Secondary Infectious Complications Research Articles

Comparative Study of Blood Neopterin and Biopterins in Patients with COVID-19 and Secondary Bacterial Infection.

Background/Objectives: As COVID-19 can be severe, early predictive markers of both severity and onset of secondary bacterial infections are needed. This study first examined changes over time in the levels of plasma neopterin (NP) and biopterins (BPs), among others, in patients with COVID-19 and then in those with secondary bacterial infection complications. Methods: Fifty-two patients with COVID-19 admitted to two tertiary care centers were included. They were divided into a severe group (intubated + mechanical ventilation) (n = 10) and a moderate group (non-intubated + oxygen administration) (n = 42), and changes over time in plasma NP, plasma BPs, IFN-γ, lymphocyte count, CRP, and IL-6 were investigated. Four of the patients in the severe group (n = 10) developed secondary bacterial infections during treatment. Plasma NP and plasma BPs of patients with bacterial sepsis (no viral infection) (n = 25) were also examined. Results: The plasma NP, IL-6, CRP, and SOFA levels were significantly higher in the severe group, while the IFN-γ level and lymphocyte count were significantly lower. The higher plasma NP in the severe group persisted only up to 1 week after symptom onset. The plasma BPs were higher in complications of bacterial infection. Conclusions: The timing of sample collection is important for assessing severity through plasma NP, while plasma BPs may be a useful diagnostic tool for identifying the development of secondary bacterial infection in patients with COVID-19. Further investigation is needed to clarify the mechanism by which NP and BPs, which are involved in the same biosynthetic pathway, are differentially activated depending on the type of pathogen.

Clinical experience of using loop threads for tendon suturing of injured tendons of finger flexors in children's hands

BACKGROUND: Despite a significant progress in hand surgery, to date, the number of unsatisfactory functional outcomes in patients with injured flexor tendons of fingers still remains high, which underlines the importance and significance of the problem of flexor tendon repair in children. CLINICAL CASE DESCRIPTION: The authors present a series of clinical cases with the application of loop threads for suturing tendons in children with tendon injuries in deep finger flexors at different anatomical sites. They share their experience in using loop threads for tendon suturing in zones II, III, IV, V including tendon end reinsertion in zone I again with a loop thread. The primary task of surgical treatment of children with injured tendons of finger flexors is their restoration. In order to prevent secondary tendon ruptures, finger contractures, infectious complications and scarring of the tendon with surrounding tissues, it is recommended to use optimal suture material and surgical sutures that meets the basic requirements for tendon suturing . Specific pediatric anatomy must be taken into consideration as well. As the authors' clinical experience shows, a new approach to the restoration of injured finger flexor tendons with loop threads allows to avoid complications in 98% of cases. CONCLUSION: The implementation of loop tendon suturing into pediatric practice in combination with appropriate rehabilitation and motivation for the rehabilitation of a child and his/her parents opens up new prospects for the successful treatment of children with injured tendons of deep flexors of hand fingers.

A case report on ofloxacin-induced Stevens–Johnson syndrome: Scorten-based approach

Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare immune-mediated severe cutaneous adverse reaction with an incidence rate of 0.05–2 persons/ million population/month. Drugs are the most commonly implicated in 95% of cases. In our report, a 52-year-old male patient presented with chief complaints of skin rashes over the body and was having a history of using a tab. ofloxacin for gastroenteritis. The severity of SJS was assessed using SCORTEN (=1). The drug can be considered as a probable/likely cause of adverse drug reaction as per causality assessment of the suspected adverse drug reactions. Early diagnosis helps the clinician to elude secondary infection and subsequent complications. It highlights the mandatory reporting of the offending drug and the necessity of pharmacovigilance in different countries.

Features of Staphylococcus Aureus Antibiotic Sensitivity in Children with Atopic Dermatitis

Background. Excessive colonization of the skin by various bacteria and fungi can be noted in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), and the prevalence of secondary infection complications 30–48%. Several studies have shown that Staphylococcus aureus colonization is 60–100% in patients with AD compared to 5–30% in healthy persons from the control group. Moreover, the incidence of methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates is up to 10–30% in skin cultures at AD, according to experts. Therapy of AD complicated by secondary infection is one of the crucial challenges of modern dermatology. Mupirocin can be considered as one of the most effective topical antibiotic among others used for etiotropic therapy of infectious complications in AD patients, and it has been confirmed by numerous clinical studies.Conclusion. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common trigger of AD aggravation. MRSA in AD complicated by secondary infection is difficult to manage as it becomes resistant to many types of antibiotics; however, it shows persistent sensitivity to mupirocin. Mupirocin-based (2%) external agent is the most effective, safe, and preferred therapy variant for AD complicated by secondary infection in pediatrics.

