Infectious Diseases Pharmacists Research Articles

Consensus recommendations for use of long-acting antiretroviral medications in the treatment and prevention of HIV-1: Endorsed by the American Academy of HIV Medicine, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Canadian HIV and Viral Hepatitis Pharmacists Network, European AIDS Clinical Society, and Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

Five long-acting (LA) antiretrovirals (ARVs) are currently available in a limited number of countries worldwide for HIV-1 prevention or treatment-cabotegravir, rilpivirine, lenacapavir, ibalizumab, and dapivirine. Implementing use of LA ARVs into routine clinical practice requires significant changes to the current framework of HIV-1 prevention, treatment, and service provision. Given the novelty, complexity, and interdisciplinary requirements needed to safely and optimally utilize LA ARVs, consensus recommendations on the use of LA ARVs will assist clinicians in optimizing use of these agents. The purpose of these recommendations is to provide guidance for the clinical use of LA ARVs for HIV-1 treatment and prevention. In addition, future areas of research are also identified and discussed.

Consensus recommendations for use of long-acting antiretroviral medications in the treatment and prevention ofHIV-1: Endorsed by the American Academy of HIV Medicine, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Canadian HIV and Viral Hepatitis Pharmacists Network, European AIDS Clinical Society, and Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists: An executive summary.

Five long-acting (LA) antiretrovirals (ARVs) are currently available in a limited number of countries worldwide for HIV-1 prevention or treatment - cabotegravir, rilpivirine, lenacapavir, ibalizumab, and dapivirine. Implementing use of LA ARVs in routine clinical practice requires significant changes to the current framework of HIV-1 prevention, treatment, and service provision. Given the novelty, complexity, and interdisciplinary requirements of safe and optimal use of LA ARVs, consensus recommendations on the use of LA ARVs will assist clinicians in optimizing use of these agents. The purpose of these recommendations is to provide guidance for the clinical use of LA ARVs for HIV-1 treatment and prevention. In addition, future areas of research are identified and discussed.

Impact of internal medicine pharmacists on antimicrobial stewardship

AbstractIntroductionIncreased demands on infectious diseases (ID) pharmacists and providers may result in targeted antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions. Internal medicine (IM) pharmacists frequently intervene on antimicrobials for their patients during general clinical care, although little is known regarding their overall impact on AMS.ObjectiveCharacterize AMS interventions made by IM pharmacists to identify areas of AMS that can be expanded to patients not covered by ID teams.MethodsThis was a prospective, dual‐center, cross‐sectional study where IM pharmacists, and their trainees were recruited to document routinely made AMS interventions that happened during daily patient care activities. These interventions were classified based on infection source, stewardship intervention type, whether recommendations were accepted or rejected by providers, and any barriers incurred during the implementation of interventions.ResultsFour IM pharmacists documented 386 interventions from February 2021 through May 2021. Physicians accepted pharmacist interventions 95.6% of the time. The most common interventions were for respiratory (n = 87, 22.5%), genitourinary (n = 80, 20.7%), and skin and skin structure infections (n = 65, 16.8%). The antimicrobials that IM pharmacists most frequently intervened on were vancomycin (n = 89, 23.1%) and ceftriaxone (n = 68, 17.6%). The most common interventions that were made were dose adjustment (n = 105, 27.2%), shortened duration of therapy (n = 86, 22.3%), and intravenous (IV) to oral (PO) conversions (n = 38, 9.8%). Of the 17 interventions not accepted, the most common barrier to implementation was physician concerns (n = 11, 52.4%), which were primarily associated with IV to PO recommendations (n = 7, 63.6%).ConclusionIM pharmacists participate in AMS for their patients and intervene frequently to adjust dosing for antimicrobials, shorten duration of therapy, and facilitate IV to PO conversions. IM pharmacists could serve as AMS extenders where additional AMS coverage is needed.

