Administration Of Prophylaxis Research Articles

Maximizing Adherence and Minimizing Time to Antibiotics: A Multidisciplinary Institutional Trauma Bay Protocol for Single Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Open Fractures.

To determine if a multidisciplinary institutional protocol can optimize the time to antibiotic (Abx) administration for open fractures (openFx) and improve compliance with the administration of Abx prophylaxis during trauma activation. Retrospective pre-post study design. Single Level II Trauma Center. All patients who triggered a trauma activation with suspected openFx and were treated according to the institutional single antibiotic regimen were eligible for inclusion. Patients were excluded if fractures did not involve the appendicular skeleton. Patients treated before implementation of a standardized institutional protocol where premixed IV bags of antibiotics were stocked in automated dispensing systems within ED trauma bays (January 2021-October 2022) were defined as the "pre" group and those treated following implementation the "post" group. The primary outcome was time from trauma bay arrival to antibiotic aministration, measured in minutes, with comparisons made between preprotocol and postprotocol implementation. Secondary outcomes for comparison included rates (%) of time to Abx <60 minutes, allergic reactions, acute kidney injury, ototoxicity, surgical site infection, multi-drug-resistant organisms identified in blood or biopsy cultures in cases requiring reoperation, and Clostridium difficile infection in the gastrointestinal system, confirmed by stool test results, within 30 days. Twenty-four patients (mean age 39.5 ± 16.3 years) met the criteria after protocol implementation compared with 72 patients (mean age 34.3 ± 14.8 years) before implementation. Implementation of the institutional protocol resulted in a significant reduction in the time to Abx administration for openFx from 87.9 ± 104.6 minutes to 22.2 ± 12.8 minutes in the postprotocol group ( P < 0.001). In addition, only 53% in the preprotocol group received Abx within 60 minutes compared with 96% in postprotocol group ( P < 0.001). Post hoc power analysis revealed that the study was powered at 92% (effect size = 0.72) to detect a significant difference between the preprotocol and postprotocol groups. This study provides evidence that a multidisciplinary institutional protocol for the administration of Abx prophylaxis can be an effective strategy for optimizing the time to Abx administration in cases of suspected openFx. This protocol may be implemented in other trauma centers to optimize time to Abx administration for openFx. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

After Primary Shoulder Arthroplasty Appropriate Vancomycin Antibiotic Prophylaxis Does Not Lead to Increased Infectious Complications When Compared to Cefazolin

INTRODUCTIONIn primary shoulder arthroplasty (SA), intravenous (IV) cefazolin has demonstrated lower rates of infectious complications when compared to IV vancomycin. However, previous analyses included SA cohorts with both complete and incomplete vancomycin administration. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether cefazolin still maintains a prophylactic advantage to vancomycin when it is appropriately indicated and sufficiently administered at the time of surgical incision. This study evaluated the comparative efficacy of cefazolin and complete vancomycin administration for surgical prophylaxis in primary shoulder arthroplasty with respect to infectious complications. METHODSA retrospective cohort study was conducted utilizing a single institution total joint registry database, where all primary SA types (hemiarthroplasty, anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty, reverse shoulder arthroplasty) performed between 2000 to 2019 for elective and trauma indications using IV cefazolin or complete vancomycin administration as the primary antibiotic prophylaxis were identified. Vancomycin was primarily indicated for patients with a severe self-reported penicillin or cephalosporin allergy and/or MRSA colonization. Complete administration was defined as at least 30 minutes of antibiotic infusion prior to incision. All included SA had at least 2 years of clinical follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to evaluate all-cause infectious complications including survival free of prosthetic joint infection (PJI). RESULTSThe final cohort included 7,177 primary SA, 6,879 (95.8%) received IV cefazolin and 298 (4.2%) received complete vancomycin administration. Infectious complications occurred in 120 (1.7%) SA leading to 81 (1.1%) infectious reoperations. Of the infectious complications 41 (0.6%) were superficial infections and 79 were (1.1%) PJIs. When categorized by administered antibiotics, there were no differences in rates of all infectious complications (1.6% vs. 2.3%; P = .352), superficial complications (0.5% vs. 1.3%; P = .071), PJI (1.1% vs. 1.0%; P = .874), or infectious reoperations (1.1% vs. 1.0%; P = .839). On multivariable analyses, complete vancomycin infusion demonstrated no difference in rates of infectious complications compared to cefazolin administration (hazard ratio [HR], 1.50 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70 to 3.25]; P = .297), even when other independent predictors of PJI (male sex, prior surgery, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization) were considered. CONCLUSIONSIn comparison to cefazolin, complete administration of vancomycin (infusion to incision time greater than 30 minutes) as the primary prophylactic agent does not adversely increase the rates of infectious complications and PJI. Prophylaxis protocols should promote appropriate indications for the use of cefazolin or vancomycin, and when necessary, ensure complete administration of vancomycin to mitigate additional infectious risks after primary SA.