SOFT TISSUE COMPLICATIONS IN THE EARLY POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD AFTER OSTEOSYNTHESIS OF CALCANEU

Introduction. The complex anatomy and biomechanics of the calcaneal bone is an important component in stability of a lower extremity. According to the literature, calcaneus fractures occur in 2% of all skeletal bone fractures. The vast majority of such fractures (almost 75%) are intra-articular injuries resulting from high-energy trauma. The absolute majority of studies show the indisputable advantage of surgical tactics for the treatment of intra-articular fractures of the calcaneal bone in a remote period. Conservative treatment of displaced fractures, in turn, is considered as an alternative in cases where there are absolute contraindications to surgical treatment. An analysis of reliable sources demonstrates better long-term functional results in patients treated by applying minimally invasive techniques. To date, the question of the relationship between the choice of surgical treatment method and early postoperative complications from soft tissues remains not fully resolved. The purpose of this work is to analyze soft tissue complications in the early postoperative period after calcaneus osteosynthesis and to determine the relationship between the frequency of such complications and various methods of surgical treatment. Materials and methods. The treatment outcomes of 42 patients with displaced calcaneal fractures (47 fractures) were analyzed. Patients were divided into 3 groups depending on the surgical techniques used in the treatment: open direct reduction through an extended L-shaped approach followed by fixation with a plate, minimally invasive open reduction through access to the subtalar sinus followed by the fixation with a calcaneal mini-plate, closed reduction with transcutaneous cancellous screw fixation. Results. The main soft-tissue complications in the early postoperative period after calcaneus osteosynthesis among patients of different groups were recorded, and the relationship between the frequency of such complications and various methods of surgical treatment was established. Conclusion. The use of minimally invasive methods of surgical treatment for displaced calcaneus fracture prevents a number of early postoperative complications in soft tissues, promotes wound healing and prevents the development of secondary infectious complications.

Treatment of a brain abscess after a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) (clinical case)

Objective: to demonstrate the diagnostic features and successful outcome of the combined treatment of a temporoparietal abscess in the left cerebral hemisphere after a patient underwent COVID-19. The choice of a technique for surgical treatment of a brain abscess formed after COVID-19 is very difficult in view of the possible development of secondary hemorrhagic and infectious complications in such patients in the postoperative period. In the presented clinical case, the surgical manual was chosen in the volume of closed external drainage of the abscess cavity using a surgical navigation station and sowing on microflora. In combination with well-chosen antibacterial therapy, this made it possible to reduce the risk of complications, achieve early activation of the patient, and reduce the time of medical and social rehabilitation.

Options for treatment correction in children with atopic dermatitis

Background. Atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment is based on clinical recommendations (CR, 2021). It is reasonable to use other effective treatment methods due to continuous and often relapsing course of dermatosis, and thus physiotherapy treatment is important.Objective. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of chromotherapy with a spectrum of 470 nm (blue spectrum) in children with AD complicated by secondary infection.Methods. The study included 40 children aged from 2 to 12 years. All patients received standard treatment regimen according to the current CR and were divided into 2 groups, equal in number (20 patients each): the control group (CG — only traditional therapy), and the experimental group (EG — traditional therapy + blue spectrum chromotherapy (470 nm)).Results. The SCORAD index (the sum of objective and subjective features) before treatment in the whole patient cohort was 32.5 ± 6.99 points, which corresponds to the moderate-severe form of the disease. The positive effect of therapy was registered in all patients (n = 40). Persistent process stabilization on the 7th day 7 of treatment in EG was observed in 8 patients, and in CG — in 2 (40% and 10%, respectively); p = 0.065. After the end of the treatment (10th day) persistent remission prevailed in EG and was registered in 90% (n = 18) of patients, and in CG — only in half of all patients, 55% (n = 11); p = 0.031. The evaluation of the AD severity due to the SCORAD index in patients with residual clinical manifestations clearly indicates that in EG its value corresponded to a mild disease course (p < 0.001), and in CG — the lower border of the moderate-severe and the upper border of the mild disease course (p < 0.05).Conclusion. The use of blue spectrum chromotherapy in treatment of children with AD is the effective and accessible method that can be used as an addition to traditional treatment in cases with secondary infectious complications. Its use has a potential to exclude polypragmasy in this dermatosis treatment.