Comprehensive Review of Urinary Tract Infections in Renal Transplant Recipients: Clinical Insights and Management Strategies.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) pose a significant challenge in the care of renal transplant recipients. This comprehensive review explores this population's multifaceted landscape of UTIs, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and tailored management strategies. Renal transplant recipients face an elevated risk of UTIs due to immunosuppression, altered urinary tract anatomy, and complex comorbidities. Complications of UTIs can lead to graft dysfunction and systemic illness, underscoring the need for effective management. The emergence of multidrug-resistant uropathogens adds complexity to treatment, highlighting the importance of targeted antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed drugs for UTIs, with nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin, amoxicillin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium being some of the commonly used antibiotics. However, the emergence of multidrug-resistant uropathogens has led to the exploration of alternative treatments, such as bacteriophage therapy, as a potential alternative against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria. Analgesics such as phenazopyridine can be prescribed to relieve discomfort associated with UTIs. Estrogen therapy has also been suggested as a potential treatment option for UTIs, particularly in postmenopausal women. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or trimethoprim is recommended as first-line therapy for uncomplicated UTIs. The choice of drug and therapy for UTIs depends on the severity of the infection, the causative organism, and the presence of antibiotic resistance.Preventive measures encompass pre-transplant evaluation, perioperative strategies, post-transplant follow-up, and vaccination. A multidisciplinary approach involving transplant specialists, infectious disease experts, pharmacists, and patient engagement is vital for successful care. The future of UTI management lies in ongoing research, exploring personalized medicine, novel therapies, and innovative prevention strategies. By implementing these strategies and advancing research, healthcare providers can improve graft and patient survival, enhancing the quality of care for renal transplant recipients.

Benefits of Accepting Infectious Diseases Pharmacist Recommendations: A 5-Year Outcome Study in a Multihospital System.

Background: Infectious diseases (ID) pharmacists are pivotal members of antimicrobial stewardship teams. Prospective audit and feedback is a strong recommendation by The Infectious Diseases Society of America Guidelines for Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP). Utilizing customized ASP intervention documentation tools known as "ivents" in Epic, we aimed to assess the impact of interventions by measuring outcomes that were accepted compared to those that were rejected in a multihospital health system over 5 years. Methods: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted to compare clinical outcomes among intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients with accepted and rejected ASP interventions over 5 years from October 2015 to December 2020. Outcomes measured included antibiotic days of therapy per 1000 patient days (DOT/1000 PD), antibiotic doses per 1000 patient days (doses/1000 PD), hospital length of stay (LOS), in-hospital mortality, hospital-acquired Clostridioides difficile infection (HA-CDI), community-onset C. difficile infection (CO-CDI) within 30 days, and hospital readmission within 30 days. Coarsened exact matching (CEM) was used as a non-parametric matching method to balance covariates between groups and to control for confounding. Results: ASP recommendations by ID pharmacists were well-received by providers in a multihospital system over 5 years as evidenced by an overall acceptance rate of 92%. Acceptance of ASP interventions was associated with substantial reductions in antibiotic utilization without adversely affecting mortality or hospital readmissions. While high-risk C. difficile antibiotic use increased significantly due to frequent de-escalation to ceftriaxone among non-ICU patients with accepted interventions, rates of HA-CDI and CO-CDI within 30 days did not worsen. Furthermore, hospital LOS was notably shorter by an average of 1 day for non-ICU patients with accepted interventions, which resulted in substantial cost avoidance of $7 631 400. Conclusion: Collaboration with ID pharmacists to optimize antimicrobial stewardship was associated with significant reductions in antibiotic utilization, costs, and hospital LOS without worsening patient outcomes.

An Approach to Improving Compliance of Treatment in Asymptomatic Bacteriuria

INTRODUCTION Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is the presence of bacteria in the urine without attributable signs or symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). This condition is often inappropriately treated per the 2019 Infectious Disease Society of America guidelines. This quality improvement project aimed to reduce improper treatment of ASB via a three-phase spaced repetition approach over a 12-month 2021-2022 period within a Michigan emergency department (ED), targeting 43 ED clinicians. METHODS During Phase I, a 20-minute teleconference educational intervention was delivered by an Infectious Disease physician and pharmacist. During Phase II, a “hard stop” was implemented within the electronic health record preventing reflex urinalysis culture without indication. During Phase III, a latent period of no intervention took place. The authors’ goal was to achieve > 80% compliance to ASB treatment guidelines. RESULTS Overall compliance after the project initiative was 66.7%, an absolute increase of 16.7% from baseline compliance. Using data from 54 patients, this represented a statistically significant (p = 0.01) increase from baseline but fell short of the target of > 80%. DISCUSSION Although the authors fell short of their goal of a 30% increase, data from the project suggests a spaced repetition approach to education and workflow changes could be an effective method to increasing medical provider compliance with treatment of ASB. CONCLUSION Identifying the ideal strategy to change treatment patterns of ED clinicians for ASB to align with guidelines remains key. There is still a need for ongoing efforts in this realm for progress to be made. Keywords: asymptomatic bacteriuria, urinary tract infection, compliance, spaced repetition, antibiotics.