Performances of two rapid LAMP-based techniques for the intrapartum detection of Group B Streptococcus vaginal colonization

PurposeGroup B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of invasive infections in newborns. The prevention of GBS neonatal disease relies on the administration of an intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to GBS-colonized women. In recent years, rapid intrapartum detection of GBS vaginal colonization using real-time nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) emerged as an alternative to antenatal culture screening methods.MethodsWe compared the performances of two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests, the Ampliflash® GBS and the PlusLife® GBS tests, to standard culture for GBS detection in vaginal specimens from pregnant women. The study was conducted from April to July 2023 in a French hospital of the Paris area.ResultsA total of 303 samples were analyzed, including 85 culture-positive samples (28.1%). The Ampliflash® GBS test and the PlusLife® GBS tests gave a result for 100% and 96.3% tests, respectively. The performances of the tests were as follows: sensitivity 87.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78.3–92.6) and 98.7% (95% CI 93.0-99.8), specificity 99.1% (95% CI 96.7–99.8), and 91.9% (95% CI 87.3–95.0), respectively. False negative results of the Ampliflash® GBS test correlated with low-density GBS cultures. Time-to-results correlated with GBS culture density only for the PlusLife® GBS test (p < 0.001).ConclusionBoth techniques provide excellent analytical performances with high sensitivity and specificity together with a short turnaround time and results available in 10 to 35 min. Their potential to further reduce the burden of GBS neonatal disease compared with antenatal culture screening needs to be assessed in future clinical studies.

Effect of weight-adjusted antimicrobial antibiotic prophylaxis on postoperative dosage and surgical site infection incidence in total joint arthroplasty

Surgical site infections (SSI) following total joint arthroplasty pose a significant concern for both providers and patients across the globe. Currently, administration of antimicrobial antibiotic prophylaxis is used throughout the world to reduce the incidence of SSI. However, the correct dosage and frequency of administration remains debatable. In this editorial, we emphasized the determination of the effect of administration of weight-adjusted antimicrobial antibiotic prophylaxis regime on the incidence of SSI and postoperative dosage reduction compared to the conventionally used regime during total joint arthroplasty. The results demonstrated similar efficacy between both regimes with respect to the incidence of SSI. In addition, weight-adjustment led to reduced postoperative dosage and has the potential to reduce chances of achieving lower therapeutic concentration, drug resistance, drug toxicity, and costs.

