Infectious Diseases Consultation Research Articles

Pharmacist-Driven Antibiotic Stewardship Program in Febrile Neutropenic Patients: A Single Site Prospective Study in Thailand.

The antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) is a necessary part of febrile neutropenia (FN) treatment. Pharmacist-driven ASP is one of the meaningful approaches to improve the appropriateness of antibiotic usage. Our study aimed to determine role of the pharmacist in ASPs for FN patients. We prospectively studied at Thammasat University Hospital between August 2019 and April 2020. Our primary outcome was to compare the appropriate use of target antibiotics between the pharmacist-driven ASP group and the control group. The results showed 90 FN events in 66 patients. The choice of an appropriate antibiotic was significantly higher in the pharmacist-driven ASP group than the control group (88.9% vs. 51.1%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was greater appropriateness of the dosage regimen chosen as empirical therapy in the pharmacist-driven ASP group than in the control group (97.8% vs. 88.7%, p = 0.049) and proper duration of target antibiotics in documentation therapy (91.1% vs. 75.6%, p = 0.039). The multivariate analysis showed a pharmacist-driven ASP and infectious diseases consultation had a favorable impact on 30-day infectious diseases-related mortality in chemotherapy-induced FN patients (OR 0.058, 95%CI:0.005–0.655, p = 0.021). Our study demonstrated that pharmacist-driven ASPs could be a great opportunity to improve antibiotic appropriateness in FN patients.

Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes After Introduction of a Dedicated Infectious Diseases-Critical Care Medicine Service in Critical Care Units.

BackgroundInfection is a leading cause of admission to intensive care units (ICUs), with critically ill patients often receiving empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics. Nevertheless, a dedicated infectious diseases (ID) consultation and stewardship team is not routinely established. An ID–critical care medicine (ID-CCM) pilot program was designed at a 400-bed tertiary care hospital in which an ID attending was assigned to participate in daily rounds with the ICU team, as well as provide ID consultation on select patients. We sought to evaluate the impact of this dedicated ID program on antibiotic utilization and clinical outcomes in patients admitted to the ICU.MethodsIn this single-site retrospective study, we analyzed antibiotic utilization and clinical outcomes in patients admitted to an ICU during the postintervention period from January 1 to December 31, 2017, and compared it to antibiotic utilization in the same ICUs during the preintervention period from January 1 to December 31, 2015.ResultsOur data showed a statistically significant reduction in usage of most frequently prescribed antibiotics including vancomycin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and cefepime during the intervention period. When compared to the preintervention period there was no difference in-hospital mortality, hospital length of stay, and readmission.ConclusionsWith this multidisciplinary intervention, we saw a decrease in the use of the most frequently prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics without a negative impact on clinical outcomes. Our study shows that the implementation of an ID-CCM service is a feasible way to promote antibiotic stewardship in the ICU and can be used as a strategy to reduce unnecessary patient exposure to broad-spectrum agents.

Infectious disease consultation is effective in boosting vaccine coverage in patients awaiting kidney transplantation: A French prospective study.

Recommended preventive strategies before kidney transplantation include screening and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and updating of the recommended vaccines. We prospectively evaluated in dedicated infectious diseases consultations, from 2014 to 2018, the clinical and vaccination data of new adult kidney allograft candidates. Patients were offered an updated vaccination schedule, if appropriate, and were screened for LTBI using chest imaging and interferon gamma release assay (IGRA). Overall, 467 patients with median age of 58 [46-66] years were evaluated, of whom 302 patients (65%) were men (sex ratio 1.83), and 333 (71%) were on dialysis. Main causes of renal insufficiency were diabetes (25%) and autoimmune nephropathies (18%). The vaccination coverage was low and varied according to the different types of vaccines and patients. Vaccination or immunization rates were 24%, 6%, 54%, and 51% for tetanus-diphtheria-polio-acellular pertussis, Pneumococcus, hepatitis B, and seasonal influenza, respectively. ID consultation successfully rose patients' vaccinations coverage, in fulfillment with recommendations, in 465 (99%) patients. LTBI treatment was administered in 78 (16.7%) patients and caused drug-related adverse events in 9 (11%). A dedicated infectious disease consultation should become a critical tool for coordinating infection prevention strategies.