352. Post-Discharge Microbiology Review by Infectious Diseases Pharmacists is Impactful

Abstract Background Post-discharge culture and susceptibility review has been described in emergency department and urgent care settings, but there is a lack of published literature describing culture review after acute care hospitalizations. Awaiting microbiology results can impede timely patient discharge. However, discharging patients while microbiology results are pending may result in suboptimal therapy or lost opportunity for additional testing/follow up. We implemented an antimicrobial stewardship effort to identify microbiology tests that result post-discharge utilizing a custom report in the electronic medical record (EMR). Methods. This retrospective descriptive study included adult patients ( >18 years of age) at 4 sites within Mayo Clinic from 1/1/2019 to 2/28/2023. Eligible patients had a hospitalization with an ID consult and an abnormal culture that was reviewed by an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist after discharge. Urine cultures were excluded. The details of pharmacist-initiated antimicrobial stewardship interventions based on the culture review were identified by an EMR based research report. Results A total of 6803 patient encounters with at least 1 microbiology result reviewed post-discharge were identified. Patients were 40% female with a median age of 62 years. Patient race was 89.8% white, 4% black/African American, 1.5% Asian, and < 1% other. Of these patients, 1983 (29%) had at least one pharmacist intervention. A total of 169 (2.5%) of these patients had multiple interventions. Interventions included modification of antimicrobial therapy, addition of susceptibility testing, or additional follow up (labs, imaging, or patient visits). Median time from culture update to pharmacist review was 27.2 hours. Median length of hospital stay was 5 days and discharge disposition was home with self care (65%), home with home health or hospice (22.7%), or discharge to another acute care or skilled nursing facility (12.3%). Conclusion Outpatient review of post-discharge culture updates utilizing EMR reporting led to substantial interventions impacting antimicrobial treatments. Disclosures Christina G. Rivera (O'Connor), Pharm.D, Gilead Sciences: Advisor/Consultant|Gilead Sciences: Board Member|Gilead Sciences: Grant/Research Support|Gilead Sciences: Honoraria

333. How the COVID-19 Pandemic Accelerated Development of our Complex Outpatient Oral Antimicrobial Therapy (COpAT) Program

Abstract Background At our university medical center, we have well established programs for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) and inpatient multidisciplinary antimicrobial infusions for patients with substance use disorder. Complex outpatient oral antimicrobial therapy (COpAT) uses oral (PO) in place of intravenous (IV) antimicrobials. Despite evidence supporting early IV to PO antimicrobial transition for serious infections, COpAT Programs are not widely incorporated in clinical practice. COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on inpatient bed scarcity triggered COpAT’s accelerated implementation at our institution. A Nov 2020 CEO email served as the catalyst and by Aug 2022 an Infectious Diseases (ID) Pharmacist was hired. By Oct 2022, an ID Physician at 0.5 FTE was assigned COpAT Medical Director. We hypothesized IV to PO antimicrobial transition increased as our COpAT Program developed. Methods Retrospective cohort study on 380 COpAT patients discharged Jan 2021 to Apr 2023 categorized in 2 groups: Early Discharge: Short course IV antimicrobials < 2 weeks followed by COpAT (n= 115); Traditional: Longer course IV antimicrobials ≥ 2 weeks followed by COpAT (n= 265). Demographic, clinical, and outcomes data were compared. Results Proportion of patients in Early Discharge group increased significantly (19 to 47%, p< 0.001) (Image 1). Traditional group had higher rates of injection drug use and bacteremia. While gram positive organisms predominated in both groups, Traditional group had a higher rate of monomicrobial infection (Image 2). Early Discharge group had a greater proportion of oral antimicrobial days (86 vs. 36%, p< 0.05) and shorter length of stay (8 vs. 24 days, p< 0.05) but higher overall and COpAT-related 30-day readmission rates (15 vs. 6 and 7 vs. 2%, p< 0.05). Both groups avoided inpatient hospital days and had high clinical cure rates (Image 3). COpAT Program ROI was 10.9. Conclusion COVID-19 pandemic accelerated development and maturation of our COpAT Program supported by 0.5 FTE ID Physician and 1.0 FTE ID Pharmacist. While readmission rates in both groups were low, possible association between shorter length of stay and increased readmission rates needs further evaluation. COpAT Program investment pays for itself in less than 2 months, mainly through inpatient days avoided. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

