the approach to WD in daily clinical practice.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with WD, including the clinical presentation, histological and biochemical findings, and follow up after treatment. We also carried out genetic testing, and the Leipzig diagnostic score was applied.

Results

We included 15 patients. Four were symptomatic, with liver (n = 1), neurological (n = 1), psychiatric (n = 1) and mixed clinical manifestations (n = 1), and 11 were presymptomatic, with elevated transaminases (n = 8) and family study (n = 3).We observed Kayser-Fleischer ring in 2 patients, both without neurologic symptoms.Ceruloplasmin ≤5 mg/dL was present in 73%, and 24-hour urinary Cu > 100 μg in 40%. Liver Cu was > 250 μg/g.d.t. in 85% of the patients. The final diagnosis of WD was given by genetic testing (ATP7B gene mutations) in 5 patients with minimal disease features, including one symptomatic patient (psychiatric symptoms). We identified 5 previously reported mutations (p.M645R, p.R827W, p.H1069Q, p.P768L and p.G869R) and 3 unpublished mutations (p.L1313R, p.I1311T and p.A1179D); the most frequent mutation was p.M645R.After treatment, biochemical parameters (transaminases, urinary cooper) and symptoms improved, except in patients with neurological and psychiatric manifestations.

Conclusions

Our series illustrates the important role of genetic testing in the diagnosis of WD. The identification of the p.M645R mutation in most of our patients should be kept in mind in the molecular analysis of the ATP7B gene in our region.     

Alta incidencia de bacteriemia por bacilos gramnegativos en pacientes con hipertensión pulmonar tratados con treprostinil por vía intravenosa

Introduction

An excessive risk for bacteremia has recently been reported in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treated with intravenous treprostinil. We aimed to assess this association in a cohort of patients from a Spanish referral center.

Patients and methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study that included 55 patients diagnosed with PAH who received a continuous intravenous infusion of a prostanoid (epoprostenol or treprostinil) for ≥ 1 month at our center between January 1991 and December 2011. The risk factors associated with the incidence of bacteremia were analyzed with the log-rank test.

Results

After a total follow-up of 64,453 treatment days, we found 12 episodes of bacteremia: Staphylococcus aureus (5 episodes), non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli (4 episodes), other gram-positive cocci (2 episodes), and Enterobacter cloacae (one episode). The incidence of bacteremia was 0.118 episodes per 1,000 treatment days in patients receiving epoprostenol versus 0.938 episodes per 1,000 treatment-days in patients receiving treprostinil (P = .0037). All episodes of bacteremia due to Gram-negative bacilli were diagnosed in patients on treprostinil. In the univariate analysis the treatment with intravenous treprostinil was associated with the incidence of bacteremia (hazard ratio: 4.09; 95% confidence interval: 1.24-14.53), although the low number of events prevented us from performing a multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Therapy with intravenous treprostinil is associated with a higher risk for bacteremia, especially due to non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli. This association should be taken in consideration when choosing empirical antibiotic therapy for patients with PAH and sepsis.     

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in patients with prosthetic devices: costs and outcomes

Purpose

Although Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of nosocomial infection, little is known about the impact of S. aureus bacteremia on patients with prosthetic devices. This investigation sought to define the clinical outcome, health care resource use, and infection-associated costs of S. aureus bacteremia in patients with prostheses.

Subjects and methods

All hospitalized patients with a prosthetic device and S. aureus bacteremia during the 96-month study period were identified prospectively. Clinical data were collected at the time of hospitalization. Data regarding infection-related resource utilization and infection-related costs within 12 weeks of the initial bacteremia were also recorded.