Acceptability and effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship implementation strategies on fluoroquinolone prescribing.

To assess the effectiveness and acceptability of antimicrobial stewardship-focused implementation strategies on inpatient fluoroquinolones. Stewardship champions at 15 hospitals were surveyed regarding the use and acceptability of strategies to improve fluoroquinolone prescribing. Antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 days present (DP) for sites with and without prospective audit and feedback (PAF) and/or prior approval were compared. Among all of the sites, 60% had PAF or prior approval implemented for fluoroquinolones. Compared to sites using neither strategy (64.2 ± 34.4 DOT/DP), fluoroquinolone prescribing rates were lower for sites that employed PAF and/or prior approval (35.5 ± 9.8; P = .03) and decreased from 2017 to 2018 (P < .001). This decrease occurred without an increase in advanced-generation cephalosporins. Total antibiotic rates were 13% lower for sites with PAF and/or prior approval, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .20). Sites reporting that PAF and/or prior approval were "completely" accepted had lower fluoroquinolone rates than sites where it was "moderately" accepted (34.2 ± 5.7 vs 48.7 ± 4.5; P < .01). Sites reported that clinical pathways and/or local guidelines (93%), prior approval (93%), and order forms (80%) "would" or "may" be effective in improving fluoroquinolone use. Although most sites (73%) indicated that requiring infectious disease consults would or may be effective in improving fluoroquinolones, 87% perceived implementation to be difficult. PAF and prior approval implementation strategies focused on fluoroquinolones were associated with significantly lower fluoroquinolone prescribing rates and nonsignificant decreases in total antibiotic use, suggesting limited evidence for class substitution. The association of acceptability of strategies with lower rates highlights the importance of culture. These results may indicate increased acceptability of implementation strategies and/or sensitivity to FDA warnings.

A retrospective validation of different scores of guideline adherence and infectious diseases consultation on candidaemia: The higher, the better.

Recently, several scores to quantify compliance with the guidelines in candidaemia management (EQUAL, GEMICOMED, Valerio) have been developed. Evidence supporting the association of these scores to the prognosis is scarce. We aim to evaluate the performance of these candidaemia guideline adherence scores to predict candidaemia outcome. We recorded retrospectively data from candidaemia episodes (January 2017-December 2018). We analysed adherence to guidelines for candidaemia management according to EQUAL, GEMICOMED and Valerio scores, and we correlated those to outcome. Fifty-four first episodes of candidaemia were retrieved. Five patients who died in the first 48hours after blood cultures were not included. Thirty-day mortality in evaluable patients was 18.4%. Median adherence to guidelines according to EQUAL score was 17 (interquartile range [IQR]: 15-19), and according to GEMICOMED was 86% (IQR: 72.5%-100%). According to Valerio score, adequacy of antifungal prescription was 8.5/10 (SD: 1.9). A cut-off of ≥17 for EQUAL or compliance >70% for GEMICOMED was associated with inferior 30-day mortality (7.1% vs 33.3%, P=.028 and 7.9% vs 54.5%, P=.002, respectively). Infectious diseases (ID) evaluated cases obtained a better EQUAL score (>17; 82.1% vs 42.9%, P=.006), had inferior 30-day mortality (9.4% vs 35.3%, P=.049) and a better antifungal prescription adequacy (Valerio score 9.0 vs 7.5, P=.011). Adherence to guidelines for candidaemia management evaluated by means of EQUAL and GEMICOMED score was associated with a decreased 30-day mortality. Adequacy of antifungal prescription can be ameliorated. ID consultation improved guideline adherence and was associated with decreased 30-day mortality.