Physiological analysis of severe chlamydia psittaci pneumonia and clinical diagnosis after doxycycline-based treatment.

Objective: To describe the clinical spectrum of severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia in order to understand the disease better. Methods: Retrospective analysis was made on 31 patients with severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia diagnosed in ICU by next-generation sequencing of metagenome Metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS) from January 2019-November 2022, including clinical characteristics, laboratory examination results, imaging characteristics, treatment, and prognosis. Results: We included 31 patients with severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia, 15 of whom had a history of virus exposure. There were 12 cases with multiple bacterial infections, and the common symptoms included fever (31/31,100%), dyspnea (31/31, 100%), cough (22/31, 71.0%), and myalgia (20/31, 64.5%). Laboratory data showed that white blood cells were average or slightly increased, but the levels of C-reactive protein and neutrophils were high. CT findings of the lung were consolidation (19/31, 61.3%) and pleural effusion (11/31, 35.5%). Only one lobe was involved in 11 patients (35.5%). Before diagnosis, 22 patients (71.0%) did not have atypical pathogens in their antimicrobial regimen. After diagnosis, 19 patients (61.3%) received single drug treatment, of which doxycycline or moxifloxacin were the most commonly used drugs. Among 31 patients, three died, nine improved, and nineteen were cured. Conclusion: The clinical manifestations of severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia are non-specific. The application of mNGS can improve the diagnostic accuracy of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia, reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics, and shorten the course of the disease. Doxycycline-based treatment is effective for severe chlamydia psittaci pneumonia, but it is necessary to understand the secondary bacterial infection and other complications in the course of the disease.

Non-Neoformans Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Due to Cryptococcus Laurentii in a Positive SARS-COV-2 Patient

Non-neoformans Cryptococcus species were formerly considered to be saprophytes and nonpathogenic to humans [1-2]. However, the incidence of Cryptococcus laurentii infections in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients has been gradually increasing over the last decades [1-2]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple cases of opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections have been reported in patients after a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. The author reports the first case of opportunistic pulmonary cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus laurentii in a severely ill COVID-19 patient who received treatment with Tocilizumab and dexamethasone. This case contributes to the expanding knowledge of emergent secondary infectious complications including opportunistic pathogens after a SARS-COV-2 infection.

Можливості лікування хворих на неконтрольовану бронхіальну астму з реактивацією епштейн-барр вірусної інфекції у постковідному періоді

Abstract. Both before the beginning of the pandemic of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and now, the problems of uncontrolled bronchial asthma (BA) are extremely relevant. The COVID-19 negatively affects the control of BA. Often, loss of asthma control after acute COVID-19 occurs due to secondary infectious complications, including reactivation of chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The aim: to develop a treatment scheme for patients with uncontrolled asthma with reactivation of EBV infection in the post-COVID period and determine its effectiveness. Materials and methods. Clinical and functional indicators, laboratory results and data of chest computed tomography (CT) in dynamics in 114 patients (aged 18 to 85 years) with post-COVID syndrome who were being treated in clinical departments of National institute of phthisiology and pulmonology, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (NIFP NAMNU) were analyzed. Among them, the diagnosis of BA was found in 17 patients. The presence of EBV infection was determined by PCR of saliva and nasopharyngeal samples. Patients with reactivation of EBV infection were treated additionally to the basic BA therapy with acyclovir, tablets, 400 mg 4 times a day for 20 days; 15 drops of proteflazid for 15-30 minutes before meals 2 times a day for 2 months and local healing therapy. Asthma control before and after treatment was determined by the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-7) according to the GINA-2022 guidelines. All patients underwent a study of the pulmonary function before and after treatment according to spirometry data. Results. In 12 out of 17 (70.6 %) patients with BA with post-COVID syndrome, reactivation of chronic EBV infection was detected and treated. After 20 days of treatment, the patients had an improvement in the control of asthma symptoms: ACT increased from (11.4 ± 0.7) points to (20.8 ± 0.7) points, ACQ-7 decreased from (2.6 ± 0.2) points to (0.9 ± 0.1) points, p < 0.05. Improvement of the condition was observed in all patients, and the clinical effectiveness of treatment in terms of symptom control (minimum clinically important difference for the AKT index — 3 points, and for ACQ-7 — 0.5 points) was achieved in 10 (83.3 %) of 12 patients. After treatment, all parameters of spirometry improved, and peak expiratory flow, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and parameters of large-, medium-, and small- airway patency increased with reliably significant differences. The functional efficiency of the studied treatment regimen was 75.0 %. Conclusions. For patients with uncontrolled BA with reactivation of EBV infection in the post-COVID period, in whom control of the symptoms of the disease cannot be achieved by standard methods, in addition to the basic treatment, the appointment of acyclovir, proteflazid and local healing therapy is indicated. The clinical effectiveness of the proposed treatment is 88.3 %, and the functional effectiveness is 75.0 %. Key words: bronchial asthma, asthma control, COVID-19, post-COVID-19 period, Epstein-Barr virus.