120 Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Burn Patients

Abstract Introduction Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is extensively studied in trauma patients, but burn patients require special consideration due to their unique pathophysiology and management strategies. Currently, there are no specific prophylaxis recommendations to help mitigate VTE in burn patients. Methods The US National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) was analyzed to identify patients with burn encounters from 2017-2021 using ICD-10 event codes. Our primary outcome measure was incidence of VTE, which included deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Secondary outcome measures included need for blood transfusion and need to return to the operating room due to hemorrhage from skin/soft tissues/extremities. Multivariable regressions were conducted to evaluate the relationship between various VTE prophylaxis types and timing of VTE prophylaxis and VTE incidence while controlling for age, sex, %TBSA and inhalation injury. Results A total of 326,614 patients with burn injuries were identified in the NTDB during the study period, of whom 5,604 (1.7%) had a VTE event during their hospital admission. The majority of patients did not receive VTE prophylaxis (54.1%). Of those that did, the most commonly used VTE prophylaxis was LMWH (37.9%), followed by unfractionated heparin (4.1%). When controlling for age, sex, inhalation injury, and %TBSA, unfractionated heparin and LMWH were significantly associated with an increased risk of VTE (heparin: OR=1.8 95% CI 1.3-2.5, p &amp;lt; .001; LMWH: OR=1.5 95% CI 1.2-1.8, p &amp;lt; .001). Longer time to VTE prophylaxis was significantly associated with increased odds of VTE when controlling for the same covariates (OR=1.04 95% CI 1.03=1.07, p &amp;lt; .001). Neither VTE prophylaxis type nor timing of VTE prophylaxis administration was significantly associated with an increased need for blood transfusion. Heparin was the only VTE prophylaxis type significantly associated with increased odds of returning to the OR for a bleeding-related complication (p &amp;lt; .001). Conclusions A majority of burn patients in the NTDB did not receive VTE chemoprophylaxis, and counterintuitively, patients who received VTE chemoprophylaxis had higher rates of VTE than patients who did not, despite controlling for known VTE risk factors. In patients who did get chemoprophylaxis, unfractionated heparin is associated with a higher rate of VTE and surgical bleeding complications when compared with LMWH. Delayed initiation of VTE prophylaxis correlates with a higher likelihood of VTE occurrence. These findings underscore the importance of better studying and developing specialized VTE prevention guidelines for burn patients to enhance their care and outcomes. Applicability of Research to Practice Prompt initiation of VTE prophylaxis is essential to reduce the risk of VTE among burn patients, highlighting the importance of timely interventions. Developing specialized VTE prevention guidelines for this population can enhance their care and outcomes.

Clinical approaches for poststroke seizure: a review.

Poststroke seizure is a potential complication of stroke, which is the most frequent acute symptomatic seizure in adults. Patients with stroke may present with an abnormal or aggressive behavior accompanied by altered mental status and symptoms, such as hemiparesis, dysarthria, and sensory deficits. Although stroke manifestations that mimic seizures are rare, diagnosing poststroke seizures can be challenging when accompanied with negative postictal symptoms. Differential diagnoses of poststroke seizures include movement disorders, syncope, and functional (nonepileptic) seizures, which may present with symptoms similar to seizures. Furthermore, it is important to determine whether poststroke seizures occur early or late. Seizures occurring within and after 7 d of stroke onset were classified as early and late seizures, respectively. Early seizures have the same clinical course as acute symptomatic seizures; they rarely recur or require long-term antiseizure medication. Conversely, late seizures are associated with a risk of recurrence similar to that of unprovoked seizures in a patient with a focal lesion, thereby requiring long-term administration of antiseizure medication. After diagnosis, concerns regarding treatment strategies, treatment duration, and administration of primary and secondary prophylaxis often arise. Antiseizure medication decisions for the initiation of short-term primary and long-term secondary seizure prophylaxis should be considered for patients with stroke. Antiseizure drugs such as lamotrigine, carbamazepine, lacosamide, levetiracetam, phenytoin, and valproate may be administered. Poststroke seizures should be diagnosed systematically through history with differential diagnosis; in addition, classifying them as early or late seizures can help to determine treatment strategies.

Antenatal RHD screening to guide antenatal anti-D immunoprophylaxis in non-immunized D- pregnant women.

In pregnancy, D- pregnant women may be at risk of becoming immunized against D when carrying a D+ fetus, which may eventually lead to hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. Administrating antenatal and postnatal anti-D immunoglobulin prophylaxis decreases the risk of immunization substantially. Noninvasive fetal RHD genotyping, based on testing cell-free DNA extracted from maternal plasma, offers a reliable tool to predict the fetal RhD phenotype during pregnancy. Used as a screening program, antenatal RHD screening can guide the administration of antenatal prophylaxis in non-immunized D- pregnant women so that unnecessary prophylaxis is avoided in those women who carry a D- fetus. In Europe, antenatal RHD screening programs have been running since 2009, demonstrating high test accuracies and program feasibility. In this review, an overview is provided of current state-of-the-art antenatal RHD screening, which includes discussions on the rationale for its implementation, methodology, detection strategies, and test performance. The performance of antenatal RHD screening in a routine setting is characterized by high accuracy, with a high diagnostic sensitivity of ≥99.9 percent. The result of using antenatal RHD screening is that 97-99 percent of the women who carry a D- fetus avoid unnecessary prophylaxis. As such, this activity contributes to avoiding unnecessary treatment and saves valuable anti-D immunoglobulin, which has a shortage worldwide. The main challenges for a reliable noninvasive fetal RHD genotyping assay are low cell-free DNA levels, the genetics of the Rh blood group system, and choosing an appropriate detection strategy for an admixed population. In many parts of the world, however, the main challenge is to improve the basic care for D- pregnant women.