The impact of pharmacist‐led antifungal stewardship interventions in the hospital setting: a systematic review

AbstractAimTo summarise the evidence on pharmacist‐led antifungal stewardship (AFS) programs in the hospital setting and to evaluate their impact on the quality of antifungal prescribing and infection management, antifungal usage and clinical outcomes.Data sourcesA systematic review of English‐language studies identified in MEDLINE and EMBASE was performed on 27 November 2020 and conducted in accordance with PRISMA. Search terms included ‘antifungal agent’, ‘invasive fungal infection’, ‘antimicrobial stewardship’, ‘patient care bundles’ and ‘pharmacist’.Study selectionEligible studies describing pharmacist‐led quality improvement intervention(s) implemented in the hospital setting targeted at optimising systemic antifungal prescribing.ResultsSix hundred and forty‐six studies were identified, and seven met inclusion criteria. Five were dedicated to optimising candidaemia management, one at optimising intensive care unit prescribing of caspofungin and one on antifungal prescribing in haematology and oncology units. All studies measured varied metrics relating to quality of prescribing and infection management, reporting improvement in proportion of effective antifungal therapy (n = 1/1), appropriate antifungal selection (n = 1/1), dosing (n = 2/3), management of drug–drug interactions (n = 1/1) and reduced time to antifungal initiation (n = 4/4). Studies that implemented a candidaemia bundle of care reported improvements in composite bundle adherence (n = 2/2), with greatest improvement in ophthalmological consultation (n = 4/4), echocardiography (n = 2/2) and infectious diseases consultation (n = 3/3). There was reduction in antifungal expenditure (n = 4/4) and consumption (n = 2/4). Pharmacist‐led AFS programs did not influence clinical outcomes.ConclusionAvailable evidence suggests that pharmacist‐led AFS interventions can improve the quality and timeliness of antifungal prescribing and reduce antifungal usage. Further research is required to assess the impact on clinical and microbiological outcomes.

#92: What Is the Optimal Management of Patients Immunosuppressed with the Anti-compliment Monoclonal Antibody, Eculizumab? A Case Report and Review

Abstract Background Patients with deficiencies of terminal components of complement are at hundreds to thousands fold increased risk of severe and fatal Neisseria spp. infections compared with the general population. Eculizumab is a newly approved monoclonal antibody C5 complement inhibitor. It is indicated for the treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (atypical HUS), myasthenia gravis, and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Because of the complement-depleting effect of Eculizumab dosing (Soliris®, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Munich, Germany), patients are immunosuppressed for specific infectious pathogens (including Neisseria species) against which protection partially relies on normal complement activity. Because Eculizumab treatment is associated with a dramatically increased risk of Neisseria species. infections, recommendations for Neisseria meningitidis vaccination and antibiotic prophylaxis are contained in Eculizumab prescribing information. However, the most appropriate prevention of infections after Eculizumab has yet to be determined. Methods Case report and literature review. Results A previously healthy 7-year-old male was diagnosed with atypical HUS which included renal failure progressing to dialysis, persistent thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and hemoglobinuria. Stool cultures and a stool multiplex PCR panel did not detect Shiga-like producing E. coli nor E. coli O157/H7. Eculizumab dosing was therefore planned and Infectious Diseases consultation was obtained for appropriate preventions. The FDA Prescribing Information recommends Neisseria meningitidis vaccination before starting Eculizumab or, if immediate Eculizumab is necessary, to use antibiotic prophylaxis until 2 weeks after vaccination. The accepted protective titer after meningococcal vaccination is population based and uses the serum bactericidal assay (SBA). An antibody titer of &amp;gt;1:4 (human compliment) or 1:8 (rabbit complement) is considered protective. However, this “gold standard” assay incorporates the use of exogenous human or rabbit complement. The protective SBA titers in subjects with terminal complement component deficiencies may not be properly assessed using these same SBA titer protective thresholds. Furthermore, serious meningococcal infections have occurred after appropriate vaccination in patients receiving chronic Eculizumab treatments (ie for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria). Finally, SBA protective levels after single Neisseria meningitidis vaccination have not been achieved in majorities of patients with renal failure receiving dialysis and or transplant immunosuppression. Conclusions The current Eculizumab prescribing information recommendations for vaccination and antimicrobial prophylaxis may be inadequate to prevent serious Neisseria infections. Repeated Neisseria meningitidis vaccination and extended antibiotic prophylaxis may afford better protection in patients chronically dosed with Eculizumab.

