Strongyloidiasis in patients at a comprehensive cancer center in the United States

BACKGROUND: The frequency of Strongyloides stercoralis infestation and complication in patients with cancer in the United States is unknown. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of S. stercoralis infection in patients who were undergoing cancer treatment at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX). RESULTS: The overall S. stercoralis infection frequency was approximately 1.0 per 10,000 new cancer cases between 1971 and 2003. Twenty-two of 25 patients (88%) were U.S. residents (19 from Texas; 1 each from Mississippi, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico), and the remaining 3 (13%) were from Latin America. Thirteen (52%) had solid-organ malignancies, whereas 12 (48%) had hematologic malignancies (lymphoma or multiple myeloma, n=8; leukemia, n=3; aplastic anemia, n=1). Twelve patients (48%) received systemic corticosteroids, 9 (36%) received antineoplastic therapy, and 2 underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Diarrhea was reported in 13 patients (57%), and eosinophilia was observed in 11 patients (48%); 4 patients (16%) had probable hyperinfection syndrome (in 3 cases of polymicrobial gram-negative bacteremia, 1 patient had Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia, whereas 1 patient presented with K. pneumoniae lung infection alone). Evidence of definite pulmonary hyperinfection syndrome was observed in 2 HSCT recipients (8%). Fourteen (74%) of 19 patients responded to thiabendazole therapy. Two patients with definite pulmonary hyperinfection syndrome developed fatal S. stercoralis hemorrhagic alveolitis despite receiving high-dose thiabendazole plus ivermectin therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, strongyloidiasis was uncommon in patients with cancer and remained localized in individuals with solid-organ malignancies. Definite pulmonary accelerated autoinfections were observed only in HSCT recipients. Therefore, pre-HSCT S. stercoralis screening in individuals from endemic regions of the United States warrants further study.     

Impact of high-dose granulocyte transfusions in patients with cancer with candidemia: retrospective case-control analysis of 491 episodes of Candida species bloodstream infections

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and feasibility of donor granulocyte transfusion therapy (GTX) have changed considerably over the past four decades. The authors sought to determine the impact of high-dose (approximately 5.5 x 10(10) cells) GTX in patients with candidemia. METHODS: The authors' case-control retrospective analysis comprised 491 consecutive patients treated at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston,TX) from 1993 to 2000. The cohort included 29 patients with Candida species bloodstream infection who had received GTX and 462 who had not. RESULTS: Both groups were comparable in age, gender, APACHE II score, recent chemotherapy received, broad-spectrum antibiotics, systemic corticosteroids, radiotherapy, intravascular catheter, and concordant antifungal therapy (P > or = 0.1). The patients who received GTX compared with those who did not had a higher incidence of underlying leukemia (86% vs. 29%, P <0.001), persistent neutropenia (59% vs. 18%, P <0.001), non-Candida albicans candidemia (Candida glabrata, 35%; Candida krusei, 31%: 90% vs. 67%, P=0.01), and breakthrough invasive mycosis (62% vs. 23%, P <0.001). Neutropenia was more prolonged in patients who received GTX (28 vs. 10 days, P <0.001). Also, more of the patients who received GTX had received hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (28% vs. 13%, P = 0.03), exposure (within 4 weeks) to antifungals (79% vs. 38%, P <0.001), and stays in critical care units (62% vs. 40%, P=0.02). The overall attributable mortality rate for 25 evaluable recipients of GTX was 48% (n=12), compared with 45% (n=115) of 254 evaluable patients in the control group (P=0.5). Of the 158 patients with leukemia, 25 (16%) had received GTX. In patients with leukemia, more of those who had received GTX experienced disseminated candidiasis (44% vs. 26%; P <0.07) and persistent neutropenia (68% vs. 43%, P <0.02), had candidemia that was more prolonged (> 72 hours, P <0.02), and had more stays in critical care units (68% vs. 44%, P <0.03). On the bases of a reduced multivariate model, a significantly increased risk of death was found for patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (odds ratio [OR]=2.51; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.99-6.31; P <0.05), for patients with persistent neutropenia (OR=4.57; 95% CI, 1.99-10.47; P <0.0003), and for patients with leukemia who also had prolonged candidemia (OR=3.59; 95% CI, 1.61-7.98; P <0.002), disseminated candidiasis (OR=5.19; 95% CI, 2.17-12.42; P <0.0002), or non-C. albicans candidemia (OR=5.02; 95% CI, 1.07-23.64; P <0.04). In patients with leukemia, death was attributable to candidemia in 50% of the GTX recipients, compared with 59% of the non-GTX patients who had received antifungal therapy alone (P=0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the presence of multiple predictors of increased mortality, high-dose GTX therapy in these high-risk patients with cancer was associated with better than expected survival rates.     

