Identifying patients at risk of late recovery (≥8 days) from acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and COPD

SummaryObjectivesTo identify factors associated with late recovery (≥8 days from exacerbation start) in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis/COPD (AECB/AECOPD).MethodsAn international, observational, non-interventional study in outpatients with AECB/AECOPD who received treatment for their exacerbation with the antibiotic moxifloxacin. Factors analyzed for late recovery included patient demographic characteristics, geographic region and disease severity. Additionally, logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify factors associated with late recovery.ResultsThe analysis population was 40,435 patients aged ≥35 years, from Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas and Middle East/Africa. Most were male (63.1%), mean age 60.4 years and current or ex-smokers (60.6%) with history of ≥2 exacerbations in the previous year. Patients who underwent spirometry (n = 6408, 19.7%) had moderate airflow obstruction (mean FEV1 1.7 L). Both clinicians and patients reported that moxifloxacin provided clinical improvement in a mean of 3 days and recovery in 6 days. Clinical factors significantly associated with late recovery were: age ≥65 years, duration of chronic bronchitis >10 years, cardiac comorbidity, >3 exacerbations in the previous 12 months, current exacerbation type (Anthonisen I/II) and hospitalization in the last 12 months.ConclusionsIn a large cohort of patients, all treated with the same antibiotic for an exacerbation of chronic bronchitis or COPD, the main factors associated with late recovery (≥8 days) were: older age, history of frequent exacerbations, current exacerbation type of Anthonisen I/II, history of prior hospitalizations and cardiac comorbid conditions

le polmoniti nei pazienti provenienti da residenze sanitarie assistenziali e necessaria una strategia terapeutica dedicata

Summary Background: Nursing home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) was described in 1978, but only in 2005 it has been proposed as part of a new category (health care-associated pneumonia) distinct from community- or hospital-acquired infections. However, limited clinical data exist to validate this proposal. Aim of the study: To compare characteristics and outcome of patients hospitalised for pneumonia and coming from private residence or nursing home. Methods: Post-hoc analysis of the prospective phase of the FASTCAP study, performed to evaluate the impact of the Recommendations issued by the Italian Federation of Internal Medicine (FADOI) in 2002 on the management of hospitalised community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)

La terapia della tubercolosi

The relatively few antitubercular chemio-antibiotics are analytically reviewed and updated. Consequently the most recent epidemiological aspects are described concerning the planetary map of the disease, which obliges, in some third world countries at higher incidence and prevalence, to the so-called DOT, or "directly observed therapy. Together with such aspects, the recent evolution of the (often multi-drug) resistances and the growing importance of the most reasonable therapeutic schemes of multi-drug associations, as well as the chemioprophylaxis, the extrapulmonary tuberculosis, the failures of treatment and the relapses are also treated

Characterisation of exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and COPD in Europe: the GIANT study

Objective: The GIANT study collected information on patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the effect of treatment with moxifloxacin. Methods: AECB history, concomitant diseases, moxifloxacin treatment, concomitant medication, clinical symptoms and adverse events were recorded. A questionnaire at the end of treatment recorded the impact on patients’ daily lives. Results: Among 9225 patients from eight European countries, marked variation was seen in characteristics including age, smoking history and type of exacerbation. Spirometry use was more common among chest physicians (66.7%) than GPs (15.5%). Patients with Anthonisen type 1 and 2 exacerbations had more frequent exacerbations and these patients experienced a greater impact on daily activities compared with patients with type 3 episodes. Patient symptoms improved with moxifloxacin treatment after a mean (SD) of 3.4 (1.8) days, allowing return to normal daily activities after 5.4 (4.4) days and with full recovery taking 6.5 (3.1) days. Conclusions: Characteristics of patients with AECB and acute exacerbations of COPD differ among European countries. Spirometry is under-used, particularly in primary care and antibiotic treatment does not always follow current guidelines. Results confirm the efficacy of moxifloxacin in the treatment of AECB in real-life conditions

Pneumonia in nursing home patients: is it time for a specific therapeutic strategy?

Background: Nursing home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) was described in 1978, but only in 2005 it has been proposed as part of a new category (health care-associated pneumonia) distinct from community- or hospital-acquired infections. However, limited clinical data exist to validate this proposal. Aim of the study: To compare characteristics and outcome of patients hospitalised for pneumonia and coming from private residence or nursing home. Methods: Post-hoc analysis of the prospective phase of the FASTCAP study, performed to evaluate the impact of the Recommendations issued by the Italian Federation of Internal Medicine (FADOI) in 2002 on the management of hospitalised community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Results: The study examined 1,219 patients coming from private residence, and 179 with NHAP. Failures of therapy were significantly more frequent in patients with NHAP (35.8% vs 24.9%; Odds Ratio 1.48; 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.09). Mortality was higher in patients coming from nursing home (24.0% vs 9.8%; OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.72-3.90). Antibiotic treatment was more frequently performed as monotherapy in case of NHAP. Conclusions: At the time of FASTCAP, NHAP was included in the category of CAP, and coherently, treatment of NHAP was not more aggressive if compared to community-acquired infections. However, our results confirm that NHAP is at increased risk for worst outcome, and probably worth considering for specific therapeutic strategies. Future studies are needed to better assess the microbiology of NHAP, and to evaluate if specific treatments, as those recommended by recent guidelines, may improve the outcome for these high-risk patients