Effectiveness of a central line associated blood stream infection protocol in a pediatric population

BackgroundCentral line associated bloodstream infections are a common cause of bacteremia and sepsis in pediatric patients with intestinal failure, secondary to long-term CVC use. MethodsAn IRB approved retrospective chart review was conducted on TPN-dependent patients with IF who had an identified CLABSI and presented to Children's of Alabama's emergency department (ED) and were admitted to the hospital. ResultsForty-four patients were included in the study, 28 in the first 18-month period and 26 in the second, with 10 in both populations. After implementation, mean time from ED presentation to antibiotic ordered and ED admission to antibiotic administered were lower. Mean time between antibiotic administration and admission to the floor was greater, and number of infectious disease consultations was greater. Floor-ICU transfers were lower, readmissions within 30 days was similar, and mean length of stay was similar. ConclusionA collaborative, multidiscipline-supported protocol for the care of patients with IF presenting to the ED enhances efficiency of antibiotic ordering/administration, as well as reduces the number of unplanned floor-ICU transfers.

Recurrent Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteremia

Introduction As part of an institutional review board–approved quality improvement project reviewing 10 years of experience (2009–2018) with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia (PAB) at our institution, we identified 15 patients with recurrent Pseudomonas bacteremia. Because recurrent P. aeruginosa bacteremia (RPAB) is uncommon, we reviewed our patients with PAB to evaluate its occurrence, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of care. Methods This was an institutional review board–approved quality improvement project. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with PAB from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2018, and identified the subset of patients with RPAB. We report the incidence, epidemiology, source of bacteremia, comorbid conditions, treatment, and outcome for patients with RPAB. We compare these data to previously published series of PAB patients with RPAB. Results We identified 268 episodes of PAB. One patient with 6 occurrences of PAB secondary to injection drug use–associated tricuspid valve endocarditis was excluded because of noncompliance with therapy. This left 262 episodes of PAB for evaluation. Fifteen patients had a total of 19 episodes of RPAB: 13 patients had 2 episodes (1 recurrence each), 1 patient had 3 episodes (2 recurrences), and 1 patient had 5 episodes (4 recurrences). The recurrence rate was 7.3% (19/262). The mean and median ages for patients with RPAB were 59 and 58 years, respectively. The time between episodes of PAB ranged from 26 to 688 days with a mean and median of 166 and 97 days, respectively. There were 3 patients (16%) with different sources of bacteremia for consecutive episodes of PAB: 1 with neutropenic sepsis followed by acute mastoiditis, 1 with cellulitis of the leg followed by an infected sacral pressure ulcer, and 1 with pneumonia and then an infected arteriovenous graft. The source of the recurrent episode was the same as the prior episode in 16 instances (84%): (1) skin and soft tissue infection (7 episodes), (2) central venous catheter infection (3 episodes), (3) genitourinary infection (2 episodes), (4) pneumonia (1 episode), (5) infected aortic vascular graft (1 episode), (6) obstructive cholangitis (1 episode), and (7) primary bacteremia (1 episode). All but 2 patients had multiple comorbid conditions, and all but 1 patient with RPAB had ≥1 of 5 risk factors for PAB as reported in the literature. Six (32%) of 19 episodes of RPAB resulted in death. Five of 6 patients with fatal RPAB received appropriate antimicrobial therapy at the initial presentation to the hospital for the second/fatal episode. Infectious disease consultation was obtained in all but 1 episode of RPAB. Conclusions Recurrent PAB accounted for 19 (7.3%) of 262 episodes of PAB in our 10-year study. It was associated with multiple comorbid conditions. The recurrent episode was usually from the same source as the prior episode of PAB. Sources of RPAB were diverse (as discussed previously), and mortality was 32% despite appropriate antipseudomonal antimicrobial therapy in all but 1 episode of those who died. We review the literature for patients with RPAB and compare these patients with those in our patient population.