Cardiac trauma with gunshot injuries

Penetrating cardiac injuries, secondary to gunfire, constitute the most lethal forms of cardiothoracic trauma with their potential fatality. We report our experience of managing two such cases who presented with haemorrhagic shock and cardiac tamponade, in a collapsed state. Prompt resuscitation and early surgical intervention (midline sternotomy and cardiorrhaphy) was successfully performed with a favourable outcome.     

Gastric bypass in morbidly obese patients with chronic renal failure and kidney transplant

BACKGROUND: Morbid obesity occurs frequently in patients with renal failure and is associated with an increased mortality, particularly from cardiovascular disease, as well as a marked increase in comorbid conditions affecting quality of life. Morbid obesity is also associated with an increased risk of complications and death in transplant patients and is often a cause for denial for access to transplantation. METHODS: Thirty morbidly obese patients with chronic renal failure or transplantation underwent gastric bypass (GBP). Nineteen patients had chronic renal failure at the time of GBP, eight had transplantation followed by GBP, and three had GBP and then transplantation. RESULTS: The reduction in excess body mass index (above 25) after GBP at 1, 2, and 3 years was similar to patients without transplantation or chronic renal failure, approximately 70% at 1 year. Comorbid conditions were diminished in each subset of patients, decreasing their risk for potential cardiovascular complications. One patient died 7.9 years after a GBP and 6.1 years after transplantation from cardiovascular disease related to longstanding diabetes that was present before her renal failure. CONCLUSIONS: GBP is a safe and effective means for achieving significant long-term weight loss and relief of comorbid conditions in patients with renal failure on dialysis, in preparation for transplantation, or after transplantation.     

Liver transplant for the septuagenarians: importance of patient selection

With the increasing success of liver transplantation (OLT), more patients above 70 years of age are being considered for OLT. There is not enough data about the predictors for survival in this patient population. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 33 patients at least 70 years of age who received 34 OLT from July 1995 to July 2002. There were 16 women and 17 men of mean age 73.7 years. Etiologies of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) were: HCV (17/33, 52%), cryptogenic cirrhosis (8/33, 24%), PBC (3/33, 9%), Laennec's cirrhosis (2/33, 6%), and others (3/33, 9%). According to the UNOS classification, 15/34 (44%) were status 3, 16/34 (47%) status 2, and 3/34 (9%) status 1. Among 13/33 patients who died (39%), 1-year and 3-year survival rates were 78.79% and 71.43%, respectively. Based on UNOS criteria, 4/15 (26%) were status 3; 6/16 (37%), status 2; and 3/3 (100%), status 1 (P value = .04 for status 1 patients). There was no statistical differences between the scores using the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) among those who died (MELD (19) versus MELD (17.35) respectively (P = .50). There was a statistically significant difference in cold ischemia time (CIT) and warm ischemia time (WIT) between those who died (P = .024 and.010, respectively). These results suggest that in this group of patients UNOS status classification, CIT and WIT correlate with survival. The sample size was too small to derive a conclusion about the association with the MELD score.     

The commonality of risk factors for nosocomial colonization and infection with antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus,enterococcus, gram-negative bacilli,Clostridium difficile,and Candida

Recent years have witnessed a rapidly growing crisis in antimicrobial resistance, especially among microorganisms that cause nosocomial infection. To better understand common risk factors among multiresistant organisms, this review explores risk factors for nosocomial infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, Clostridium difficile, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing gram-negative bacilli, and Candida. This review comprises data from 74 published studies; 53 (71%) were retrospective studies and addressed few risk factors or did not quantify risk. The analysis shows impressive commonality of risk factors across these diverse multiresistant organisms: advanced age; underlying diseases and severity of illness; inter-institutional transfer of the patient, especially from a nursing home; prolonged hospitalization; gastrointestinal surgery or transplantation; exposure to invasive devices of all types, especially central venous catheters; and exposure to antimicrobial drugs, especially cephalosporins. More restricted use of antibiotics, especially cephalosporins, and strategies to prevent medical device-related infection and cross-infection in the hospital would yield benefit with all types of resistant organisms. Preemptive isolation of all patients with risk factors for infection by resistant organisms would very likely reduce secondary spread within the hospital. Conversely, programs that focus on only one organism or one antimicrobial drug are unlikely to succeed. Prospective studies of sufficient size that address all potential risk factors, especially individual anti-infective agents, and that use matched controls who are shown by surveillance cultures to be free of colonization by resistant organisms would enhance understanding of the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in institutions and guide efforts to develop more effective strategies for prevention.     

