Decolonization in Prevention of Health Care-Associated Infections

Colonization with health care-associated pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci, Gram-negative organisms, and Clostridium difficile is associated with increased risk of infection. Decolonization is an evidence-based intervention that can be used to prevent health care-associated infections (HAIs). This review evaluates agents used for nasal topical decolonization, topical (e.g., skin) decolonization, oral decolonization, and selective digestive or oropharyngeal decontamination. Although the majority of studies performed to date have focused on S. aureus decolonization, there is increasing interest in how to apply decolonization strategies to reduce infections due to Gram-negative organisms, especially those that are multidrug resistant. Nasal topical decolonization agents reviewed include mupirocin, bacitracin, retapamulin, povidone-iodine, alcohol-based nasal antiseptic, tea tree oil, photodynamic therapy, omiganan pentahydrochloride, and lysostaphin. Mupirocin is still the gold standard agent for S. aureus nasal decolonization, but there is concern about mupirocin resistance, and alternative agents are needed. Of the other nasal decolonization agents, large clinical trials are still needed to evaluate the effectiveness of retapamulin, povidone-iodine, alcohol-based nasal antiseptic, tea tree oil, omiganan pentahydrochloride, and lysostaphin. Given inferior outcomes and increased risk of allergic dermatitis, the use of bacitracin-containing compounds cannot be recommended as a decolonization strategy. Topical decolonization agents reviewed included chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), hexachlorophane, povidone-iodine, triclosan, and sodium hypochlorite. Of these, CHG is the skin decolonization agent that has the strongest evidence base, and sodium hypochlorite can also be recommended. CHG is associated with prevention of infections due to Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms as well as Candida. Conversely, triclosan use is discouraged, and topical decolonization with hexachlorophane and povidone-iodine cannot be recommended at this time. There is also evidence to support use of selective digestive decontamination and selective oropharyngeal decontamination, but additional studies are needed to assess resistance to these agents, especially selection for resistance among Gram-negative organisms. The strongest evidence for decolonization is for use among surgical patients as a strategy to prevent surgical site infections

Comparative effectiveness of daptomycin versus vancomycin among patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Background In the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSIs), vancomycin stands as the prevalent therapeutic agent. Daptomycin remains an alternative antibiotic to treat MRSA BSIs in cases where vancomycin proves ineffective. However, studies have conflicted on whether daptomycin is more effective than vancomycin among patients with MRSA BSI. Objective To compare the effectiveness of daptomycin and vancomycin for the prevention of mortality among adult patients with MRSA BSI. Methods Systematic searches of databases were performed, including Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) were used to assess the quality of individual observational and randomized control studies, respectively. Pooled odd ratios were calculated using random effects models. Results Twenty studies were included based on a priori set inclusion and exclusion criteria. Daptomycin treatment was associated with non-significant lower mortality odds, compared to vancomycin treatment (OR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.62, 1.06). Sub-analyses based on the time patients were switched from another anti-MRSA treatment to daptomycin demonstrated that switching to daptomycin within 3 or 5 days was significantly associated with 55% and 45% decreased odds of all-cause mortality, respectively. However, switching to daptomycin any time after five days of treatment was not significantly associated with lower odds of mortality. Stratified analysis based on vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) revealed that daptomycin treatment among patients infected with MRSA strains with MIC >= 1 mg/L was significantly associated with 40% lower odds of mortality compared to vancomycin treatment. Conclusion Compared with vancomycin, an early switch from vancomycin to daptomycin was significantly associated with lower odds of mortality. In contrast, switching to daptomycin at any time only showed a trend towards reduced mortality, with a non-significant association. Therefore, the efficacy of early daptomycin use over vancomycin against mortality among MRSA BSIs patients may add evidence to the existing literature in support of switching to daptomycin early over remaining on vancomycin. More randomized and prospective studies are needed to assess this association

Early coronary angiography and survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Although acute myocardial infarction is a common cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the role of early coronary angiography in OHCA remains uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis of observational studies to determine the association of early coronary angiography with survival in OHCA. Methods: We searched multiple electronic databases for published studies on early coronary angiography in OHCA between 1 January 1990 and 18 January 2017. Studies were included if (1) restricted to only OHCA, (2) included an exposure group that underwent early coronary angiography within 1  day of arrest onset and a concurrent control group that did not undergo early coronary angiography, and (3) reported survival outcomes. We used a random-effects model to obtain pooled OR. I2 statistics and Cochran's Q test were used to determine between-study heterogeneity. Results: A total of 17 studies with 14 972 patients were included, of whom 6424 (44%) received early coronary angiography. Early coronary angiography was associated with higher odds of survival (pooled OR 2.54 (95% CI 1.94 to 3.33)) and survival with favourable neurological outcome (pooled OR 2.37 (95%  CI 1.71 to 3.28)). However, there was substantial heterogeneity in our pooled estimate (I2=88%  and p value for Cochran's test <0.0001 for both outcomes). The large heterogeneity in pooled estimates was reduced after including adjusted estimates when available, and was explained by differences in methodological rigour and characteristics of included studies. Conclusion: Among patients resuscitated from OHCA, early coronary angiography is associated with increased survival to discharge and favourable neurological outcome

Seasonal and Temperature-Associated Increases in Gram-Negative Bacterial Bloodstream Infections among Hospitalized Patients

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of seasonal trends in hospital-associated infection incidence may improve surveillance and help guide the design and evaluation of infection prevention interventions. We estimated seasonal variation in the frequencies of inpatient bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by common bacterial pathogens and examined associations of monthly BSI frequencies with ambient outdoor temperature, precipitation, and humidity levels. METHODS: A database containing blood cultures from 132 U.S. hospitals collected between January 1999 and September 2006 was assembled. The database included monthly counts of inpatient blood cultures positive for several clinically important Gram-negative bacteria (Acinetobacter spp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus spp and Staphylococcus aureus). Monthly mean temperature, total precipitation, and mean relative humidity in the postal ZIP codes of participating hospitals were obtained from national meteorological databases. RESULTS: A total of 211,697 inpatient BSIs were reported during 9,423 hospital-months. Adjusting for long-term trends, BSIs caused by each gram-negative organism examined were more frequent in summer months compared with winter months, with increases ranging from 12.2% for E. coli (95% CI 9.2-15.4) to 51.8% for Acinetobacter (95% CI 41.1-63.2). Summer season was associated with 8.7% fewer Enterococcus BSIs (95% CI 11.0-5.8) and no significant change in S. aureus BSI frequency relative to winter. Independent of season, monthly humidity, monthly precipitation, and long-term trends, each 5.6°C (10°F) rise in mean monthly temperature corresponded to increases in gram-negative bacterial BSI frequencies ranging between 3.5% for E. coli (95% CI 2.1-4.9) to 10.8% for Acinetobacter (95% CI 6.9-14.7). The same rise in mean monthly temperature corresponded to an increase of 2.2% in S. aureus BSI frequency (95% CI 1.3-3.2) but no significant change in Enterococcus BSI frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Summer season and higher mean monthly outdoor temperature are associated with substantially increased frequency of BSIs, particularly among clinically important gram-negative bacteria

Incidence and Outcomes Associated With Clostridium difficile Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance: An understanding of the incidence and outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in the United States can inform investments in prevention and treatment interventions. Objective: To quantify the incidence of CDI and its associated hospital length of stay (LOS) in the United States using a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Data Sources: MEDLINE via Ovid, Cochrane Library Databases via Wiley, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Complete via EBSCO Information Services, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for studies published in the United States between 2000 and 2019 that evaluated CDI and its associated LOS. Study Selection: Incidence data were collected only from multicenter studies that had at least 5 sites. The LOS studies were included only if they assessed postinfection LOS or used methods accounting for time to infection using a multistate model or compared propensity score-matched patients with CDI with control patients without CDI. Long-term-care facility studies were excluded. Of the 119 full-text articles, 86 studies (72.3%) met the selection criteria. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Two independent reviewers performed the data abstraction and quality assessment. Incidence data were pooled only when the denominators used the same units (eg, patient-days). These data were pooled by summing the number of hospital-onset CDI incident cases and the denominators across studies. Random-effects models were used to obtain pooled mean differences. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 value. Data analysis was performed in February 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incidence of CDI and CDI-associated hospital LOS in the United States. Results: When the 13 studies that evaluated incidence data in patient-days due to hospital-onset CDI were pooled, the CDI incidence rate was 8.3 cases per 10 000 patient-days. Among propensity score-matched studies (16 of 20 studies), the CDI-associated mean difference in LOS (in days) between patients with and without CDI varied from 3.0 days (95% CI, 1.44-4.63 days) to 21.6 days (95% CI, 19.29-23.90 days). Conclusions and Relevance: Pooled estimates from currently available literature suggest that CDI is associated with a large burden on the health care system. However, these estimates should be interpreted with caution because higher-quality studies should be completed to guide future evaluations of CDI prevention and treatment interventions

Incidence and Outcomes Associated With Infections Caused by Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in the United States: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

Information about the health and economic impact of infections caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) can inform investments in infection prevention and development of novel therapeutics. To systematically review the incidence of VRE infection in the United States and the clinical and economic outcomes. We searched various databases for US studies published from January 1, 2000, through June 8, 2015, that evaluated incidence, mortality, length of stay, discharge to a long-term care facility, readmission, recurrence, or costs attributable to VRE infections. We included multicenter studies that evaluated incidence and single-center and multicenter studies that evaluated outcomes. We kept studies that did not have a denominator or uninfected controls only if they assessed postinfection length of stay, costs, or recurrence. We performed meta-analysis to pool the mortality data. Five studies provided incidence data and 13 studies evaluated outcomes or costs. The incidence of VRE infections increased in Atlanta and Detroit but did not increase in national samples. Compared with uninfected controls, VRE infection was associated with increased mortality (pooled odds ratio, 2.55), longer length of stay (3-4.6 days longer or 1.4 times longer), increased risk of discharge to a long-term care facility (2.8- to 6.5-fold) or readmission (2.9-fold), and higher costs ($9,949 higher or 1.6-fold more). VRE infection is associated with large attributable burdens, including excess mortality, prolonged in-hospital stay, and increased treatment costs. Multicenter studies that use suitable controls and adjust for time at risk or confounders are needed to estimate the burden of VRE infections

Uncovering the formation of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies by multivariate statistical analysis

We present a statistical analysis of the properties of a large sample of dynamically hot old stellar systems, from globular clusters to giant ellipticals, which was performed in order to investigate the origin of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies. The data were mostly drawn from Forbes et al. (2008). We recalculated some of the effective radii, computed mean surface brightnesses and mass-to-light-ratios, estimated ages and metallicities. We completed the sample with globular clusters of M31. We used a multivariate statistical technique (K-Means clustering), together with a new algorithm (Gap Statistics) for finding the optimum number of homogeneous sub-groups in the sample, using a total of six parameters (absolute magnitude, effective radius, virial mass-to-light ratio, stellar mass-to-light ratio and metallicity). We found six groups. FK1 and FK5 are composed of high- and low-mass elliptical galaxies respectively. FK3 and FK6 are composed of high-metallicity and low-metallicity objects, respectively, and both include globular clusters and ultra-compact dwarf galaxies. Two very small groups, FK2 and FK4, are composed of Local Group dwarf spheroidals. Our groups differ in their mean masses and virial mass-to-light ratios. The relations between these two parameters are also different for the various groups. The probability density distributions of metallicity for the four groups of galaxies is similar to that of the globular clusters and UCDs. The brightest low-metallicity globular clusters and ultra-compact dwarf galaxies tend to follow the mass-metallicity relation like elliptical galaxies. The objects of FK3 are more metal-rich per unit effective luminosity density than high-mass ellipticals.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

Using nasal povidone-iodine to prevent bloodstream infections and transmission of Staphylococcus aureus among haemodialysis patients: A stepped-wedge cluster randomised control trial protocol

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 38% of haemodialysis patients carry METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform an open-label, stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial to assess the effectiveness of nasal PVI compared with standard care. Sixteen outpatient haemodialysis units will participate in the study. The 3-year trial period will be divided into a 4-month baseline period and eight additional 4-month time blocks. The primary outcome of the study will be ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has received IRB approval from all study sites. A Data Safety and Monitoring Board will monitor this multicentre clinical trial. We will present our results at international meetings. The study team will publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and make each accepted peer-reviewed manuscript publicly available. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04210505