A comparison of linezolid with glycopeptides in severe MRSA pneumonia

Evaluation of: Luna CM, Bruno DA, García-Morato J et al. Effect of linezolid compared with glycopeptides in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus severe pneumonia in piglets. Chest 135(6), 1564–1571 (2009).

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a major pathogen in nosocomial infections and accounts for a large proportion of nosocomial pneumonia. However, there are limited antibiotics available for the treatment of this serious and potentially lethal infection. Until recently, the only effective antibiotic was vancomycin, but the oxazolidinones, such as linezolid, have been shown to be a valuable addition to the arsenal of antimicrobial agents that can be used for MRSA pneumonia. Clinical trials have been conducted to compare vancomycin and linezolid head-to-head in pneumonia and, in post hoc subgroup analyses, showed that linezolid use was associated with improved survival. The ensuing debate over these results was dominated by two opinions; there were those who speculated on the mechanism by which linezolid achieved this benefit, namely attributing it to pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, and others who criticized the methodology of the studies and questioned the validity of the results altogether. This study by Luna and colleagues was designed with several goals in mind. The first was to attempt to generate an animal model of MRSA pneumonia in piglets by duplicating techniques used in animal models of Gram-negative pneumonia. Then they studied the effect of three antibiotics (vancomycin, linezolid and teicoplanin) on outcomes in the same model, while simultaneously measuring antibiotic levels in the serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue, in an attempt to attribute differences in survival to pharmacological properties of the drugs used. Their results showed a survival benefit only for linezolid, despite the fact that all three antibiotics had levels above MIC in all the compartments sampled, leading them to speculate that linezolid may have improved outcomes by mechanisms not directly related to its antimicrobial actions.     

Shortening the course of antibiotic treatment in the intensive care unit

Effective antimicrobial stewardship is an increasingly important concern for healthcare providers globally. Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for patients who develop sepsis in the intensive care unit and traditionally courses are prolonged, with uncertain benefit and probable harm. There is little evidence to support many guidelines recommending between 10 and 14 days, and a number of studies suggest substantially shorter courses of less than 7 days may suffice. Safely reducing course length is likely to depend on a number of preconditions, including thorough eradication of any septic foci; optimization of serum antibiotic concentrations, particularly when there is physiological derangement; and use of novel biomarkers such as procalcitonin. The critical care environment is well suited to this aim as patients are closely monitored. With these measures in place, it is reasonable to believe short antibiotic courses can safely be used for the majority of intensive care infections.     

Hospice Volunteer Programs: A Proposed Agenda

With the expansion of hospice services, volunteers are being increasingly used to provide emotional, spiritual, and tangible support to the terminally ill and their significant others. Unfortunately, little has been published about the experiences of hospice volunteers. In this paper, we (1) propose a timely agenda for the development and refinement of hospice volunteer programs; (2) outline basic program criteria about which there is emerging consensus; (3) delineate pertinent issues in the screening, training, and job performance of hospice volunteers; and (4) indicate how the implementation of formal program regulations and operations and program evaluation may benefit service recipients and institutional providers.     

超声在新生儿肺炎诊断中的应用

新生儿肺炎作为新生儿常见疾病,严重危害新生儿健康,是导致其死亡的重要原因。目前临床诊断新生儿肺炎的主要方法为X线摄片。随着超声技术的发展,其在肺部疾病诊断中的应用也越来越多。本文就超声在新生儿肺炎的辅助诊断及治疗随访中的应用现状与进展进行综述。     

血清VA、PCT、Hb水平与急性期肺炎患儿病情严重程度的相关性分析

目的 分析血清维生素A(VA)、降钙素原(PCT)、血红蛋白(Hb)水平与急性期肺炎患儿病情严重程度的相关性.方法 回顾性收集2018年7月至2019年6月在我院就诊的急性期肺炎患儿临床资料83例,根据患儿的病情严重程度分为轻度组(n=33)、中度组(n=29)、重度组(n=21),收集同期于我院体检的正常儿童资料24...     

老年人肺癌并发院内获得性肺炎的临床研究

目的为探讨老年人肺癌院内获得性肺炎的临床特点、病原菌及耐药情况,为临床提供依据。方法分析72例老年人肺癌并发院内获得性肺炎的临床资料。结果老年人肺癌平均住院日期延长,化疗时不合理使用抗菌药物,发生院内获得性肺炎的机会最大。主要病原菌为G~-杆菌占80.70％,其中以铜绿假单胞菌、肺炎克雷伯氏菌为主,其次为表皮葡萄球菌占10.53％。病原菌对氨苄青霉素、哌拉西林、头孢菌素耐药性增加,对亚胺培南、万古霉素、阿米卡星敏感。病死率达30.56％。结论老年人肺癌免疫功能低下,住院日期延长,不合理使用抗生素是造成院内感染的主要因素。病原菌的耐药率呈增加趋势,病死率较高。     