Possible scenarios of the development of antibiotic resistance in patients with urinary tract infection after the COVID-19 pandemic era

An outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen for COVID-19 was reported at the end of December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, and by March 2020, it was declared a pandemic COVID-19. In hospital and critical care department settings, the majority of patients with COVID-19 receive broad-spectrum antibiotics for treatment of secondary infection complications. In patients affected by COVID-19, who had a suspected secondary bacterial superinfection, antibiotics including teicoplanin, clarithromycin, doxycycline, azithromycin, tetracyclines, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and cephalosporins 3d generation were proposed as an effective treatment. In this editorial, we will consider possible scenarios of the development of antibiotic resistance after the pandemic COVID-19 in patients with urinary tract infection (UTI).

Infectious complications of the respiratory tract and lungs in patients with post-COVID syndrome

BACKGROUND. The mechanism of development of post-COVID syndrome is not fully understood. Long-term retention of complaints in patients is associated with long-term persistence of the virus, hyperinflammatory response of the body, as well as with the peculiarities of the patient’s cellular and humoral immunity. Secondary infectious complications in the post-COVID period are due not only to the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to damage erythrocytes and attack the red bone marrow in the acute phase of the disease. It has been proven that the SARS-CoV-2 virus leads to the disappearance of white pulp cells in the spleen, the tissue where cells of the immune response, in particular T- and B-lymphocytes responsible for infectious immunity, mature.
 OBJECTIVE. To investigate the frequency of secondary infectious complications of the respiratory tract and lungs in patients with post-COVID syndrome who underwent inpatient treatment.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS. Clinical, laboratory and radiological data of 90 patients with post-COVID syndrome who were undergoing inpatient treatment in the clinical departments of the SI “National institute of phthisiology and pulmonology named after F.G. Yanovsky of the NAMS of Ukraine”. The diagnosis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was established in accordance with the current national protocol for the treatment. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest organs was performed on the Aquilion TSX-101A scanner (Toshiba, Japan).
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Complications of COVID-19 were determined according to the clinical and functional, laboratory examination and CT scan of the chest. Some patients had two or more complications at the same time. Patients with post-COVID syndrome were most often hospitalized for progression or slight positive dynamics of the pathological process of the respiratory tract and lungs, disappearing lung syndrome, fibrotic changes in the lungs, exacerbation of bronchoobstructive lung diseases and infectious complications. The latter were observed most often – in 53,3 % of patients. Fungal and bacterial complications occurred secondarily, mainly in patients with disappearing lung syndrome, in places where cystlike cavities were formed. The most common concomitant diseases in patients with post-COVID syndrome were cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
 CONCLUSIONS. The proportion of infectious complications of the respiratory tract and lungs in patients with post-COVID syndrome, who are indicated for inpatient treatment in the pulmonology department, is 53.3 %. The most frequent causes of infectious complications of the respiratory tract and lungs in patients with post-COVID syndrome are the reactivation of the Epstein – Barr virus infection – in 30.0 %, which in 2.2 % of patients is combined with the reactivation of the hepatitis C virus, and bacterial infections – in 15.6 %. Aspergillosis and mucormycosis occur in 1.1 and 3.3 % of patients respectively.