2231. Point Prevalence Survey on Antimicrobial Appropriateness in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background Antimicrobial resistance is a significant global health problem. Optimizing the use of antimicrobial agents is a key strategic objective for any antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP). In the literature, 9-64% of antimicrobials prescriptions were inappropriate the hospital setting. We aim to evaluate antimicrobial utilization practices and subsequently implement informed interventions to optimize antimicrobial use by conducting a point prevalence survey (PPS). Methods This is a single-center PPS at King Fahad Specialist Hospital-Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The hospital is specialized in Transplant, Oncology/hematology, and Neuroscience, with approximately 350 beds. All inpatient wards were conducted over one week period ward by ward. All inpatients on active antimicrobials were included. Data were collected from patients’ electronic medical records based on the WHO methodology for PPS on antibiotic use in hospitals. The outcome (appropriateness of antimicrobial treatment) included five elements: indication, duration, administration route, spectrum, and dosing. Assessments were made according to the local and international guidelines and the ASP team (Infectious diseases consultant and pharmacist). Results A total of 316 patients’ medical records were screened. Of whom 121 were included. Nineteen (16%) patients were pediatrics, and 102 (84%) were adults. Patients’ characteristics are presented in Table 1. A total of 207 systemic antimicrobials were recorded, 117/207 (57%) therapeutic and 90/207 (43%) prophylactic. The antimicrobials were inappropriate in 73 /207 (35%) antimicrobial orders that included 84 elements. Eleven out of the 73 orders have more than one inappropriate element. The main reasons were inappropriate indication 31/84 (37%), followed by the antimicrobial spectrum 21/84 (25%). Figure 1Table 1:Characteristics of patients receiving systemic antimicrobial treatment, n (%)Figure 1:Elements of antimicrobials inappropriateness Conclusion This point prevalence survey showed 35% of the antimicrobial prescription in the inpatient setting was inappropriate. The most common reasons were the indication followed by the spectrum and duration of antimicrobials. These findings provide valuable insight into stewardship's best approach and interventions to improve antimicrobials appropriateness. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

1642. Vancomycin AUC24 Estimation Using First Order Pharmacokinetic Methods in Pediatric Patients

Abstract Background The 2020 guidelines for the monitoring of vancomycin emphasize the importance of timely assessment of AUC24 for both efficacy and safety in pediatric patients. However, real-world data supporting the feasibility of vancomycin AUC24 in pediatric patients using first-order equations is lacking. Methods This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study of hospitalized pediatric patients (< 18 years) receiving intravenous (IV) vancomycin between 1/1/2020 and 8/20/2022. Patients were included if they received at least 24 hours of IV vancomycin with peak and trough concentrations obtained in the first 96 hours of therapy. Patients with baseline renal dysfunction were excluded. First-order equations were utilized to estimate Ke, Vd, Cl, and AUC24. Results Overall, 219 patients (68% male, 87% Caucasian, 24% critically ill, median age of 6 years (IQR 1-12)) met inclusion criteria. Of the total patients, 9% were neonates (age ≤ 28 days), 11% were infants (age 29 days to < 1 year), 58% were children (age 1 to 12 years), and 22% were adolescents (age 13 to 17 years). The pharmacokinetic parameters for each group are outlined in Table 1. The estimated AUC24 was within the therapeutic range of 400-600 mg*hr/L for the majority of patients. However, when comparing age groups, adolescents had the lowest (53%) while neonates had the greatest (79%) percentage of patients within the therapeutic range Conclusion Our results reinforce the variability in vancomycin PK seen across pediatric age groups, confirming the need to tailor empiric dosing regimens by patient age. For patients with AUC24 outside the therapeutic range, more patients had SUPRAtherapeutic rather than SUBtherapeutic AUC24. In response to results of this study, institutional empiric vancomycin dosing will be decreased for all age groups outside the neonatal group to better align with the 2020 guideline recommended AUC24 of 400 - 600 mg*hr/L for pediatric patients. Disclosures Katie B. Olney, PharmD, BCIDP, The Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP): Grant/Research Support