Cervical Necrotizing Fasciitis, Diagnosis and Treatment of a Rare Life-Threatening Infection.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a relatively uncommon and potentially life-threatening soft tissue infection, with morbidity and mortality approaching 25% to 35%, even with optimal treatment. The challenge of diagnosis for necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) is their rarity, with the incidence of approximately 1000 cases annually in the United States. Given the rapid progression of disease and its similar presentation to more benign processes, early and definitive diagnosis is imperative. Signs and symptoms of NSTIs in the early stages are virtually indistinguishable from those seen with abscesses and cellulitis, making definitive diagnosis difficult. The clinical presentation will depend on the pathogen and its virulence factors which ultimately determine the area and depth of invasion into tissue. There are multiple laboratory value scoring systems that have been developed to support the diagnosis of an NSTI. The scoring system with the highest positive (92%) and negative (96%) predictive value is the laboratory risk indicator for necrotizing fasciitis (LRINEC). The score is determined by 6 serologic markers: C-reactive protein (CRP), total white blood cell (WBC) count, hemoglobin, sodium, creatinine, and glucose. A score ≥ 6 is a relatively specific indicator of necrotizing fasciitis (specificity 83.8%), but a score <6 is not sensitive (59.2%) enough to rule out necrotizing fasciitis. In terms of imaging, computed tomography (CT) imaging, while more sensitive (80%) than plain radiography in detecting abnormalities, is just as nonspecific. Computed tomography imaging of NSTIs demonstrates fascial thickening (with potential fat stranding), edema, subcutaneous gas, and abscess formation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has demonstrated sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86%, though MRI may not show early cases of fascial involvement of necrotizing fasciitis. Necrotizing soft tissue infections are rapidly progressive and potentially fatal infections that require a high index of clinical suspicion to promptly diagnose and aggressive surgical debridement of affected tissue in order to ensure optimal outcomes.Prompt surgical and infectious disease consultation is necessary for the treatment and management of these patients. While imaging is useful for further characterization, it should not delay surgical consultation. Necrotizing soft tissue infection remains a clinical diagnosis, although plain radiography, CT imaging, and ultrasound can provide useful clues. In general, the management of these patients should include rapid diagnosis, using a combination of clinical suspicion, laboratory data (LRINEC score), and imaging (MRI being the recommended imaging modality), prompt infectious disease and surgical consultation, surgical debridement, and delayed reconstruction. Laboratory findings that can more strongly suggest a diagnosis of NSTI include elevated CRP, elevated WBC, low hemoglobin, decreased sodium, and increased creatinine. Imaging findings include fascial thickening (with potential fat stranding), edema, subcutaneous gas, and abscess formation. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be started in all cases of suspected NSTI. Surgical debridement, however, remains the lynchpin for treatment of cervical necrotizing fasciitis.

A comprehensive assessment of carbapenem use across 90 Veterans Health Administration hospitals with defined stewardship strategies for carbapenems.

Carbapenems are an important target for antimicrobial stewardship (AS) efforts. In this study, we sought to compare different hospital-based strategies for improving carbapenem use. We analysed a cohort of all patients hospitalized at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) acute care hospitals during 2016 and a mandatory survey that characterized each hospital's carbapenem-specific AS strategy into one of three types: no strategy (NS), prospective audit and feedback (PAF) or restrictive policies (RP). Carbapenem use was compared using risk-adjusted generalized estimating equations that accounted for clustering within hospitals. Two infectious disease (ID) physicians independently performed manual chart reviews in 425 randomly selected cases. Auditors assessed carbapenem appropriateness with an assessment score on Day 4 of therapy. There were 429 062 admissions in 90 sites (24 NS, 8 PAF, 58 RP). Carbapenem use was lower at PAF than NS sites [rate ratio (RR) 0.6 (95% CI 0.4-0.9); P = 0.01] but similar between RP and NS sites. Carbapenem prescribing was considered appropriate/acceptable in 215 (50.6%) of the reviewed cases. Assessment scores were lower (i.e. better) at RP than NS sites (mean 2.3 versus 2.7; P < 0.01) but did not differ significantly between NS and PAF sites. ID consultations were more common at PAF/RP than NS sites (51% versus 29%; P < 0.01). ID consultations were associated with lower (i.e. better) assessment scores (mean 2.3 versus 2.6; P < 0.01). In this VHA cohort, PAF strategies were associated with lower carbapenem use and ID consultation and RP strategies were associated with more appropriate carbapenem prescribing. AS and ID consultations may work complementarily and hospitals could leverage both to optimize carbapenem use.