Clinical case of early debut of food allergy in a child up to 6 months

Introduction: It is believed that if the child ate only a cow’s milk formula (CMF), and сow's milk allergy is the only possible at the age of <6 months. This approach leads to erroneous treatment tactics.
 Presentation of the clinical case: a child aged 3 months with the debut of atopic dermatitis (AtD) of light degree (on the scale of the assessment of the researcher IGA 2). The patient was fed on artificial with a CMF from 1,5 months. Infant was examined at the place of residence. The CMF was changed to full hydrolysis CMF and without examination. Additionally, cosmetics were applied to the skin as needed. The child was examined by an allergologist after 3-4 weeks of diet. Negative dynamics were observed. Atopic dermatitis has become moderately severe with secondary infection complications (IGA 3, 50% affected skin). Prick-tests with allergens of milk, eggs, wheat, fish were carried out. High sensitization to egg and controversial to cow’s milk was found. The results were clarified during enzyme immunoassay: IgE ovomucoid – 0.78 IU/ml (norm <0.3 IU/ml); cow's milk 0.01 kUA/ l; casein – 0.01 kUA / l (norm <0.1 kUA/l). 
 Considering the infected AtD, "hydrocortisone + natamycin + neomycin" 2 times a day was used in the therapy. Cosmetics on infected foci was canceled, while maintaining the treatment of dry unaffected skin. It is recommended to limit household contacts with eggs. After 2 weeks, the rash is residual (IGA 0-1). The cow’s milk formula was returned to the diet without exacerbations of the skin process. 
 Conclusion: The case illustrates that sensitization in children can begin and be maintained without oral ingestion of the allergen. Sensitization at the age of up to 6 months is likely with a moderate – severe recurrent course of dermatitis. A specific allergological examination can be conduct with a developed disease at an early age. Skin tests and enzyme immunoassay are applicable in infants. The appointment of a diet without examination is unreasonable and should not be used.

Kinetics of humoral immunodeficiency with bispecific antibody therapy in multiple myeloma.

8049 Background: Bispecific antibodies (bsAb) are a promising class of therapeutics in RRMM. While hypogammaglobinemia (HGG) is anticipated due to plasma cell depletion, there is a lack of information about the degree of secondary immunodeficiency and resultant infectious complications. We investigated the kinetics of HGG in patients with RRMM on bsAb therapy. Methods: We identified and followed 42 patients treated on early clinical trials of bsAb at our institution between 2019 and 2021. Serial immunoglobulin levels and infections were obtained from the start of therapy until last follow up or 3 months after study exit. Results: 49 treatment courses were included from 42 individual patients. All patients were triple class exposed with a median of 5 prior lines of therapy. The median age was 67 (44-85) years, with 49% females. African Americans accounted for 18% of patients. 96% of patients had at least one prior ASCT. 90% of patients received bsAb targeting BCMA including 7 patients who received more than one line of BCMA targeting therapies. At a median follow up 9.5 (0.9-28.6) months, 40.8% of patients remained on bsAb therapy. At the start of therapy, the median IgG, IgA, and IgM levels were 560 (44-9436), 15 (5-3886) and 6 (5-64) mg/dL, respectively and 50% of patients had severe HGG (≤400mg/dl). Serum IgG levels reached a nadir at 3 months while, IgA and IgM at 1 month, from the start of therapy. The median nadir levels of IgG were 159 (40-2996) mg/dL, while it was < 5 mg/dL for both IgA and IgM. IgG levels were below the detectable range ( < 40 mg/dl) in 28% of patients at some point during therapy. IgA and IgM were also below the detectable range ( < 5 mg/dl) in 50% and 60% of patients, respectively. At last follow-up, the median IgG levels were 444 (40-1860) mg/dL and IgA 5 (5-254) mg/dL and IgM 5 (5-44) mg/dL. Additionally, 38% of patients remained severely hypogammaglobinemic. 57% (24/42) of patients received IVIG supplements in the current series. About 71% of patients had at least one infectious event and the cumulative incidence of infections progressively increased with increasing duration of therapy with risk at 3, 6, 9 12, 15 months being 41%, 57%, 64%, 67% and 70%, respectively. Among these, 54% of infection were bacterial. Viral infection accounted for 41% of infections. A third of patients had new infectious events during the first 90 days following stopping bsAb treatment. 57% (8/14) of patients did not mount a response to the primary COVID19 immunization series. Among the five patients with repeat antibody titers after the booster dose, 50% were still not able to mount an antibody response. Conclusions: bsAb therapy in RRMM can be associated with profound and prolonged HGG. The cumulative risk of infection correlated with the degree of HGG and progressively increases with treatment and persisted months after being off therapy. Additionally, an impaired antibody response to the COVID-19 immunization series was also noted.

Non-operative management of solid organ injuries in a middle-income country, how does it stack up?

IntroductionThe first trauma surgery unit in Malaysia was established in 2011. After 10 years, we examine our experience in the management, and outcomes of blunt liver, spleen, and kidney injuries. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study of patients with blunt liver, spleen, and kidney injuries in a level 1 trauma centre in Malaysia between January 2018 to June 2021. Patients’ characteristics, new injury severity score, organ-specific AAST injury score, type of primary management (operative management [OM], non-operative management [NOM]), causes of failed NOM, management of failed NOM, and outcome of treatment were recorded and analysed. ResultsAmong 448 patients, 83.9% were male and in the working-age range of 15–64 years old (93.5%). Road traffic crashes made up 92.0% of blunt trauma resulting in 65.5% of isolated organ injuries and 34.5% combined injuries. An overwhelming 84.2% of the patients had major trauma (NISS>15). Three hundred and thirty-four patients (74.6%) underwent initial non-operative management. Patients in the OM group showed lower mean GCS scores (p = 0.022) and higher NISS scores (p < 0.001). High-grade liver and kidney injuries were mostly treated with NOM (p < 0.001). In contradistinction, patients with high-grade spleen injuries had more OM performed (p < 0.001). NOM had been successful in 325 patients (97.3%) with 9 failures. Underlying causes for NOM failure were hemodynamic instability due to secondary bleeding and infectious complications. Overall mortality was 11.2%, which was significantly higher in the OM group (23.7%) than in the NOM group (6.9%). ConclusionThis study represents one of the largest single centre experiences on the blunt liver, spleen, and kidney injuries in Malaysia and South-East Asia. With good selection and adequate resources, non-operative management of blunt liver, spleen, and kidney injuries is a safe and effective therapeutic approach with a high success rate of 97.3%, avoiding the morbidity of unnecessary laparotomies.

Adsorbent Dressings from Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose With Silver Ions in Primary Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Trial

Background. The ideal wound dressing should have complex positive affect on a postoperative wound healing: absorb excessive wound exudate, allow adequate gas exchange, prevent secondary infectious complications, create optimal humidity, be durable and not to restrict patients mobility, which is crucial for early mobilization after total knee arthroplasty. We carried out this research to asses the effectiveness and safety of contemporary adhesive wound dressings and if they do have the abovementioned qualities.&#x0D; Aim to assess the effect of using absorbing wound dressing made from sodium carboxymethyl cellulose with silver ions on the quality of rehabilitation and the rate of superficial infection occurrence in patients who underwent total knee joint arthroplasty.&#x0D; Methods. This prospective randomized (simple randomization) paralleled open study included 200 patients with terminal stage knee arthritis, who required total knee joint arthroplasty. Patients were divided into three groups, in two of the groups the innovate wound dressing made from sodium carboxymethyl cellulose with silver ions was used, in the third group traditional wound dressing was used.&#x0D; Results. In the course of this study, it was confirmed that there was no statistically significant difference in pain syndrome intensity in the early postoperative period or Knee Society Score (KSS) at 3 months postoperatively in regard of type of wound dressing and time of its application. Subjectively the most comfortable wound cover method for the patients was the usage of adhesive dressings with silver impregnation from the first day postoperatively. As complications we observed epidermal blistering under the dressing, superficial wound necrosis, superficial wound infection and formation of prominent and rough postoperative scars. The highest rate of blistering was observed in patients with traditional patch wound dressing.&#x0D; Conclusions. The usage of absorbing wound dressing made from sodium carboxymethyl cellulose with silver ions in our current study did not affect the rate of infectious complications and did not have any negative effects on rehabilitation. The usage of innovate dressings reduced the rate of epidermal blistering associated with dressings.