Results

298 patients with ≥1 prosthesis and S. aureus bacteremia were identified (cardiovascular device—122 patients, orthopedic device—73 patients, long-term catheter—71 patients, and other devices—32 patients). Overall, 58% of patients underwent surgery as a consequence of the infection. Infection-related complications occurred in 41% and the overall 12-week mortality was 27%. The mean infection-related cost was $67 439 for patients with hospital-acquired S. aureus bacteremia and $37 868 for community-acquired S. aureus bacteremia (cost difference $29 571; 95% confidence interval, $14 370-$49 826). Rates of device infection, complications, 12-week mortality, and mean cost varied by prosthesis type.

Conclusion

S. aureus bacteremia in patients with prosthetic devices is associated with frequent complications, substantial cost, and significant health care resource utilization.     

Colonización nasal por Staphylococcus aureus en estudiantes de medicina: importancia en la transmisión hospitalaria

Background

Staphylococcus aureus is the main pathogen causing nosocomial infections. Health professionals, including medical students, could be a source of transmission. The aims of the study were to determine the rate of nasal carriage of S. aureus susceptible and resistant to methicillin (MRSA) and evaluate the knowledge and adherence that students had about hand hygiene.

Methods

The study included medical students attached to the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre (Madrid, Spain). We collected samples from both nasal vestibules, and the antimicrobial susceptibility was determined on all isolates. Data collection was performed using a self-administered questionnaire that included risk factors for colonization, hygiene habits and knowledge of hand hygiene protocols.

Results

Of the 140 students included, 55 (39.3%) were colonized by S. aureus, and 3 (2,1%) by MRSA. The exposure to antibiotics in the last 3 months was lower in colonized students (12.3% vs. 25.9%, P = .03). Self-assessment showed that 56.4% of students almost never washed their hands before to attending to the first patient, and only 38.6% always washed after examining patients. More than a third (35.7%) ignored the hand hygiene protocol, and 38.6% had not received specific formation.

Conclusions

Medical students should be included in hospital infection control programs. Hand hygiene training should be given to students before they begin their practices in the hospital.     

Erradicación de un brote nosocomial de infecciones por Acinetobacter baumannii multirresistente tras el ajuste de cargas de trabajo y refuerzo de precauciones específicas

Introduction

During 2009, an outbreak of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR A. baumannii) infections was detected in a 27-bed intensive care unit, resulting in 25 cases being infected.

Methods

A matched case-control study was conducted to identify risk factors for infection. The colonization pressure, or the proportion of other patients colonized by MDR A. baumannii, was estimated. TISS-28 and Omega scores of each patient were calculated to evaluate nursing work requirements. Conditional logistic regression analyses were carried out.

Results

Breakdowns in hand washing and glove use were observed. Infected patients (cases) were more likely than paired controls to have had longer exposure to invasive devices and antimicrobial treatment. The independent risk factors identified by the multivariate analysis were, mechanical ventilation [odds ratio (OR) = 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.05; P = .01], and exposure to an infected or colonized patient [OR = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6; P = .02). A combined infection control strategy was implemented, including strict compliance with isolation precautions, grouping of patients, reinforcing cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, and a decrease in work load. Subsequently, a sharp reduction in the incidence MDR A. baumannii infections was shown. Therapeutic activity scores were significantly higher for cases than for controls.

Conclusion

The results suggest patient-to-patient transmission of MDR A. baumannii. Reinforcement of specific procedures and work load adjustment were essential to eradicate this outbreak.     

Análisis combinado de dos ensayos aleatorizados de comparación de stents con recubrimiento de titanio-óxido nítrico con stents liberadores de fármacos en el IAMCEST

Introduction and objectives

We performed a pooled analysis based on patient-level data from the TITAX-AMI and BASE-ACS trials to evaluate the outcome of titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents vs drug-eluting stents in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction at 2-year follow-up.

Methods

The TITAX-AMI trial compared bioactive stents with paclitaxel-eluting stents in 425 patients with acute myocardial infarction. The BASE-ACS trial compared bioactive stents with everolimus-eluting stents in 827 patients with acute coronary syndrome. The primary endpoint for the pooled analysis was major adverse cardiac events: a composite of cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction, or ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization at 2-year follow-up.