Editorial introductions

Editorial introductions

Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection: Secular changes associated with the implementation of a de novo clinical infectious diseases service in a Canadian population

ObjectiveTo investigate the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (BSI) in a mixed rural to small city population and examine secular changes associated with the implementation of a regional clinical infectious diseases program. MethodsPopulation-based surveillance for incident S. aureus BSI was conducted in the western interior of British Columbia, Canada between April 2010 and March 2020. An infectious diseases service was progressively implemented starting in 2013. Results581 incident S. aureus BSI were identified. There was an increasing incidence during the study and the overall age- and gender-adjusted annual rate was 32.9 per 100,000 population. Implementation of the infectious diseases program was associated with an increase in rates of blood culture sampling, documentation of persistent bacteremia, use of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, and a reduction in cases of relapsed BSI. Infectious diseases consultation was independently associated with a reduced risk for death (odds ratio 0.5; 95% CI 0.3–0.9). ConclusionsAlthough the implementation of a clinical infectious diseases service was associated with changes in management and improved outcome, S. aureus BSI still causes a major burden of illness.

Disseminated Coccidioidomycosis of the Knee Joint Requiring Synovectomy and Arthrotomy

Introduction: Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection endemic to the Southwestern United States, Mexico, and South America. While uncommon, inhalation of spores or direct cutaneous contact can lead to disseminated infection in the immunocompetent, with the involvement of the musculoskeletal and integumentary systems. Case Report: A 49-year-old patient with a history of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis presented with the right knee pain and multiple symptomatic abscesses beneath the suprapatellar and infrapatellar fat pads. Arthrocentesis and culture confirmed the infection, and open synovectomy, arthrotomy, and drainage of the infection were performed without complication. Conclusion: Disseminated coccidioidomycosis is an uncommon fungal infection that may involve joints and become refractory to pharmacotherapy. Management may require surgical intervention, along with infectious disease consultation and close follow-up. Patients from endemic regions should be evaluated with a comprehensive history of this disease. Keywords: Coccidioidomycosis, knee, septic arthritis, arthrotomy, synovectomy, orthopedic surgery, fungal infection.

An evaluation of antipseudomonal dosing on the incidence of treatment failure.

Introduction:Significant mortality is associated with delays in appropriate antibiotic therapy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. The impact of empiric dosing on clinical outcomes has been largely unreported.Methods:This retrospective cohort compared treatment failure in patients receiving guideline-concordant or guideline-discordant empiric therapy with cefepime, meropenem, or piperacillin/tazobactam. Patients with culture-positive P. aeruginosa between 1 July 2013 and 31 July 2019 were eligible for inclusion. Patients with cystic fibrosis, polymicrobial infection, and urinary or pulmonary colonization were excluded. The composite primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as (1) therapy modification due to resistance/perceived treatment failure, (2) increased/unchanged qSOFA, or (3) persistent fever 48 h after initiating appropriate therapy. Secondary outcomes included rate of infectious diseases consultation, all-cause inpatient mortality, mechanical ventilation requirement, and infection-related intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay.Results:In total, 198 patients were included: 90 guideline-concordant and 108 guideline-discordant. Baseline characteristics were balanced. Treatment failure was more common in the guideline-discordant than the guideline-concordant group (62% versus 48%; p = 0.04). This remained significant when adjusting for supratherapeutic dosing (p = 0.02). Infectious diseases consultation was higher in the guideline-discordant group (46% versus 29%, p = 0.01), while intensive care unit length of stay was longer in the guideline-concordant group (4.5 versus 3 days, p = 0.03). Additional secondary outcomes were similar.Conclusion:Treatment failure was significantly higher in patients receiving guideline-discordant empiric antipseudomonal dosing. Guideline-directed dosing, disease states, and patient-specific factors should be assessed when considering empiric antipseudomonal dosing.

Implementation of a comprehensive intervention focused on hospitalized patients with HIV by an existing stewardship program: successes and lessons learned.