The Essential Role of Senior Care Pharmacists in Antimicrobial Stewardship: An Updated Position Statement on Behalf of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

Senior care pharmacists are well-positioned to lead and drive antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) initiatives, not only through audit and data collection, but also through communication, collaboration, and cooperation with prescribers and nurses to influence prescribing behaviors. Senior care pharmacists are in a unique position to take a leadership role within the interprofessional team to achieve AMS goals. They should engage with the interprofessional team to promote the judicious and appropriate use of antimicrobials at their practice sites. This position statement is an update of the 2017 version by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection and Prevention Control Committee and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP).

Comparative Effectiveness Randomized Clinical Trial Using Next-generation Microbial Sequencing to Direct Prophylactic Antibiotic Choice Before Urologic Stone Lithotripsy Using an Interprofessional Model

BackgroundNext-generation sequencing (NGS) methods for microbial profiling have increased sensitivity to detect urinary pathogens. ObjectiveTo determine whether NGS microbial profiling can be used to guide antibiotic prophylaxis and reduce infection compared with the standard of care. Design, setting, and participantsA prospective randomized controlled clinical trial of patients undergoing urologic stone interventions at an academic health center from December 2019 to January 2022 was conducted. Urine was collected at the preoperative visit for standard culture and intervention NGS diagnostics. Evaluable patients were culture negative, met 2-wk follow-up, and did not cancel surgery. Of 240 individuals (control = 121, intervention = 119), 83 control and 74 intervention patients were evaluable. InterventionMicrobial findings (paired quantitative polymerase chain reaction and NGS) were sent to an infectious disease pharmacist to recommend prophylactic antimicrobial regimen. Outcome measurements and statistical analysisThe primary outcome was postoperative urinary infection within the follow-up period (Fisher’s exact test). The primary outcome was analyzed by modified intent-to-treat (mITT) and per-protocol analyses. Secondary endpoints considered included positive culture concordance, antibiotic use, and adverse events. Additional post hoc analyses investigated factors contributing to infection (univariate logistic regression). Results and limitationsThe intervention significantly reduced postsurgical urinary infection risk by 7.1% (–0.73%, 15%) compared with the standard of care in the mITT analysis (1.4% vs 8.4%, p = 0.045) or by 8.5% (0.88%, 16%) compared with the per-protocol analysis (0% vs 8.5%, p = 0.032). NGS-guided treatment altered the distribution of antibiotics used (p = 0.025), and antibiotics poorly matched with NGS findings were associated with increased infection odds (odds ratio [OR] = 5.9, p = 0.046). Women were at greater odds to develop infection (OR = 10, p = 0.03) and possessed differentiated microbial profiles (p < 0.001). ConclusionsUrinary microbial NGS-guided antibiotic prophylaxis before endoscopic urologic stone lithotripsy improves antibiotic selection to reduce healthcare-associated urinary infections; however, treatment efficacy may be limited by the ability to adhere to the recommended protocol. Patient summaryWe investigated whether microbial DNA sequencing could improve the selection of antibiotics before kidney stone surgery in patients not known to have any bacteria in the urine on standard culture. We found that using microbe DNA to guide antibiotic choices decreased postoperative infection rate and may encourage individualized use of available antibiotics.

Using Active Surveillance to Identify Monoclonal Antibody Candidates Among COVID-19-Positive Veterans in the Atlanta VA Health Care System.