Results

The pooled analysis included 501 patients; 245 received bioactive stents, and 256 received drug-eluting stents. The pooled bioactive stent group was associated with a risk ratio of 0.85 for major adverse cardiac events (95% confidence interval, 0.53-1.35; P = .49) compared to the pooled drug-eluting stent group. Similarly, the pooled bioactive stent group was associated with a risk ratio of 0.71 for cardiac death (95% confidence interval, 0.26-1.95; P = .51), 0.44 for recurrent myocardial infarction (95% confidence interval, 0.20-0.97; P = .04), and 1.39 for ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (95% confidence interval, 0.74-2.59; P = .30), compared to the pooled drug-eluting stent group. These results were confirmed by propensity-score adjusted analysis of the combined datasets.

Conclusions

In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, bioactive stents were associated with lower rates of recurrent myocardial infarction compared to drug-eluting stents at 2-year follow-up; yet, the rates of cardiac death and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization were similar.Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org/en     

Efecto de la hipoxia sobre el metabolismo de la glucosa en pacientes no diabéticos con síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño

Aim

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may promote hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Our aim is to investigate the effect of OSAS on the fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1c), and C reactive protein (CRP) in nondiabetic patients.

Material and methods

Blood parameters of consecutive 90 non diabetic patients whom polysomnografic evaluations were done in our sleep laboratory was evaluated. Among these 61 patients with normal fasting blood glucose were classified due to their apne-hipopnea index (AHI) as mild (n = 16, 26.2%), moderate (n = 18, 29.5%) and severe (n = 27, 44.2%) OSAS. The fasting plasma glucose, HbA_1c and CRP were measured.

Results

Mean age of the patients was 47.7 ± 11.2 years, 72% male. HbA_1c, fasting glucose levels show positive correlation with BMI (r = .503, P = .00; r = .258, P = .045). No relation of HbA_1c to apnea index nor AHI was detected while positive corelation of fasting glucose and CRP was detected (r = .262, P = .042; r = .258, P = .045). HbA_1c, fasting glucose and CRP levels show negative correlation with minimum SpO₂ levels (by order of r = –.302, P = .018; r = –.368, P = .004; r = –.365, P = .004). HbA1c, fasting glucose levels and CRP levels show positive correlation with mean desaturation index (time duration in which SpO₂ < 90% by pulse oxymeter) (r = .263, P = .041; r = .311, P = .015; r = .283, P = .027).

Conclusions

Although no relation in between increased HbA_1c or glucose levels and severity of OSAS was detected in nondiabetic OSAS patients, the correlation with the night hypoxia was detected. This could also show the effect of night time hypoxia on glucose metabolism in OSAS patients.     

Epidemiología y características clínicas de los episodios de bacteriemia por Streptococcus pyogenes en Cartagena (Murcia)

Introduction

A gradual increase in severe cases due to Streptococcus pyogenes or Streptococcus beta-hemolytic group A (SGA), has been detected in the last few decades.

Methods

Retrospective study of bacteremia due to S. pyogenes detected between January 2009 and January 2013 in Cartagena. The annual incidence for severe bacteremia has been estimated.

Results

Thirteen cases of SGA bacteremia were recorded. The incidence increased from 0.37 in 2009 to 2.5 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 2012. The predominant focus was skin and soft tissue infections (53%). Early mortality was 20%.

Conclusion

Severe streptococcal disease is rare, but affects individuals with good functional status, and is associated with a high mortality.     

Anévrismes infectieux de l’aorte thoracique : présentation de 7 cas et revue de la littérature

Purpose

Infectious aortic aneurysms are rare conditions, being responsible of 2% of aortic aneurysms. Most published results are surgical case series concerning infected abdominal aorta. In this retrospective study, we assessed clinical features and outcome of patients presenting infectious thoracic aortic aneurysms.

