Risk factors, clinical features, and outcomes of listeriosis in solid-organ transplant recipients: a matched case-control study

BACKGROUND: Solid-organ transplant (SOT) recipients are classically considered to be at increased risk for listeriosis. However, risk factors for this infection have not been assessed. METHODS: We carried out a multicenter, matched case-control study (1:2 ratio) from January 1995 through December 2007. Control subjects were matched for center, transplant type, and timing. Conditional logistic regression was performed to identify independent risk factors. Clinical features and outcomes for all case patients were reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty patients (0.12%) with cases of listeriosis were identified among 25,997 SOT recipients at 15 Spanish transplant centers. In a comparison of case patients with 60 matched control subjects, the following independent risk factors for listeriosis were identified: diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR], 5.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-19.6; ), P = .007 history of cytomegalovirus infection or disease within the preceding 6 months (OR, 35.9; 95% CI, 2.1-620; P = .014), receipt of high-dose prednisone within the preceding 6 months (OR, 6.2; 95% CI, 1.8-21.1; P = .003), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) prophylaxis (OR, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.006-0.76; P = .029). Twenty-six patients (86.7%) had bacteremia, and 7 had shock at presentation. Other manifestations included meningoencephalitis (10 cases), spontaneous peritonitis (2), pleural empyema (1), brain abscesses (1), and liver abscesses (1). The 30-day mortality rate was 26.7% (8 of 30 patients died). CONCLUSIONS: Listeriosis in SOT recipients is uncommon but causes high mortality. Diabetes mellitus, cytomegalovirus infection or disease, and receipt of high-dose steroids are independent risk factors for this infection, whereas TMP-SMZ prophylaxis is a protective factor

doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0250796

The aim was to analyze the characteristics and predictors of unfavorable outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) with COVID-19. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 210 consecutive SOTRs hospitalized with COVID-19 in 12 Spanish centers from 21 February to 6 May 2020. Data pertaining to demographics, chronic underlying diseases, transplantation features, clinical, therapeutics, and complications were collected. The primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with these unfavorable outcomes. Males accounted for 148 (70.5%) patients, the median age was 63 years, and 189 (90.0%) patients had pneumonia. Common symptoms were fever, cough, gastrointestinal disturbances, and dyspnea. The most used antiviral or host-targeted therapies included hydroxychloroquine 193/200 (96.5%), lopinavir/ritonavir 91/200 (45.5%), and tocilizumab 49/200 (24.5%). Thirty-seven (17.6%) patients required ICU admission, 12 (5.7%) suffered graft dysfunction, and 45 (21.4%) died. A shorter interval between transplantation and COVID-19 diagnosis had a negative impact on clinical prognosis. Four baseline features were identified as independent predictors of intensive care need or death: advanced age, high respiratory rate, lymphopenia, and elevated level of lactate dehydrogenase. In summary, this study presents comprehensive information on characteristics and complications of COVID-19 in hospitalized SOTRs and provides indicators available upon hospital admission for the identification of SOTRs at risk of critical disease or death, underlining the need for stringent preventative measures in the early post-transplant periodThis study was supported by Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013-2016 and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD16/0016); co-financed by European Development Regional Fund “A way to achieve Europe”, Operative Program Intelligence Growth 2014-2020. EC and JSC received grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Proyectos de Investigación sobre el SARSCoV-2 y la enfermedad COVID-19 (COV20/ 00370; COV20/00580). JSC is a researcher belonging to the program “Nicola´s Monardes”(C0059–2018), Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Junta de Andalucía, Spain. SS-A is supported by a grant from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Proyectos de Investigación sobre el SARS-Co

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Rezafungin versus caspofungin for treatment of candidaemia and invasive candidiasis (ReSTORE): a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised phase 3 trial

10.1016/s0140-6736(22)02324-8The Lancet4011037049-5