Strategies for optimizing identification and outreach to potential candidates for monoclonal antibody (Mab) therapy for COVID-19 are not clear. Using a centralized, active surveillance system, the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System (AVAHCS) infectious disease (ID) team identified candidates for Mab infusion and provided treatment. As part of a quality improvement project from December 28, 2020, to August 31, 2021, a clinical team consisting of ID pharmacists and physicians reviewed each outpatient with a positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction test daily at the AVAHCS. The clinical team used Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) criteria to determine eligibility. Eligible patients were contacted on the same day of review via telephone to confirm eligibility and obtain verbal consent. Telehealth follow-up occurred on day 1 and day 7 postinfusion to assess for adverse events. In total, 2028 patients with COVID-19 were identified; 289 patients (14%) were eligible, and 132 (46%) received Mab therapy. Similar to AVAHCS demographics, a majority of those who received Mab therapy were non-Hispanic Black patients (65%). The most common comorbidities were hypertension (59%) and diabetes (37%). The median time from symptom onset to positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result was 6 days (range, 0-9), and the median time from positive COVID-19 PCR test result to Mab infusion was 2 days (range, 0-8). Twelve patients (9%) required hospitalization for worsening COVID-19 symptoms postinfusion. No deaths occurred. Combining laboratory surveillance and active screening led to high uptake of Mab therapy and minimized delay from symptom onset to Mab infusion, thereby optimizing outpatient treatment of COVID-19. This approach also successfully screened and treated Black patients in the AVAHCS population.

Utility of triazole antifungal therapeutic drug monitoring: Insights from the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists: Endorsed by the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium.

Triazole antifungals (i.e., fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole) are commonly used in clinical practice to prevent or treat invasive fungal infections. Most triazole antifungals require therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) due to highly variable pharmacokinetics, known drug interactions, and established relationships between exposure and response. On behalf of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP), this insight describes the pharmacokinetic principles and pharmacodynamic targets of commonly used triazole antifungals and provides the rationale for utility of TDM within each agent.

International consensus recommendations for the use of prolonged-infusion beta-lactam antibiotics: Endorsed by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

Intravenous β-lactam antibiotics remain a cornerstone in the management of bacterial infections due to their broad spectrum of activity and excellent tolerability. β-lactams are well established to display time-dependent bactericidal activity, where reductions in bacterial burden are directly associated with the time that free drug concentrations remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the pathogen during the dosing interval. In an effort to take advantage of these bactericidal characteristics, prolonged (extended and continuous) infusions (PIs) can be applied during the administration of intravenous β-lactams to increase time above the MIC. PI dosing regimens have been implemented worldwide, but implementation is inconsistent. We report consensus therapeutic recommendations for the use of PI β-lactams developed by an expert international panel with representation from clinical pharmacy and medicine. This consensus guideline provides recommendations regarding pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic targets, therapeutic drug-monitoring considerations, and the use of PI β-lactam therapy in the following patient populations: severely ill and nonseverely ill adult patients, pediatric patients, and obese patients. These recommendations provide the first consensus guidance for the use of β-lactam therapy administered as PIs and have been reviewed and endorsed by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP).

International consensus recommendations for the use of prolonged-infusion beta-lactam antibiotics: Endorsed by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists: An executive summary.

Intravenous β-lactam antibiotics remain a cornerstone in the management of bacterial infections due to their broad spectrum of activity and excellent tolerability. β-lactams are well established to display time-dependent bactericidal activity, where reductions in bacterial burden are directly associated with the time that free drug concentrations remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the pathogen during the dosing interval. In an effort to take advantage of these bactericidal characteristics, prolonged (extended and continuous) infusions (PI) can be applied during the administration of intravenous β-lactams to increase time above the MIC. PI dosing regimens have been implemented worldwide, but implementation is inconsistent. We report consensus therapeutic recommendations for the use of β-lactam PI developed by an expert international panel with representation from clinical pharmacy and medicine. This consensus guideline provides recommendations regarding pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic targets, therapeutic drug monitoring considerations, and the use of PI β-lactam therapy in the following patient populations: severely ill and nonseverely ill adult patients, pediatric patients, and obese patients. These recommendations provide the first consensus guidance for the use of β-lactam therapy administered as PIs and have been reviewed and endorsed by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP).

Progress and New Challenges in Combatting the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance: Perspective From an Infectious Diseases Pharmacist.

Progress and New Challenges in Combatting the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance: Perspective From an Infectious Diseases Pharmacist.

Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens in Burn Wound, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Approaches (Conventional Antimicrobials and Nanoparticles).