The Effect of Nosocomial Infection on the Severity and Outcome of the Disease in Patients with Severe and Extremely Severe COVID-19

The mechanisms of development of nosocomial infectious complications in COVID-19 and the contribution of bacterial and mycotic superinfection to the formation of extremely high mortality among patients with severe and extremely severe course of this disease have not yet been fully revealed. The objective: to study epidemiology, risk factors for the development of nosocomial superinfection, and its effect on the severity and outcome of the disease in patients with COVID-19.Subjects and Methods. 383 cases of severe and extremely severe COVID-19 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, the presence of concomitant diseases, community-acquired co-infection at the time of hospitalization, data on the methods used to treat new coronavirus infection, severity of the course of the disease, developed infectious complications and their etiology, and the disease outcome were studied. Risk factors for the development of secondary infectious complications and the contribution of nosocomial superinfection to the severity of COVID-19 and the disease outcome were evaluated.Results. Risk factors for the development of secondary infectious complications include age over 65 years (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.03–1.06; p &lt; 0.0001), concomitant cardiovascular pathology (OR 3.82; 95% CI 2.02‒7.19; p &lt; 0.0001), chronic kidney disease, including requiring renal replacement therapy (OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.33–3.02; p = 0.0007), and glucocorticoid therapy (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.02–2.69; p = 0.04). The development of nosocomial infectious complications in patients with COVID-19 is associated with a more severe course of the disease and unfavorable prognosis (OR 13.44; 95% CI 8.23‒21.92; p &lt; 0.0001).Conclusion. Identification of risk factors for the development of secondary infectious complications in COVID-19 allows developing differentiated approaches to the pathogenetic treatment of patients with severe COVID-19, increasing alertness in terms of the development of nosocomial infections, ensuring their timely diagnosis and treatment.

Complicated urinary tract infection in a patient with severe COVID-19

Introduction. At the end of 2019, the world faced a pandemic of infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The disease caused by this virus is referred to as COVID-19, and is characterized by multiorgan lesion. The leading syndrome is the syndrome of immune response disregulation or the «cytokine storm». According to the studies, which were used as the basis of patient management clinical protocols, antiinterleukin-6 agents, and glucocorticosteroids, are the most effective in stopping the «cytokine storm». At the same time, the use of immunosuppressive drugs increases the risk of secondary infectious complications not associated with the COVID-19 viral infection.The aim of the study was to present a successful case of treating a secondary bacterial infection in a patient with a severe new coronavirus infection in the context of a limited choice of antimicrobial therapy.Materials and methods. The report presents a clinical case of a complicated urinary tract infection associated with an extremely resistant Kl.pneumoniae strain in a 58-year-old patient hospitalized with severe COVID-19. Due to comorbidity, combined with long-term hospitalization, the need in immunosuppressive therapy, and long-term catheterization of the urinary tract, the patient got affected by Kl.pneumoniae. This pathogen demonstrated microbiological and clinical resistance to all studied classes of antibiotics, including carbapenems, aminoglycosides and polymyxins. The patient developed an abscess of the prostate, and orchiepididymitis, which required repeated surgical interventions.Results and Discussion. The multidisciplinary approach to patient treatment, as well as the use of local and regional epidemiological data made it possible to choose the most effective drug therapy. The combination of adequate surgical debridement and combined antibiotic therapy (ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam) led to regression of the complicated urinary tract infection manifestations and clinical recovery.Conclusions. The use of ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam combination is a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of infections caused by extremely resistant strains of Enterobacterales, in which the combined production of serine proteases and metallobetalactamases is expected.

Clinical presentation of secondary infectious complications in COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit treated with tocilizumab or standard of care

Objectives: The hypothesis of this study is that tocilizumab should affect common signs of infection due to its immunosuppressive properties. Primary aim of the study was to investigate whether the administration of tocilizumab to critically ill patients with COVID-19, led to a different clinical presentation of infectious complications compared to patients who did not receive tocilizumab. Secondary aim was investigating differences in laboratory parameters between groups.Methods: Single-centre retrospective study, enrolling COVID-19 patients who developed a microbiologically confirmed infectious complication [ventilator associated pneumonia or bloodstream infection] after intensive care unit [ICU] admission and either treated with tocilizumab or not [controls].Results: A total of 58 patients were included, 25 treated with tocilizumab and 33 controls. Median time from tocilizumab administration to infection onset was 10 days [range 2-26]. Patients were 78% male, with median age 65 years [range 45-79]. At first clinical presentation of the infectious event, the frequency of hypotension [11/25, 44% vs. 11/33, 33%], fever [8/25, 32% vs. 10/33, 30%] or hypothermia [0/25,0%, vs. 2/33, 6%], and oxygen desaturation [6/25, 28% vs 4/33, 12%], as well as the frequency of SOFA score increase of ≥ 2 points [4/25, 16%,vs. 4/33, 12%] was similar in tocilizumab treated patients and controls [p>0.1 for all comparisons]. Among laboratory parameters, C-Reactive Protein elevation was reduced in tocilizumab treated patients compared to controls [8/25, 32% vs. 22/33, 67%, p=0.009].Conclusion: The clinical features of infectious complications in critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICU were not affected by tocilizumab.