Intraoperative seizures during neuro-oncological supratentorial surgery: the role of prophylaxis with levetiracetam and intraoperative monitoring in a consecutive series of 353 patients.

The aim of this paper was to understand the role of prophylaxis with levetiracetam at skin incision in preventing convulsive intraoperative seizures (IOS) during neurosurgical procedures with and without intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). Authors retrospectively reviewed the Institutional database for cases of supratentorial brain tumors undergoing surgical resection performed from January 2021 to October 2022. Patients were operated on both under general anesthesia and awake, using motor-evoked potentials (MEP) and direct cortical stimulation for cortical mapping. 1000 mg ev of Levetiracetam before skin incision in case of a history of seizures was administrated. We excluded all infratentorial cases. Three hundred fisty three consecutive cases were retrieved. IOS occurred in 22 patients (6.2%). Prophylaxis with Levetiracetam was administered in 149 patients, and IOS occurred in 16 cases (10.7%) in this group of patients. The IOS rate in the case of no Levetiracetam prophylaxis administration (3.5%) was significantly lower (P<0.001, OR=3.38 [1.35-8.45], RR=3.12 [1.32-7.41]). The Penfield technique stimulation evoked seven of all 22 IOS reported (31.8%) (P=0.006, RR 5.4 [1.44 -20.58], OR 21 [2.3-183.9]), and the train-of-five technique stimulation caused two of all registered IOS (8.7%) (P=0.2, RR 2.3 [0.99-5.67], OR 6.5 [0.55-76.17]). Transcranial MEPs evoked no IOS. Under levetiracetam prophylaxis, the IOS rate was not significantly lower than in the group of patients without Levetiracetam prophylaxis, regardless of the histology of the tumor and IONM. Neither the transcranial stimulation (MEP) nor train-of-five technique stimulation increases the risk of convulsive IOS, as Penfield technique stimulation does.

Thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized trauma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of implementation strategies

IntroductionVenous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis implementation strategies are well-studied in some hospitalized medical and surgical patients. Although VTE is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity in trauma patients, implementation strategies for...

Lessons for the world: Rabies resurgence in rabies free Timor-Leste and the urgent actions needed for prevention measures

Rabies, a fatal viral illness transmitted from animals to humans, remains a globally significant public health concern. Timor-Leste, previously considered rabies-free, reported its first fatal human rabies case in March 2024, signaling a resurgence of the disease. The case involved a 19-year-old female bitten by a dog in December 2023, highlighting gaps in post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) administration. Subsequent investigations revealed 29 suspected rabies cases, prompting urgent public health responses including dog vaccinations and healthcare worker training. Despite challenges such as limited vaccine availability, comprehensive strategies advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO) offer hope for rabies control. This event underscores the critical need for proactive measures including vaccination programs, public education, surveillance enhancement, and regional cooperation to prevent rabies emergence and safeguard public health in Timor-Leste and beyond.

Development of an Automated Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Quality Report Card Using an Integrated Analytics Suite

BACKGROUND AND AIMSQuality indicators (QIs) are essential for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of endoscopy but are difficult to measure accurately for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). We developed a fully automated, real-time endoscopy analytics tool using Health Level-7 (HL-7) standards that collects ERCP QIs from an endoscopy reporting system to generate an ERCP quality report card in a third-party analytics suite. METHODSERCP report data was collected between June 2021 and December 2022 from 4 referral centers. Discrete data elements from endoscopy reports generated in the EndoPro® reporting platform were imported into the Qlik® analytics suite and QI data were aggregated into a report card. The collected data were manually validated to confirm accuracy. RESULTSPooled data were successfully used to generate a comprehensive institutional ERCP quality report card comprising a total of 2146 ERCPs performed by 12 endoscopists. Manual review confirmed high accuracy (96.5% - 100%) of automatic extraction of ERCP QIs from endoscopy reports. Multiple procedural data elements were successfully extracted including cannulation difficulty, success rate, and administration of post-ERCP pancreatitis prophylaxis for procedures with biliary and pancreatic indication. Generation of the report card required minimal additional work on the part of the performing endoscopist and was updated in real-time. CONCLUSIONWe developed an automated ERCP analytics tool that accurately and automatically extracts QI data into a succinct ERCP quality report card without the need for manual data extraction or natural language processing. The use of the HL-7 standard provides a framework for the creation of similar tools in other electronic health records (EHRs). This tool allows for accurate ERCP quality and performance data evaluation at individual and institutional levels.

Measuring evidence-based clinical guideline compliance in the paediatric intensive care unit

BackgroundEvidence-based clinical care guidelines improve medical treatment by reducing error, improving outcomes and possibly lowering healthcare costs. While some data exist on individual guideline compliance, no data exist on overall...

Increasing the Rate of Venous Thromboembolism Chemoprophylaxis Administration Using the Electronic Medical Record.

Introduction: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a leading cause of preventable harm among hospitalized patients. Pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis reduces the rate of in-hospital VTE by 60%, but medication administration is often missed for various reasons. Electronic medical record (EMR) prompts may be a useful tool to decrease withholding of critical VTE chemoprophylaxis medications. Methods: In August 2021, an EMR prompt was implemented at a tertiary referral academic medical center mandating nursing staff to contact a provider for approval before withholding VTE chemoprophylaxis. A pre-intervention group from August 2020 to August 2021 was compared to a post-intervention group from August 2021 to August 2022. Rates of VTE chemoprophylaxis withholding were compared between the groups with a P < .01 considered significant. Results: A total of 16,395 patients prescribed VTE chemoprophylaxis were reviewed, with 13,395 (81.7%) receiving low molecular weight heparin. Of the 16,395 patients included, 10,701 (65.3%) were medical and 5694 (34.7%) were surgical. Patients in the pre-intervention cohort (n = 8803) and post-intervention cohort (n = 7592) were similar in hospital length of stay and duration of DVT prophylaxis. In the post-intervention group, the frequency of surgical patients with at least one missed dose had increased by 4.2% (P = .002), with the trauma and acute care surgery (TACS) show an increase of 6.6% (P < .001). However, the frequency of medical patients and non-TACS patients with missed doses decreased by 3.1% (P = .002) and 1.0% (<.001), respectively. Conclusions: EMR prompts appear to be a low-cost intervention that increases the rate of VTE prophylaxis administration among medical and elective surgery patients.

The effect of obligatory Padua prediction scoring in hospitalized medically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is considered a preventable cause of mortality. The evidence for the benefit of VTE prophylaxis in acute medical patients is non-conclusive. Meta-analysis of RCTs failed to demonstrate reduction of all-cause mortality, while showing higher risk of bleeding. The Israeli Ministry of Health has instructed to assess all acute medical patients for the risk for VTE using the Padua Prediction Score, without mandating prophylaxis. To evaluate the effect of filling the Padua score on clinical outcomes and VTE prophylaxis rates. Retrospective Study was performed in Israel during the years 2014-2017. The participants were divided to Padua compliance vs non-compliance group. Primary outcome: 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes: 90-day incidence of VTE and suspected major bleeding. A propensity-weighted logistic multiple regression was performed. 18,890 patients were included in the study. The fulfillment of the Padua score was associated with an increased use of VTE prophylaxis, OR 1.66 (95% CI 1.49-1.84). However, there was no reduction of mortality or VTE events, OR 1.13 (95% CI 0.97-1.31) and OR 1.22 (95% CI 0.79-1.8) respectively. Hospitalizations related to hemoglobin decrease were not statistically different between the two groups. Padua score for the assessment of VTE risk in medical wards was associated with higher administration of pharmacological prophylaxis without reduction in VTE or mortality rate. Its usage should be reassessed as a performance measure.

Are changes in antibiotic prophylaxis recommendations responsible for an increased risk of cefazolin allergy?

BackgroundThe first line of prevention of surgical site infection relies on the timely administration of antibiotic prophylaxis. First- and second-generation cephalosporins are the most recommended antibiotics in elective surgery. The incidence of cefazolin allergy has increased worldwide over the years. The sensitization mechanism of cefazolin is currently unknown, and data supporting cross-reactivity between penicillins and cephalosporins are lacking. Sensitization could occur through previous exposure either to cefazolin or to structurally related chemical agents. The objective of this study was to evaluate sensitization agents towards cefazolin. MethodsThe OpenBabel chemoinformatics toolbox was used to search for similarities between cefazolin and other molecules in an extensive drug database. Using the pholcodine-rocuronium similarity score as a threshold, we selected drugs with the most similar structure to that of cefazolin. Exposure to those drugs and cefazolin was assessed in a cohort of patients with skin test-proven cefazolin allergy at a specialized allergy centre via a self-administered anonymous questionnaire. ResultsUsing the pholcodine-rocuronium similarity score as a threshold (score≥0.7), 42 molecules were found to be similar to cefazolin (all cephalosporins). Only 8 were marketed in France. None of the 14 cefazolin-allergic patients who answered the questionnaire (65% female, median age 56 years) reported exposure to any identified antibiotics. In contrast, 11 (78%) had at least one previous surgery requiring cefazolin before the index case. ConclusionDirect previous cefazolin exposure was identified in 78% of cefazolin-allergic patients. Cefazolin started to take a central place in antibiotic prophylaxis after 2010, when cefamandole usage decreased drastically. Changes in antibiotic prophylaxis over the past 14 years in France could have been the turning point for the increased incidence of cefazolin allergy.

Increasing compliance rate of administration timing of antimicrobial prophylaxis in elective surgery within four months at a 100-bed capacity hospital

Objective: This quality improvement project aimed to work towards achieving more than 80% compliance with correct preoperative antibiotic administration timing within four months. Methods: Data obtained from the operating room (OR) during a four-month period from February to September, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients who underwent elective surgery were included in the study. Therefore, the recovery room (RR) was used as a holding area to ensure that the patients received antibiotic prophylaxis at the appropriate time. The ward nurse endorsed the patients along with the antibiotic prophylaxis, which was then administered by the OR nurse under the supervision and monitoring of an anesthesia physician. A clear procedure guideline was written in the form of a flowchart to be followed pre-surgery. Results: There was an increase in the mean correctly timed administration of preoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis from 59.6% at baseline to 81.45% during the post-intervention period (P = 0.013). Conclusion: Using the RR as a holding area helped us to achieve more than 80% compliance with correct preoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis timing. It also brought us closer to achieve 100% on-time compliance with preoperative antibiotic administration.

Infectious diseases: what's new in 2023

The year 2023 saw the publication of several studies in various areas of infectious diseases. The administration of corticosteroids decreased mortality in severe community-acquired pneumonia. Administration of doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis reduced the risk of bacterial sexually transmitted infections at the risk of resistance selection. An herbal preparation decreased mortality in sepsis. A meta-analysis concludes that oseltamivir does not significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisation for influenza. Discontinuation of antibiotic prophylaxis during dental procedures in Sweden did not increase the incidence of viridans group Streptococcus endocarditis. Several studies have led to the introduction of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination. 2023 also saw the resurgence of invasive Group A Streptococcal infections, of which clinicians must be wary.

Intraosseous Regional Administration of Vancomycin Prophylaxis for Primary and Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.