Complications in paediatric airway management

Management of the paediatric airway can be difficult. This management in turn can be associated with complications which can be life threatening. We present three cases in which such complications occurred and then go on to discuss the different ways in which these can be prevented.     

Emergent bullectomy for acute respiratory failure in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

A 49-year-old man with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome developed acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Chest computed tomography demonstrated giant right bulla extending into the contralateral hemithorax with mediastinal shift. Surgical bullectomy with pleurodesis relieved tension effects and allowed weaning.     

Sirolimus therapy in orthotopic liver transplant recipients with calcineurin inhibitor related chronic renal insufficiency

Calcineurin inhibitor-related renal toxicity affects patient and graft survival in transplant recipients. Our clinical experience has revealed sirolimus to be an effective agent in treating renal insufficiency related to calcineurin inhibitor toxicity. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of OLT recipients suffering from chronic renal insufficiency and treated with sirolimus at the University of Miami. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (nine men and five women) of mean age 57 years who had been treated with tacrolimus for at least 30 days were converted to sirolimus after developing nephrotoxicity. Mean creatinine clearances collected on day 0, 30, 60, and 90 after conversion were 40.1 mL/min, 49.6 mL/min, 53.9 mL/min, and 51.4 mL/min, respectively. Episodes of acute cellular rejection were not increased during the sirolimus conversion. CONCLUSION: This retrospective review suggests that OLT patients suffering from tacrolimus-related renal insufficiency successfully converted to sirolimus may benefit from this therapy.     

The safety of interferon-gamma-1b therapy for invasive fungal infections after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND: The restoration of normal immune responses, especially of the T-helper type 1 immune response, is an important predictor of fungal infection outcome in patients with malignant disease who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The authors sought to evaluate the safety of adjuvant recombinant interferon-gamma-1b as an immune-modulatory therapy HSCT recipients. METHODS: Thirty-two patients received interferon-gamma-1b after undergoing HSCT at the author's institution between 1998 and 2003. A retrospective analysis was undertaken after obtaining permission from the Institutional Review Board. RESULTS: Twenty-six of 32 patients (81%) received allogeneic stem cell grafts. All but 1 patient received interferon-gamma-1b and antifungals to treat infections; the other patients received interferon-gamma-1b to promote autologous graft-versus-tumor effect. Interferon-gamma-1b usually was administered at a dose of 50 mug subcutaneously every other day. The median duration (+/- standard deviation) of interferon-gamma-1b therapy was 6+/-6.5 doses (range, 1-29 doses), and the median cumulative dose was 487+/-453 mug (range, 35-2175 microg). During therapy with interferon-gamma-1b, fever was common (n=9 patients; 28%). In 1 patient (3%), new-onset lymphocytopenia occurred but resolved after cytokine therapy was discontinued; there were no interferon- gamma-1b-related episodes of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, or liver dysfunction. Interferon-gamma-1b therapy did not precipitate or exacerbate acute or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In fact, in 2 of 7 patients (29%) with acute GVHD and in 3 of 10 patients (30%) with chronic GVHD, significant improvements in GVHD were noted during therapy with interferon-gamma-1b. Among the 26 patients with aspergillosis, 14 patients (54%) died. However, 5 of 10 patients (50%) with presumed pulmonary aspergillosis, 3 of 9 patients (33%) with probable pulmonary aspergillosis, 1 of 2 patients (50%) with definite pulmonary aspergillosis, and 3 of 5 patients (60%) with disseminated aspergillosis responded to antifungals and adjuvant interferon-gamma-1b. CONCLUSIONS: Recombinant interferon-gamma-1b was tolerated without serious adverse reactions in HSCT recipients. A large, prospective, randomized study will be needed to evaluate the efficacy of this cytokine in high-risk HSCT recipients who have invasive mycoses.