Efficacy and safety of stress ulcer prophylaxis in septic patients: a retrospective cohort study based on large database

To evaluate the effects and safety of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) versus no prophylaxis in adult septic patients at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). A retrospective cohort study was conducted, the data was extracted from Electronic Intensive Care Unit-Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD). All patients who received proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or H2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) or combined/sequential use for SUP within the first 48 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) admission were enrolled in the SUP group, those who did not received any SUP were enrolled in the non-SUP group. The differences of in-hospital mortality, length of ICU stay (LOS), the incidence of GIB and secondary infection complications between the two groups were compared. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to balance the distributions of study variables between the two groups. Further subgroup analysis was performed according to whether SUP was used for more than 3 days. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the factors influencing the outcome of GIB and secondary pneumonia. A total of 11 413 patients were included in the final analysis, with 9 799 patients in SUP group and 1 614 in non-SUP group. A 1:1 PSM created 1 600 patients in each cohort. (1) Baseline characteristics: compared with SUP group, patients in non-SUP group were older [years old: 69.0 (56.0, 80.0) vs. 67.0 (56.0, 78.0)], acute physiology and chronic health evaluation IV (APACHE IV) score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were significantly lower [APACHE IV score: 65 (50, 73) vs. 72 (58, 87), SOFA score: 5 (4, 7) vs. 7 (5, 9)], higher rates of underlying diseases such as hypertension and diabetes [hypertension: 15.6% (252/1 614) vs. 12.2% (1 196/9 779), diabetes: 4.5% (72/1 614) vs. 3.3% (325/9 779), both P < 0.05], indicating that patients in the SUP group were more severe. (2) Comparison of clinical outcome: before PSM, SUP group had significantly higher in-hospital mortality [17.2% (1 688/9 799) vs. 10.9% (176/1 614)], longer LOS [days: 4.4 (2.9, 7.7) vs. 3.1 (2.5, 4.3)], and higher incidence of secondary pneumonia than non-SUP group [11.3% (1 112/9 799) vs. 6.8% (110/1 614)], with significant differences (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of GIB and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) between the two groups. After PSM, no significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to in-hospital mortality, incidence of GIB and CDI. However, the SUP group had longer LOS [days: 3.9 (2.8, 6.6) vs. 3.1 (2.5, 4.3)], and higher incidence of secondary pneumonia [10.9% (174/1 600) vs. 6.8% (108/1 600)] compared with non-SUP group, the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that compared with SUP < 3 days group, patients in SUP ≥ 3 days group had higher disease severity score [APACHE IV score: 66 (51, 79) vs. 62 (48, 72), SOFA score: 6 (4, 8) vs. 5 (4, 7), both P < 0.05], in addition, patients in SUP ≥ 3 days group had higher in-hospital mortality, incidence of GIB and secondary pneumonia (16.4% vs. 10.7%, 6.1% vs. 1.8%, 19.0% vs. 8.6%, respectively), and longer ICU LOS [days: 6.6 (4.1, 11.8) vs. 3.5 (2.6, 5.3), all P < 0.05]. (3) Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that SUP ≥ 3 days group was associated with more GIB than that of non-SUP group [odds ratio (OR) = 1.84, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.07-3.08, P = 0.030], and the incidence of GIB was less in SUP < 3 days group than that of non-SUP group (OR = 0.57, 95%CI was 0.34-0.94, P = 0.020). When compared with non-SUP group, the risk of secondary pneumonia was increased both in SUP ≥ 3 days group and SUP < 3 days group (OR values were 2.95 and 1.34, 95%CI were 2.10-4.13 and 1.01-1.77, P values were < 0.001 and 0.040, respectively). Among critically ill adult patients with sepsis at risk for GIB, SUP showed no effect on reducing in-hospital mortality, the rate of GIB and CDI, but was associated with increased risk of secondary pneumonia and prolonged LOS.