The advantages of prophylaxis with intraosseous regional administration (IORA) of vancomycin for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in primary and revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) include the ability to deliver antibiotics directly to the surgical bed and avert systemic delivery; the ability to precisely time and quickly administer vancomycin to achieve the highest concentrations at the beginning and throughout the surgical procedure; and the ability to avert several common and potentially serious adverse effects of intravenous vancomycin. Indications for IORA of vancomycin prophylaxis include the following clinical scenarios: revision TKA; obesity; diabetes; beta-lactam allergy; known colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); individuals coming from institutions with a high MRSA incidence; previous ligamentous surgical procedure or osteotomy; current or recent smokers; in the primary TKA setting if the individual is considered high-risk as defined by the criteria above; and during reimplantation following 2-stage exchange for PJI.

Preference for long-acting injectable for ART and PrEP among people with and without HIV: a cross-sectional study in Argentina.

Little is known about the preferences for antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration methods, such as oral daily pills or long-acting injectable (LAI) options, as well as preferences for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) administration methods among people without HIV in Latin America. This study aimed to assess the preferences for ART administration methods among people with HIV and PrEP methods among those without HIV, as well as to examine the correlations and reasons for these preferences. We conducted a cross-sectional web-based questionnaire between April and July 2021, using social media accounts of a HIV non-governmental organization. The questionnaire was open to all adults living in Argentina, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The questionnaire included questions on substance use, depression, chronic treatment, previous experiences with injectable medication, and HIV status. Those with HIV answered questions about ART adherence and their preferences for ART methods, while those without HIV were asked about condom use, awareness of PrEP, and their preferences for PrEP methods. Out of 1676 respondents, 804 had HIV, and 872 did not. Among those with HIV, 91.5% expressed a high preference for LAI-ART, with significantly higher preferences among participants with higher educational levels, cisgender gay, bisexual, and queer men, younger individuals, and those with prior injectable medication experience. Among those without HIV, 68% preferred LAI-PrEP, and this preference was positively associated with previous positive experiences with injectable medication. The strong preference for LAI-ART suggests the potential for improved adherence and well-being among people with HIV. Additionally, the preference for LAI-PrEP among those without HIV emphasizes the importance of considering this option for HIV prevention strategies. This study highlights the need to offer diverse methods for ART and prevention to accommodate different preferences and improve health care outcomes in Latin America.

Role of Calprotectin, IL-6, and CRP in Distinguishing Between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Diarrhea Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

The early establishment of prophylaxis and immediate administration of anticoagulant therapy upon the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism should be the treatment objectives in these patients. The study aimed to determine the optimal cut-off point of Calprotectin, IL-6 (interleukin-6), CRP (C reactive protein) to differentiate UC, IBS-D. A cross-sectional descriptive study of 335 individuals ≥15 years old was performed, including 31 healthy controls, 215 with IBS-D, 71 diagnosed with UC, and 18 diagnosed with CD. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC), sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve (AUC) were computed. The results showed that the median value of calprotectin (IQR) in healthy participants was 20.0 (6.0 - 34.0) µg/g; 17,7 (8,7-38,9) µg/g in IBS-D group; 1710.0 (588 - 4260,0) µg/g in UC group; and 560.5 (177.8 - 1210.0) µg/g in CD group. Calprotectin concentration in IBD group including UC and CD was higher than IBS-D with p<0.05. The median value of CRP (range IQR) was 1,3 (0,9 - 2,3) mg/L in IBS-D group; 7.0 (2.4 -16.6) mg/L in UC group; and 10.1 (2.2 - 42.5) mg/L in CD group. CRP concentration in IBD group including UC and CD was higher than IBS-D with p<0.05. The median value of IL-6 (range IQR) was 2.3 (1.6 - 5.7) pg/mL in IBS-D group; 16.8 (9.4 - 47.0) pg/mL in UC group; and 9.4 (7.9 - 11.0) pg/mL in CD group. Calprotectin concentration in IBD group including UC and CD was higher than IBS-D with p<0.05. The optimal cut-off point of calprotectin that differentiated IBS-D from IBD was 110.5 µg/g, with sensitivity and specificity of 93.3% and 91.4%, respectively; of IL-6 was 7.2 pg/mL with sensitivity and specificity of 92.0% and 78.0%, respectively; of CRP of 2.4 mg/L had specific sensitivities of 83.3% and 86.0%, respectively. The Calprotectin immunoassay has the best value in discriminating between IBD and IBS-D.