Evaluation of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Cases at a Tertiary Level Hospital in Izmir, Turkey

Vancomycin-resistant enterocococci (VRE) are common pathogens that may lead to infection in intensive care units. VRE strains that colonize the hospital environment can stay alive for a long time on fomites and can easily be spread by the hands of hospital staff and by the instruments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemic and sporadic VRE cases, following an epidemic at anesthesiology intensive care unit (ICU). The records of the patients hospitalized at anesthesiology ICU between October 2010-June 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. The hospitalized patients with VRE positive culture reports were included in this study. Rectal swab samples of the patients and environmental surveillance cultures were inoculated on sheep blood agar and enterococcosel agar media and incubated for 24-48 hours. The isolated strains were identified by conventional methods and automatized Vitek 2.0 system (BioMerieux, France). The molecular detection of VRE was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Cepheid GeneXpert System, USA). A total of 19 VRE colonised or infected cases (11 male, 8 female; age range: 18-96 years, mean age: 60 years) that were detected sporadically or during the epidemic, were included in this study. Ten (52.6%) cases were evaluated as colonization (seven rectal, two urinary and one both urinary and rectal colonisation). Nine patients were considered as infected (five bacteremia, three catheter infections and one urinary tract infection). Five of the nine patients directly progressed to infection. Four of the nine patients progressed to infection after rectal colonization. Eight of the infected cases were treated with daptomycin and one case with linezolid. Five of the infected and treated cases died and the rate of mortality was determined as 55.6%. PCR was applied to the samples of eight cases and vanA was detected in seven of these. VRE were not grown in two of the PCR positive samples and one PCR positive sample did not yield VRE growth in culture. VRE were detected from the samples obtained from patients' monitors, infusion sets, bedside, bedstands and walls and the origin of VRE was thought to be environmental contamination. It was concluded that adherence to infection control guidelines and continuous education of the health-care personel were prerequisites for effective control of VRE colonization and infection in the health-care setting

Antimicrobial Sensitivity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates in Patients with Head Trauma in Intensive Care Unit

Objective: In recent years, there is an increase in infections caused by non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria especially in intensive care units. The aim of this study is to determine the antibiotic sensitivity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from the clinical samples of the patients in intensive care unit

Successful Treatment of Propafenone Intoxication With Intravenous Lipid Emulsion

Severe cardiac effects, including cardiac arrest, are a rare complication of high-dose propafenone intake. Among patients who experience cardiac arrest, the survival rate is low. This report presents the case of a young female patient who developed cardiac arrest linked to propafenone intake. While spontaneous circulation was restored with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, vital signs did not recover despite supportive treatment. However, after the administration of intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE), vital signs and cardiac functions resolved and the patient survived. This case is the second to describe the successful use of ILE for propafenone intoxication. However, as all of the findings of this patient were clearly linked to propafenone, we believe the benefits of ILE were more clearly defined in this case than in the other

Low levels of vitamin D are associated with nosocomial infections but not with short-term mortality in critically ill patients

Background/aim: A prospective observational study was conducted to determine the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and nosocomial infections among intensive care unit (ICU) patients

Risk factors for colistin-associated nephrotoxicity and mortality in critically ill patients

Background/aim: Colistin is gaining popularity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. The primary concern with colistin is its nephrotoxicity (NT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for NT and to evaluate the risk factors for mortality in the toxicity group

Pretreatment with paricalcitol attenuates level and expression of matrix metalloproteinases in a rat model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

WOS: 000418444200002PubMed ID: 28737133Background: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a leading cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). The inflammatory response that drives IRI involves upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which results in proteolytic degradation of renal microvascular matrix. Evidence suggests a potential protective role of active vitamin D on ischemic injury by downregulating MMPs. In the present study, we aimed to determine the expression and level of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in renal IRI model and the potential beneficial effect of paricalcitol on both level and expression of MMPs and tubular injury caused by IRI. Materials and methods: 20 Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: sham-operated, ischemia-reperfusion, and paricalcitol-pretreated. IRI model was induced by bilateral clamping of renal arteries for 45 minutes followed by 24 hours of reperfusion. The analysis of serum creatinine and levels of MMPs were performed after 24 hours of IRI. The effects of paricalcitol on the quantity and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in renal tubular epithelial cells were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The pathological examinations were performed to score tubular damage by light microscopy. Results: Creatinine levels decreased in the paricalcitol group, although this was not proven to be significant. Rats in the paricalcitol group showed significant decrease in both level and expression of MMPs and in tubular injury scores as compared to the IRI group. Conclusion: Paricalcitol may attenuate renal tubular injury caused by IRI by decreasing both level and expression of MMPs. Further studies are required to investigate the interplay between activated vitamin D and MMPs in AKI