Multidrug-resistant pathogens are one of the common causes of death in burn patients and have a high risk of nosocomial infections, especially pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and cellulitis. The role of prolonged hospitalization and empirical antibiotics administration in developing multidrug-resistant pathogens is undeniable. In the early days of admitting burn patients, Gram-positive bacteria were the dominant isolates with a more sensitive antibiotic pattern. However, the emergence of Gram-negative bacteria that are more resistant later occurs. Trustworthy guideline administration in burn wards is one of the strategies to prevent multidrug-resistant pathogens. Also, a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach is an effective way to avoid antibiotic resistance that involves infectious disease specialists, pharmacists, and burn surgeons. However, the emerging resistance to conventional antimicrobial approaches (such as systemic antibiotic exposure, traditional wound dressing, and topical antibiotic ointments) among burn patients has challenged the treatment of multidrug-resistant infections, and using nanoparticles is a suitable alternative. In this review article, we will discuss different aspects of multidrug-resistant pathogens in burn wounds, emphasizing the full role of these pathogens in burn wounds and discussing the application of nanotechnology in dealing with them. Also, some advances in various types of nanomaterials, including metallic nanoparticles, liposomes, hydrogels, carbon quantum dots, and solid lipid nanoparticles in burn wound healing, will be explained.

Expanding the scope of the infectious diseases pharmacist in HCT: Beyond antimicrobial stewardship.

Infectious disease (ID) pharmacists and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are integral to the infection management of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients demonstrating effective implementation of clinical pathways, de-escalation of empirical antibiotics for febrile neutropenia (FN), allergy assessments, and use of rapid diagnostic testing. The HCT procedure is complex, dynamic, and a high risk for infectious complications. Therefore, there is an important role for an ID and AMS pharmacist to collaborate with the primary treating team, with ongoing care, involving the optimal individual patient prophylactic, pre-emptive and treatment management of infections in this high-risk population. This review highlights key factors for consideration of ID/AMS Pharmacists in relation to HCT, including important aspects in the evaluation of infection risk prior to transplant, risk from donor sources, length of, and changes in immunosuppression, and potential drug-drug interactions from other essential supportive care therapies.

Variations in implementation of antimicrobial stewardship via telehealth at select Veterans Affairs medical centers

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) seek to reduce the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant and healthcare-associated infections. There are limited infectious disease (ID) physicians and pharmacists to support these ASPs, particularly in rural areas. The Veterans Health Administration has a robust telehealth program in place. Our previous work has demonstrated the feasibility of using telehealth modalities to support ASPs at rural Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs) by pairing them with an ID expert from a larger, geographically distant, VAMC. This program, dubbed the Videoconference Antimicrobial Stewardship Team (VAST), emphasizes discussion of patients undergoing treatment for an active infection and additional relevant clinical topics with a multidisciplinary team at the rural VA. VAST implementation is ongoing at VAMCs. To understand and compare the qualitative differences in implementation, we used process maps to describe the VAST at 3 VAMC dyads. Methods: Team members from each dyad participated in interviews at 3, 6, and 9 months after beginning their VAST sessions. Questions addressed several aspects of VAST implementation and included identifying cases and topics to discuss; advance preparation for meetings; the frequency and general structure of VAST meetings; and documentation including workload capture. The research team used the responses to develop process maps to permit visual display and comparison of VAST implementation. Results: The first dyad began in January 2022 and the third in March 2022. The sessions had 3 phases: preparation, team meeting, and documentation of experts’ recommendations. Tasks were shared between VAST champions at the rural VAMC and the ID experts (Fig. 1). The preparation phase showed the most variation among the 3 dyads. In general, champions at the rural VA identified cases and topics for discussion that were sent to the ID expert for review. The approaches used to find cases and the type of preparatory work by the ID expert differed. Team meetings differed in both frequency and participation by professionals from the rural site. Documentation of expert recommendations processes appeared similar among the dyads. Discussion: Each of the 3 dyads implemented VAST differently. These results suggest that the overall structure of the VAST is readily adaptable and that each site tailored VAST to suit the clinical needs, workflow, and culture of their partner facility. Future work will seek to determine which aspects in the preparation, team meeting, or documentation phases are associated with successful ASPs, including assessment of quantitative and qualitative outcomes.Disclosures: None