Background:Several national organizations have advocated for inpatient antiretroviral stewardship to prevent the consequences of medication-related errors. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a stewardship initiative on outcomes in people with HIV (PWH).Methods:A pharmacist-led audit and review of adult patients admitted with an ICD-10 code for HIV was implemented to an existing antimicrobial stewardship program. A quasi-experimental, retrospective cohort study was conducted comparing PWH admitted during pre- and post-intervention periods. Rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART)-related errors and infectious diseases (ID) consultation with linkage to care were evaluated through selection of a random sample of patients receiving ART in each period. Length of stay (LOS) and mortality were assessed by analyzing all admissions in the post-intervention period. Clinical outcomes including LOS, 30-day all-cause hospital readmission, and in-hospital and 30-day mortality in the post-intervention group were stratified by patients not on ART, on ART at admission, and started on ART as a result of the intervention.Results:A total of 100 patients in the pre-intervention period and 103 patients in the post-intervention period were included to assess ART-related errors and linkage to care. A reduction in errors (70.0 versus 25.7%, p < 0.001) and increased linkage to care (19.0 versus 39.6%, p < 0.01) were demonstrated. Of 389 admissions during the post-intervention period, 30-day mortality rates were similar between PWH on ART at admission and those initiated on ART during admission (5% versus 8%, respectively), but less than those not on ART (21%). A longer LOS was observed in the patients started on ART during admission (5 days if ART started during admission versus 3 days if not started during admission, p < 0.01).Conclusions:This interdisciplinary intervention was successful in reducing inpatient ART-related errors and increasing ID consultation with linkage to care among PWH.

Physician experiences implementing antimicrobial stewardship rounds in pediatric hospital medicine: An exploratory, qualitative study.

An antimicrobial stewardship intervention was implemented for pediatric medicine units using an in-person rounds-based approach to provide stewardship recommendations and education from an antimicrobial stewardship physician and antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist. In this exploratory qualitative study, purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants for individual interviews at a tertiary- and quaternary-care referral center. Pediatricians and residents who attended ≥1 stewardship round were included. A semistructured interview guide was created focusing on perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship, personal experiences at stewardship rounds, and perceived impacts on patient care. Using a constant comparative analysis approach, codes were developed and collapsed into themes. Overall, 8 pediatricians and 10 residents completed interviews. Qualitative analysis yielded 3 themes: insights into clinical reasoning, opportunity for growth and learning, and establishing and exploring professional relationships. The handshake-rounds approach encouraged participants to critically evaluate antimicrobial choices and to engage in discussion with the antimicrobial stewardship team. Participants felt validated at stewardship rounds and gained confidence prescribing antimicrobials. Face-to-face interaction reduced reluctance for some participants to consult infectious disease (ID) service; however, others worried that physicians may avoid ID consultation because of stewardship rounds. Participants found stewardship rounds to be an effective strategy for education and development of clinical reasoning skills for optimal antimicrobial prescribing-choosing wisely or choosing rightly. The effects of stewardship rounds on timing and frequency of ID consultation are interesting. Further research into important patient outcomes and consultation practices are needed locally, but our experiences may help others to reflect on the power of conversation and relationships in antimicrobial stewardship.

Opportunities and challenges in improving antimicrobial use during the era of telehealth expansion: A narrative review.

Efforts to improve antimicrobial prescribing are occurring within a changing healthcare landscape, which includes the expanded use of telehealth technology. The wider adoption of telehealth presents both challenges and opportunities for promoting antimicrobial stewardship. Telehealth provides 2 avenues for remote infectious disease (ID) specialists to improve inpatient antimicrobial prescribing: telehealth-supported antimicrobial stewardship and tele-ID consultations. Those 2 activities can work separately or synergistically. Studies on telehealth-supported antimicrobial stewardship have reported a reduction in inpatient antimicrobial prescribing, cost savings related to less antimicrobial use, a decrease in Clostridioides difficile infections, and improved antimicrobial susceptibility patterns for common organisms. Tele-ID consultation is associated with fewer hospital transfers, a shorter length of hospital stay, and decreased mortality. The implementation of these activities can be flexible depending on local needs and available resources, but several barriers may be encountered. Opportunities also exist to improve antimicrobial use in outpatient settings. Telehealth provides a more rapid mechanism for conducting outpatient ID consultations, and increasing use of telehealth for routine and urgent outpatient visits present new challenges for antimicrobial stewardship. In primary care, urgent care, and emergency care settings, unnecessary antimicrobial use for viral acute respiratory tract infections is common during telehealth encounters, as is the case for fact-to-face encounters. For some diagnoses, such as otitis media and pharyngitis, antimicrobials are further overprescribed via telehealth. Evidence is still lacking on the optimal stewardship strategies to improve antimicrobial prescribing during telehealth encounters in ambulatory care, but conventional outpatient stewardship strategies are likely transferable. Further work is warranted to fill this knowledge gap.