Patients and methods

Diagnosis was based upon a combination of imaging evidence for thoracic aorta aneurysm and evidence for an infective aetiology including a culture of a causative pathogen, or a favourable outcome with anti-infective therapy. Retrospective case series.

Results

Six men and one woman were included, with a mean age of 66 years. All the patient presented at least one cardiovascular risk factor or atherosclerosis localisation. Fever (71%) and chest pain (42%) were the most common clinical presenting manifestations. The causative pathogens were: Staphylococcus aureus (N = 1), Salmonella enteritidis (N = 3) and Candida albicans (N = 1). The contrast-enhanced computed-tomography disclosed an aneurysm whose diameter reached more than 50 mm (N = 5), that increased rapidly in size (N = 5), or presented an inflammatory aspect of the aortic wall (N = 4). Management was both medical and interventional: surgery (N = 3) or endoluminal repair (N = 4). Outcome was favourable in six patients; one patient died from aneurysm-related complications.

Conclusion

Clinical manifestations revealing an infectious thoracic aneurysm are variable. Diagnosis should be considered in patients presenting a rapidly-growing aneurysm, especially in the presence of elevated acute phase reactants. Endoluminal repair constitutes a treatment option. The role of FDG-PET for diagnosis and follow-up remains to be defined.     

Experiencia en el manejo de inmunosupresores con los fármacos inhibidores de proteasa frente al virus de la hepatitis C

Introduction

Antiviral drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections have a large number of interactions. The aim of this study was to describe the interactions of telaprevir, boceprevir and sofosbuvir with immunosuppressive drugs in liver transplant recipients.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was performed in liver transplant patients with HCV infection who started treatment with telaprevir, boceprevir or sofosbuvir. Dose, regimens and plasma levels of tacrolimus, cyclosporine and sirolimus before and after antiviral treatment initiation were collected. Average variations in dose, dosing interval and immunosuppressive plasma levels after the start of treatment were calculated.

Results

Thirty-five patients were included. In patients treated with telaprevir (n = 18), the cyclosporine dose was reduced by an average of 59.1% (SD = 14.6%), yielding an average reduction of 14.6% (18.8%) in plasma levels. The dose of tacrolimus was reduced by 34.3% (31.7%), increasing the dosing interval by a mean of 73.4 (38.2) hours. After this variation, tacrolimus levels were increased by an average of 59.7% (89.6%).In patients treated with boceprevir (n = 4), tacrolimus started with a reduction of 18.1% (9.8%) of the initial dose and an average increase in the dosing interval of 12.0 (16.9) hours, showing a mean reduction in plasma levels of 37.7% (21.8%). Sofosbuvir therapy (n = 13) showed no significant variations in immunosuppressive drug levels.

Conclusions

The interaction of telaprevir and boceprevir with immunosuppressive drugs requires a substantial dose reduction at the beginning of treatment and close monitoring of plasma levels.     

Back to the Future: Penicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

Background

Widespread penicillin usage rapidly resulted in the emergence of penicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. However, new data suggest that penicillin susceptibility may be in a period of renaissance. The objective of our study was to quantify penicillin resistance in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all adult MSSA bacteremia from April 2010 to April 2015 at the McGill University Health Centre (Montreal, QC, Canada). Susceptibility to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) was determined in accordance with the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.

Results

There were 324 unique episodes of MSSA bacteremia. Ninety (28%) isolates were susceptible to penicillin, 229 (71%) to erythromycin, 239 (74%) to clindamycin, and 317 (98%) to TMP-SMX. Isolates that were penicillin resistant were more likely to also be resistant to other antibiotics, but a statistically significant association was apparent only for erythromycin resistance (76/234, 32.2% vs 19/90, 21.1%, P = .04). The median age of patients was 67.5 years (interquartile range 52-78) and overall in-hospital 30-day mortality was 16.3% (53 deaths). After adjustment for patient age, there was no association between penicillin resistance and either intensive care unit admission or death.

Conclusion

More than one-quarter of patients with MSSA bacteremia potentially could be treated with parenteral penicillin, which may offer pharmacokinetic advantages over other beta-lactam drugs and potentially improved outcomes.     

Efecto de la infección por Clostridium difficile sobre la estancia hospitalaria. Estudio de cohortes

Introduction

Clostridium difficile is responsible for a spectrum of diseases known as “Clostridium difficile infection” (CDI). It is currently the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea in developed countries. This infection has been associated with both increased hospital stay and mortality, and to a greater likelihood of readmission. In our country these undesirable effects have not yet been characterized. Our objective was to quantify the increase in hospital stay attributable to infection by C. difficile.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study matched by age, sex and admission date, was conducted in a tertiary care university hospital during an outbreak of nosocomial transmission of CDI.

Results

The cohort study included 38 infected, and 76 non-infected patients. Patients who developed CDI showed a higher proportion of malnutrition at admission (OR = 10.3; 3.6 to 29.6), were exposed to a wider range of antibiotics (mean difference = 1.5; 0.7-2.2), had a higher mortality (31.6% vs. 6.6% of controls, P < .001), and a longer hospital stay (median 31.5 days versus 5.5 days for controls, P < .001). After adjustment, infection by C. difficile was associated with an increase in hospital stay of 4 days (P < .001).

Conclusions

C. difficile infection has important consequences on the length of hospital stay, and therefore on health costs.     

Análisis de la eficacia y la seguridad de distintos balones liberadores de paclitaxel en un modelo animal

Introduction and objectives

Paclitaxel-eluting balloons have shown high antiproliferative efficacy in the treatment and prevention of restenosis. Nevertheless, not all available devices are equally effective, which makes it interesting to compare results in a preclinical model. Our objective was to assess the preclinical efficacy and safety of different devices.

Methods

We implanted 51 metallic stents (Architect^®, iVascular) in 17 domestic swine (mean, 25 [3] kg), inserting 1 stent per major coronary artery. Stent postdilatation was performed with different control balloons (n = 10) or paclitaxel-eluting balloons: paclitaxel-eluting balloon 1 (iVascular) (n = 15); paclitaxel-eluting balloon 2 (iVascular) (n = 16) and In.Pact Falcon^® (Medtronic) (n = 10). The restenosis rate (using angiography and histomorphometry) and vascular healing parameters (balloon-related vascular injury score, endothelialization rate, and fibrin and inflammation scores) were analyzed at 28 days.

Results

The distinct paclitaxel-eluting balloons showed a similar degree of stenosis at follow-up, which was significantly lower than that in the control group: diameter stenosis was 9% (12%) vs 34% (18%) by angiography (P < .0001) and was 22% (8%) vs 51% (18%) by histomorphometry (P < .0001). Scores for vascular injury (mean, 0.6 [0.5]) and inflammation (mean, 0.8 [0.3]) were uniformly low across all groups. Drug effect markers differed significantly between the paclitaxel-eluting balloons and control groups, with lower endothelialization rates (87% [10%] vs 99% [2%]; P = .0007) and higher fibrin scores (2.1 [0.7] vs 0.4 [0.5]; P < .0001) in the paclitaxel-eluting balloons groups. There were no differences between the different paclitaxel-eluting balloons.

Conclusions

In this preclinical model, the paclitaxel-eluting balloons studied significantly reduced in-stent restenosis compared with the control balloons. Although there were no findings of persistent vascular injury or inflammation, delayed endothelialization and fibrin aggregate suggest a drug deposition response.Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org/en     

Infecciones de piel y partes blandas en pacientes hospitalizados: factores epidemiológicos,microbiológicos,clínicos y pronósticos

Introduction

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) are a frequent cause of consultation in emergence services, and complicated cases require hospitalization. However there are few data in our setting about the clinical characteristics of these infections.

Material and methods

A retrospective review of hospital admitted patients with a diagnosis of folliculitis, cellulitis, erysipelas, abscesses, hidradenitis, furuncle, impetigo, fasciitis and Fournier's gangrene. Cases were extracted from the data base of diagnostic codes of the Archive and Clinical Documentation Department of Son Llàtzer Hospital from January 2002 to November 2011.

Results

We studied 996 episodes in 841 hospitalized patients with any diagnosis of SSTIs. Cellulitis/erysipelas (66.7%) was the most frequently diagnosed condition, with 77% of all SSTIs being community acquired, and the majority of patients had comorbidities, mainly diabetes (33%) and heart failure (17.7%). The most frequent isolated microorganism was S. aureus (35.1%), in 19 (12.9%) cases with methicillin-resistance (MRSA), 84.2% of them were nosocomial or health care acquired. Monotherapy with aminopenicillin with clavulanic acid was the empiric treatment most frequently used (35.5%). New antibiotics for Gram-positive cocci (linezolid, daptomycin, and tigecycline) were used in patients with comorbidities that presented more complications (P < .001) and more risk of mortality (P = .001). During admission 10.9% of patients died, but only in 2.7% of them mortality was related to the SSTIs.

Conclusions

SSTIs attended most frequently in hospitalized patients are mainly cellulitis/erysipela, the majority community acquired. MRSA infections are mainly health care related. Use of new antibiotic for Gram-positive cocci was limited.     

Hallazgos radiológicos en pacientes con esquistosomiasis importada

Introduction

Imaging techniques, primarily ultrasound, are useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with schistosomiasis in endemic areas.

Methods

Study of 219 patients treated in sub-Saharan Tropical Medicine Unit with a diagnosis of imported schistosomiasis by imaging techniques investigations including plain abdominal radiography and ultrasound.

Results

A total of 17.8% of patients who had an abdominal X-ray showed findings suggestive of schistosomiasis, in most cases bladder calcifications. In 73 patients (41%) ultrasound showed pathological findings, mainly diffuse or focal wall thickening (26 patients), nodular lesions (n = 14), and pseudopolyps (n = 8). One patient, who had a large bladder mass (9 cm) and bilateral ureterohydronephrosis, was finally diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. Ultrasound liver abnormalities were found in 10 patients, 4 with signs of portal hypertension, of which 3 had the characteristic periportal fibrosis in schistosomiasis.

Conclusion

Imaging studies, especially abdominal and bladder ultrasound, are useful for diagnosis, the study of disease and monitoring of patients with schistosomiasis in non-endemic countries.     

La práctica de un tratamiento antirretroviral empírico es dependiente del porcentaje de resistencias primarias del virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana

Objective

The objective of this study was the analysis of the prevalence and type of primary resistance to antiretroviral drugs in patients diagnosed with HIV infection, and to determine the most appropriate empirical treatment to obtain a virological and immunological response.

Patients and methods

An observational analysis of patients with a de novo diagnosis of HIV infection during the period 2008-2010. Clinical, immunological and virological characteristics, including genotype analysis of resistance to antiretrovirals, were considered as independent variables. The dependent variable was an undetectable HIV viral load after six months of treatment. Data are provided as median (interquartile range) and absolute number (percentage).