Increased dosage requirements of tobramycin and gentamicin for treating Pseudomonas pneumonia in patients with cystic fibrosis

The pharmacokinetic behavior of tobramycin and gentamicin was evaluated in 27 patients who had cystic fibrosis (CF). A previously studied, age-matched group of 334 patients who had been treated with gentamicin and who did not have CF served as controls. The CF patients, who ranged in age from 2 to 32 years and who had normal renal function, received 36 treatment courses with either tobramycin (19) or gentamicin (17) to treat Pseudomonas pneumonia. Serum concentrations were determined after a 1.5-mg/kg dose to compute half-life (t 1/2), elimination rate constant (k), and apparent volume of distribution (V). From these values, doses were calculated to produce steady-state peak concentrations of 8.0 micrograms/ml with a dosing interval of every six hours. For tobramycin the mean (+/- SD) t1/2 was 1.0 (0.4) hours, V was 0.18 (0.06) l/kg, total body clearance (TBC) was 2.19 (0.71) ml/min/kg, and the calculated dose was 8.2 (2.1) mg/kg/day. For gentamicin t1/2 was 1.1 (0.5) hours, V was 0.20 (0.06) l/kg, TBC was 2.28 (0.89) ml/min/kg, and the calculated dose was 8.8 (2.4) mg/kg/day. The pharmacokinetic parameters were not statistically different between the two drugs, but the mean values of t1/2 and TBC of CF patients differed significantly from those of the control group. The calculated doses were larger than the manufacturer's maximum recommended dose of 7.5 mg/kg/day for 63% of tobramycin and 71% of gentamicin treatment courses. A dosing interval change to every four hours would have been appropriate in 28 of the 36 treatment courses (78%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

ICU呼吸机相关性肺炎病原菌的构成及耐药性分析

目的;分析医院综合ICU呼吸机相关性肺炎（VAP）病原菌的分布特点及其耐药性。为vAP治疗提供合理用药参考。方法：回顾性分析210例VAP患者的下呼吸道分泌物细菌培养及药敏结果。结果：210例VAP患者下呼吸道分泌物培养如瘸原菌394株．革兰阴性杆菌占784％．革兰阳性球菌占12.6％．真菌感染9．0％：各类病原燕混台感染者占83．8％：常见病原菌为鲍曼不动杆菌20,3％,铜绿假单胞菌188％。肺炎克雷伯菌16．2％,金黄色葡萄菌8,1％,耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）检出率87．5％,白色念珠菌7．6％。鲍曼不动杆菌仅对头孢碾酮／舒巴坦敏感,铜绿假单胞菌仅对头孢哌酮／舒巴垣和碳膏酶烯类药物敏感,肺炎克雷伯菌和大肠埃希菌对碳青酶烯类药物敏感,金黄色葡萄球菊耐药现象严重．对万古霉素和替考拉宁敏感,白色念珠菌对氟康唑、伊曲康瞪、伏立康唑敏感。结论：VAP的主要瘸原菌以革兰阴性杆菌为主,耐药现象严鬣．多数为混合感染。治疗困难。进行细菌培养和药物敏感性试验．对合理选用抗菌药物治疗VAP具有重要意义。     

肾移植术后肺炎48例诊治分析

目的总结肾移植术后肺炎的诊治经验。方法回顾性分析48例肾移植术后肺炎患者的临床资料。结果 48例肾移植术后肺炎患者的发病时间为术后7d～2年3个月,其中术后1～4个月发病占75%(36/48)。重症肺炎12例(25%),4例(8%)在发病后迅速发展为急性呼吸窘迫综合征(ARDS)。肺炎患者早期临床症状不突出,发热是最早或主要表现,有时是唯一的表现,部分病例有干咳、咯黄白色黏液痰,混合细菌或真菌感染时痰量增多。肺部体征多不明显。移植3个月内以巨细胞病毒(CMV)肺炎为主,并常混合其他微生物感染,3个月后以细菌感染为主。影像学检查结果主要表现为间质性肺炎。2007年6月至2008年6月发生感染的患者,只给予麦考酚吗乙酯(MMF)或钙调磷酸酶抑制剂(CNI)减量。2008年6月以后,诊断肺部感染的患者,确诊后完全停用MMF和CNI减量。3例患者使用免疫球蛋白500mg/(kg.d)。酌情使用甲泼尼龙20mg或40mg,每日2次。在无确切临床病原学资料时,给予广谱抗生素、抗病毒联合治疗。病原学明确后,给予针对性抗感染治疗。43例(90%)治疗有效,3例转外院,1例并发脑出血放弃治疗,1例死于急性呼吸衰竭。结论肾移植受者肺炎起病大多隐匿,病程进展快。病原体以CMV和细菌为主,多表现为多重感染及重症肺炎。肾移植术后第1～4个月是肺炎发生和死亡的危险时期。及时调整机体免疫抑制状态,明确肺部感染的病原体,采用针对性抗感染治疗,有助于提高肾移植术后肺炎治愈率和降低病死率。