Long-term Quality of Life After Intensive Care Unit Admission (a Single-Center Observational Study)

Patients may experience long-term physical, psychological and cognitive impairment after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, a condition commonly described as post-intensive care syndrome. The relative contribution of each of these components to long-term quality of life was never investigated.The aim of this study is to identify the type and severity of disability and QoL at the discharge from ICU and up to following 6 months.Material and Methods. All patients (n=218) discharged from a university hospital ICU between April 2016 and July 2017 were eligible. Exclusion criteria included: age <18 years, brain or spinal injury, life expectancy <90 days, and ICU stay <12 hours. The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and 5-level EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires were administered at ICU discharge, and at 30-, 90- and 180-days. We compared patients requiring short-term ICU monitoring (IM, Intensive Monitoring, n=109) or patients requiring ICU treatment (IT, Intensive Treatment, n=109).Results. All dimensions of SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L parameters increased from ICU discharge to 180-days, except for the SF-36 Synthetic index linked to mental health (P=0.08). All EQ-5D-5L parameters improved significantly in the IT group, while only Visual Analog Scale Health Perception improved in the IM group.Conclusion. ICU survivors suffer long-term physical and psychological sequelae. The perception of Quality of Life is reduced after ICU discharge. The psychological and cognitive dimensions were more compromised than physical ones. Patients discharged from the ICU may benefit from specific intensive care follow-up clinics addressing their needs in term of psychological and cognitive support

Долгосрочное качество жизни после лечения в отделении реанимации и интенсивной терапии (одноцентровое обсервационное исследование)

Patients may experience long-term physical, psychological and cognitive impairment after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, a condition commonly described as post-intensive care syndrome. The relative contribution of each of these components to long-term quality of life was never investigated.The aim of this study is to identify the type and severity of disability and QoL at the discharge from ICU and up to following 6 months.Material and Methods. All patients (n=218) discharged from a university hospital ICU between April 2016 and July 2017 were eligible. Exclusion criteria included: age <18 years, brain or spinal injury, life expectancy <90 days, and ICU stay <12 hours. The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and 5-level EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires were administered at ICU discharge, and at 30-, 90- and 180-days. We compared patients requiring short-term ICU monitoring (IM, Intensive Monitoring, n=109) or patients requiring ICU treatment (IT, Intensive Treatment, n=109).Results. All dimensions of SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L parameters increased from ICU discharge to 180-days, except for the SF-36 Synthetic index linked to mental health (P=0.08). All EQ-5D-5L parameters improved significantly in the IT group, while only Visual Analog Scale Health Perception improved in the IM group.Conclusion. ICU survivors suffer long-term physical and psychological sequelae. The perception of Quality of Life is reduced after ICU discharge. The psychological and cognitive dimensions were more compromised than physical ones. Patients discharged from the ICU may benefit from specific intensive care follow-up clinics addressing their needs in term of psychological and cognitive support.После выписки из отделения интенсивной терапии у пациентов может развиваться «синдром последствий интенсивной терапии», включающий долговременные соматические, психологические и когнитивные нарушения. Относительный вклад данных нарушений в долгосрочное качество жизни пациентов практически не изучен.Цель исследования — определить тип и степень тяжести функциональных расстройств и нарушения качества жизни при выписке из отделения реанимации и интенсивной терапии (ОРИТ) и на протяжении последующих 6 месяцев.Материал и методы. В исследование включили 218 пациентов, выписанных из ОРИТ университетской больницы в период между апрелем 2016 и июлем 2017 гг. Критерии исключения: возраст младше 18 лет, повреждение головного или спинного мозга, ожидаемая продолжительность жизни менее 90 дней, период пребывания в ОРИТ менее 12 часов. Использовали опросники SF-36 (краткая форма оценки здоровья) и 5-уровневый EQ-5D-5L (Европейский опросник оценки качества в 5 областях), которые пациенты заполняли при выписке и через 30, 90 и 180 дней после нее. Проводили сравнение пациентов, которым требовалось кратковременное пребывание в ОРИТ (группа интенсивного наблюдения, n=109), и тех, которые прошли курс лечения в ОРИТ (группа интенсивной терапии, n=109).Результаты. Через 180 дней все показатели опросников SF-36 и EQ-5D-5L повысились по сравнению с моментом выписки, за исключением общего показателя психического здоровья SF-36 (p=0,08). В группе интенсивной терапии значительно улучшились все показатели EQ-5D-5L, в то время как в группе интенсивного наблюдения улучшились только показатели визуально-аналоговой шкалы оценки здоровья данного опросника.Заключение. У пациентов, выписанных из ОРИТ, наблюдали длительные соматические и психологические неблагоприятные последствия. После выписки из ОРИТ снижается оценка собственного качества жизни. Нарушения показателей, характеризующих психологическую и когнитивную сферы, были более выраженным, чем у параметров соматического состояния пациентов. Ситуацию поможет исправить наблюдение и лечение пациентов, выписанных из ОРИТ, в специальных постреанимационных клиниках с упором на необходимость психологической и когнитивной поддержки больных

Case Report: Invasive Fungal Infection and Daratumumab: A Case Series and Review of Literature

Life expectancy of multiple myeloma (MM) patients has improved in last years due to the advent of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies in combination with immunomodulators and proteasome inhibitors. However, morbidity and mortality related to infections remain high and represent a major concern. This paper describes the “real life” risk of invasive fungal infections (IFI) in patients treated with daratumumab-based therapy and reviews the relevant literature. In a series of 75 patients we only observed three cases of fungal pneumonia. Unfortunately, the early signs and symptoms were not specific for fungal infection. Diagnostic imaging, microbiology and patient history, especially previous therapies, are critical in the decision to start antifungal treatment. Recognising the subgroup of MM patients with high risk of IFI can increase the rate of diagnosis, adequate treatment and MM-treatment recovery

Use of Cefiderocol in Adult Patients: Descriptive Analysis from a Prospective, Multicenter, Cohort Study

IntroductionCefiderocol is a siderophore cephalosporin showing activity against various carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB). No data currently exist about real-world use of cefiderocol in terms of types of therapy (e.g., empirical or targeted, monotherapy or combined regimens), indications, and patient characteristics.MethodsIn this multicenter, prospective study, we aimed at describing the use of cefiderocol in terms of types of therapy, indications, and patient characteristics.ResultsCefiderocol was administered as empirical and targeted therapy in 27.5% (55/200) and 72.5% (145/200) of cases, respectively. Overall, it was administered as monotherapy in 101/200 cases (50.5%) and as part of a combined regimen for CR-GNB infections in the remaining 99/200 cases (49.5%). In multivariable analysis, previous isolation of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii odds ratio (OR) 2.56, with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01-6.46, p = 0.047] and previous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (OR 8.73, 95% CI 1.05-72.54, p = 0.045) were associated with administration of cefiderocol as part of a combined regimen, whereas chronic kidney disease was associated with cefiderocol monotherapy (OR 0.38 for combined regimen, 95% CI 0.16-0.91, p = 0.029). Cumulative 30-day mortality was 19.8%, 45.0%, 20.7%, and 22.7% in patients receiving targeted cefiderocol for infections by Enterobacterales, A. baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and any metallo-beta-lactamase producers, respectively.ConclusionsCefiderocol is mainly used for targeted treatment, although empirical therapies account for more than 25% of prescriptions, thus requiring dedicated standardization and guidance. The almost equal distribution of cefiderocol monotherapy and cefiderocol-based combination therapies underlines the need for further study to ascertain possible differences in efficacy between the two approaches

Real-Life Use of Ceftolozane/Tazobactam for the Treatment of Bloodstream Infection Due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Neutropenic Hematologic Patients: a Matched Control Study (ZENITH Study)

We sought to assess the characteristics and outcomes of neutropenic hematologic patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) bloodstream infection (BSI) treated with ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T). We conducted a multicenter, international, matched-cohort study of PA BSI episodes in neutropenic hematologic patients who received C/T. Controls were patients with PA BSI treated with other antibiotics. Risk factors for overall 7-day and 30-day case fatality rates were analyzed. We compared 44 cases with 88 controls. Overall, 91% of episodes were caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. An endogenous source was the most frequent BSI origin (35.6%), followed by pneumonia (25.8%). There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between groups. C/T was given empirically in 11 patients and as definitive therapy in 41 patients. Treatment with C/T was associated with less need for mechanical ventilation (13.6% versus 33.3%; P = 0.021) and reduced 7-day (6.8% versus 34.1%; P = 0.001) and 30-day (22.7% versus 48.9%; P = 0.005) mortality. In the multivariate analysis, pneumonia, profound neutropenia, and persistent BSI were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality, whereas lower mortality was found among patients treated with C/T (adjusted OR [aOR] of 0.19; confidence interval [CI] 95% of 0.07 to 0.55; P = 0.002). Therapy with C/T was associated with less need for mechanical ventilation and reduced 7-day and 30-day case fatality rates compared to alternative agents in neutropenic hematologic patients with PA BSI. IMPORTANCE Ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T) has been shown to be a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of difficult to treat infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) in the general nonimmunocompromised population. However, the experience of this agent in immunosuppressed neutropenic patients is very limited. Our study is unique because it is focused on extremely immunosuppressed hematological patients with neutropenia and bloodstream infection (BSI) due to PA (mainly multidrug resistant [MDR]), a scenario which is often associated with very high mortality rates. In our study, we found that the use of C/T for the treatment of MDR PA BSI in hematological neutropenic patients was significantly associated with improved outcomes, and, in addition, it was found to be an independent risk factor associated with increased survival. To date, this is the largest series involving neutropenic hematologic patients with PA BSI treated with C/T

Primary antifungal prophylaxis in hematological malignancies. Updated clinical practice guidelines by the European Conference on Infections in Leukemia (ECIL)

At the 10th European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia (ECIL), the guidelines for antifungal prophylaxis in pediatric and adult patients with hematological malignancies (HM) were updated and some changes introduced. Regarding acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients undergoing remission induction chemotherapy, a B-II grading has been assigned to isavuconazole, micafungin, and caspofungin, based on non-randomized studies that have shown efficacy in preventing invasive fungal diseases (IFD). Regarding high-risk MDS patients treated with azacytidine, prophylaxis with posaconazole during the first four cycles of treatment is supported in the literature. Prophylaxis is not indicated in patients treated for myeloproliferative neoplasms (NPM), acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). For patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), prophylaxis is not generally indicated. For patients with multiple myeloma (MM), prophylaxis is not indicated and the limited epidemiological data available do not support the use of prophylaxis in subjects treated with bispecific antibodies. For patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), no substantial changes were made, apart from the addition of isavuconazole with grading B-II in the post-engraftment period. In patients undergoing auto-HSCT, antifungal prophylaxis is not indicated. Previous ECIL guidelines did not include CAR-T cells. The expert panel proposes to endorse the use of anti-mold prophylaxis in high-risk patients during pre-infusion and post-infusion, while in low-risk patients, anti-yeast prophylaxis can be recommended (B-II). For pediatric hematology patients, based on newly published data, caspofungin received a B-I grading as mold-active prophylaxis. Moreover, patients with ALL with insufficient treatment response during induction therapy, and children older than 12 y.o are now considered at high risk for IFD and are recommended to receive antifungal prophylaxis