Results

Seventy-three patients with a de novo diagnosis of HIV infection were included [53 males (73%); 36 (30-46) years-old; prior use of intravenous drugs: 5 patients (7%); hepatitis C virus co-infection: 13 individuals (18%)]. Ten patients (14%) showed symptoms attributable to acute HIV infection. A CD4+ T cell count lower than 350 mm³ was detected in a 37% (n = 27) of all patients. The initiation of antiretroviral therapy followed the GESIDA recommendations (no therapy: 20 patients; tenofovir + emtricitabine + efavirenz: 28 patients; abacavir + lamivudine + efavirenz: 1 patient; tenofovir + emtricitabine + protease inhibitors: 5 patients; abacavir + lamivudine + protease inhibitors: 1 patient; 18 patients were lost in the follow-up). After starting antiretroviral therapy, the resistance analyses detected the existence of primary resistance to antiretrovirals in 12.7% (confidence interval 95%: 3-22) of the patients, distributed as follows: isolated resistance to, nucleosides was detected in 2% (M184 V), to nevirapine/efavirenz in 9% (K103 N), and combined resistance to nucleosides and non-nucleosides in 2%; there were no cases of resistance to protease inhibitors. Consequently, antiretroviral therapy was changed in 5 (14%) out of 35 patients, attaining an undetectable HIV viral load at 6 months in all of them. The primary resistance to antiretrovirals was not related with epidemiological, virological (including infection by non B subtype) or immunological variables.

Conclusions

In the present study, a change in the epidemiological pattern of de novo diagnosis of HIV infection in our area has been observed. The existence of resistance mutations in more than 5% of the new cases is noteworthy. This finding must be considered in order to establish the rules of empirical treatment in our area.     

Características clínicas y pronóstico de la neumonía adquirida en la comunidad causada por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina

Introduction

The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and clinical features, treatment and prognosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in two different geographic regions where community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections have different frequencies.

Methods

Observational study of patients admitted to two hospitals (one in Argentina, the other in Spain) between March 2008 and June 2012.

Results

We documented 16 cases of CAP caused by MRSA. MRSA accounted for 15 of 547 (2.7%) cases of CAP in Hospital Rodolfo Rossi and 1 of 1258 (0,08%) cases at the Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge (P ≤ .001). Most patients were young and previously healthy. Multilobar infiltrates, cavitation and skin and soft tissue involvement were frequent. All patients had positive blood cultures. Five patients required admission to the intensive care unit. Early mortality (≤ 48 hours) was 19%, and overall mortality (≤ 30 days) was 25%.

Conclusion

CAP caused by MRSA causes high morbidity and mortality rates. It should be suspected in areas with a high prevalence of CA-MRSA infections, and especially in young and healthy patients who present with multilobar pneumonia with cavitation. Mortality is mainly related to septic shock and respiratory failure and occurs early in most cases.     

Chronic treatment with trimetazidine after discharge reduces the incidence of restenosis in patients who received coronary stent implantation: A 1-year prospective follow-up study

Background

The incidence of stent restenosis (SR) has risen with as more patients are being treated with drug-eluting stents (DESs). Trimetazidine has multiple favorable effects on the cardiovascular system. Here, we aimed to evaluate whether chronic treatment with trimetazidine reduced the incidence of SR.

Methods

From January 2009 to December 2011 at Chinese PLA General Hospital, 768 patients were enrolled and randomized into the trimetazidine treatment group (TG, n = 384) and control group (CG, n = 384). After DES implantation, all patients were treated with regular medication. In the TG, trimetazidine was administrated at 20 mg tid for at least 30 days. All patients received follow-up angiography 9–13 months after discharge. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) were recorded.

Results

Six hundred thirty-five patients were included in the final analysis (TG, n = 312; CG, n = 323). SR occurred in 49 (7.7%) patients. The TG had a lower incidence of SR compared to the CG (4.2% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.001). At the 30-day follow-up, the TG exhibited a higher left ventricular ejection fraction than the CG (65.4 ± 10.7 vs. 63.1 ± 10.4, p = 0.006). The incidence of MACCEs was also lower in the TG at the 1-year follow-up (6.1% vs. 10.8%, p = 0.032). Further multivariate analysis revealed that trimetazidine treatment was a predictor for SR (OR: 0.376; 95% CI: 0.196–0.721; p = 0.003).

Conclusions

Trimetazidine treatment effectively reduced the incidence of SR and MACCEs after DES implantation at the 1-year follow-up.