291. Impact of Surveillance and Offered Infectious Diseases Consults for Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia on Quality of Care Indicators

Background Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) remains the leading cause of bloodstream infections and is associated with 20–40% mortality. Past studies demonstrated that Infectious Diseases (ID) consultation is associated with better adherence to quality of care indicators (QCIs), including follow-up blood cultures, echocardiography, early source control, and appropriate choice and duration of antibiotics. A 2014 quality improvement project at Medstar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC) by Narsana et al. showed significantly better adherence to SAB QCIs among patients with ID consults and a non-significant trend towards lower mortality. In 2015, MWHC instituted a policy advocating ID consultation for all SAB patients, and active surveillance was performed by the ID Section to offer prompt consults prospectively. Our study aimed to assess the impact of this policy and the proactively offered ID consults on adherence to SAB QCIs and mortality rates amongst patients with SAB with and without ID consults.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 557 patients diagnosed with SAB between July 1st, 2015 - June 30th, 2018. Data included follow-up blood cultures, echocardiography, presence of a focal source of infection, use of appropriate antibiotics, measurement of vancomycin levels, duration of therapy, death during hospitalization, and presence of an ID consultation. Chi-Square and Fisher exact tests, and t-test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to analyze categorical and continuous variables, respectively.ResultsA total of 513 patients were included in the analysis, 88% (n=453) of whom had ID consultations. Patients with ID consultations were more likely to have a focal source of infection (84% vs. 50%, p < 0.0001), echocardiography (97% vs. 56%, p < 0.0001), use of a beta-lactam antibiotic for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (90% vs 65%, p < 0.0001), and a longer duration of therapy (33 vs 9 days, p< 0.0001). Mortality was lower among patients with ID consults (16% vs. 23%, p=0.1495), but the difference was not statistically significant.Table 1 ConclusionOur study demonstrates that ID consultation is associated with better adherence to SAB QCIs, with a trend towards lower mortality. Hospital systems should support mandatory ID consultation for patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

1170. Invasive Fungal Infections and Colonization in Critically Ill Patients: Impact of Diagnosis and Management on Outcomes

BackgroundInvasive fungal infections (IFIs), though uncommon, are on the rise and have a high mortality rate. Fungal colonization is common, but its clinical significance is unclear. Our study aims to characterize the impact of these diagnoses and their management on outcomes in a large ICU population.MethodsWe utilized the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III database for this retrospective cohort study. Adults with positive fungal cultures were classified as colonized or infected using definitions from the EORTC/MSG guidelines and the Blot protocol for Aspergillus. Outcomes were compared between groups matched by age, SOFA score, admission diagnosis, culture results, and comorbidities.ResultsThere were 595 hospital admissions with IFI (11.7/1000 admissions) and 5789 with colonization (114/1000 admissions). In-hospital mortality was 52% in patients with IFIs and 36% in colonized patients. Mortality post-discharge remained high and was not significantly different in the two groups.67% of patients with IFIs had the diagnosis documented. 24% of patients with IFIs and 8% of colonized patients received antifungal therapy. Treatment did not significantly impact mortality in infected or colonized patients but was associated with increased length of hospital and ICU stay. Infectious disease (ID) consultation was performed in 39.8% of patients with IFIs and 20% of patients with colonization. In the group of IFI patients with ID consultation, in-hospital mortality was higher, but survival post-discharge increased significantly. There was a significant increase in diagnosis of IFI in the ID group and a trend toward increased treatment. In colonized patients with ID consultation, in-hospital mortality and survival post-discharge improved. Hospital and ICU length of stay were longer for patients with ID consultation.ConclusionCritically ill patients with IFIs have high mortality rates, which were not reduced by treatment. The prevalence of colonization was high, and colonized patients experienced significant in-hospital and post-discharge mortality. This study supports the need for additional investigation into ID consultation, which may improve outcomes in critically ill patients with fungal infection and colonization.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures