Causal effects of PetroCaribe on sustainable development: a synthetic control analysis

We examine the causal effects of the energy subsidy programme PetroCaribe in the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. We use the synthetic control method to construct a counterfactual and compare it to the outcomes of the beneficiary countries and thus estimate the magnitude and direction of the PetroCaribe effect. PetroCaribe had a positive effect on economic growth in most of the beneficiary countries; however, this economic boost was not followed by an improvement in social development. Environmentally, PetroCaribe did not negatively or positively impact the environmental quality of the member countries, in the sense that we do not find a significant effect on the trend of urn:x-wiley:14636786:media:manc12275:manc12275-math-0001 emissions per capita

Epidemiology of intra-abdominal infection and sepsis in critically ill patients: “AbSeS”, a multinational observational cohort study and ESICM Trials Group Project

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of intra-abdominal infection in an international cohort of ICU patients according to a new system that classifies cases according to setting of infection acquisition (community-acquired, early onset hospital-acquired, and late-onset hospital-acquired), anatomical disruption (absent or present with localized or diffuse peritonitis), and severity of disease expression (infection, sepsis, and septic shock). Methods: We performed a multicenter (n = 309), observational, epidemiological study including adult ICU patients diagnosed with intra-abdominal infection. Risk factors for mortality were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Results: The cohort included 2621 patients. Setting of infection acquisition was community-acquired in 31.6%, early onset hospital-acquired in 25%, and late-onset hospital-acquired in 43.4% of patients. Overall prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was 26.3% and difficult-to-treat resistant Gram-negative bacteria 4.3%, with great variation according to geographic region. No difference in prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was observed according to setting of infection acquisition. Overall mortality was 29.1%. Independent risk factors for mortality included late-onset hospital-acquired infection, diffuse peritonitis, sepsis, septic shock, older age, malnutrition, liver failure, congestive heart failure, antimicrobial resistance (either methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria, or carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria) and source control failure evidenced by either the need for surgical revision or persistent inflammation. Conclusion: This multinational, heterogeneous cohort of ICU patients with intra-abdominal infection revealed that setting of infection acquisition, anatomical disruption, and severity of disease expression are disease-specific phenotypic characteristics associated with outcome, irrespective of the type of infection. Antimicrobial resistance is equally common in community-acquired as in hospital-acquired infection

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701

Impact of antibiotic resistance on outcomes of neutropenic cancer patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia (IRONIC study) : Study protocol of a retrospective multicentre international study

Introduction Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) has historically been one of the major causes of severe sepsis and death among neutropenic cancer patients. There has been a recent increase of multidrug-resistant PA (MDRPA) isolates that may determine a worse prognosis, particularly in immunosuppressed patients. The aim of this study is to establish the impact of antibiotic resistance on the outcome of neutropenic onco-haematological patients with PA bacteraemia, and to identify the risk factors for MDRPA bacteraemia and mortality. Methods and analysis This is a retrospective, observational, multicentre, international study. All episodes of PA bacteraemia occurring in neutropenic onco-haematological patients followed up at the participating centres from 1 January 2006 to 31 May 2018 will be retrospectively reviewed. The primary end point will be overall case-fatality rate within 30 days of onset of PA bacteraemia. The secondary end points will be to describe the following: the incidence and risk factors for multidrug-resistant and extremely drug-resistant PA bacteraemia (by comparing the episodes due to susceptible PA with those produced by MDRPA), the efficacy of ceftolozane/tazobactam, the rates of persistent bacteraemia and bacteraemia relapse and the risk factors for very early (48 hours), early (7 days) and overall (30 days) case-fatality rates. Ethics and dissemination The Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Bellvitge University Hospital approved the protocol of the study at the primary site. To protect personal privacy, identifying information of each patient in the electronic database will be encrypted. The processing of the patients' personal data collected in the study will comply with the Spanish Data Protection Act of 1998 and with the European Directive on the privacy of data. All data collected, stored and processed will be anonymised. Results will be reported at conferences and in peer-reviewed publications

Clinical Predictive Model of Multidrug Resistance in Neutropenic Cancer Patients with Bloodstream Infection Due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

We aimed to assess the rate and predictive factors of bloodstream infection (BSI) due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in neutropenic cancer patients. We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study including oncohematological neutropenic patients with BSI due to P. aeruginosa conducted across 34 centers in 12 countries from January 2006 to May 2018. A mixed logistic regression model was used to estimate a model to predict the multidrug resistance of the causative pathogens. Of a total of 1,217 episodes of BSI due to P. aeruginosa, 309 episodes (25.4%) were caused by MDR strains. The rate of multidrug resistance increased significantly over the study period (P = 0.033). Predictors of MDR P. aeruginosa BSI were prior therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam (odds ratio [OR], 3.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.29 to 5.30), prior antipseudomonal carbapenem use (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.87), fluoroquinolone prophylaxis (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.92 to 4.64), underlying hematological disease (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.26 to 3.44), and the presence of a urinary catheter (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.91), whereas older age (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97 to 0.99) was found to be protective. Our prediction model achieves good discrimination and calibration, thereby identifying neutropenic patients at higher risk of BSI due to MDR P. aeruginosa The application of this model using a web-based calculator may be a simple strategy to identify high-risk patients who may benefit from the early administration of broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage against MDR strains according to the local susceptibility patterns, thus avoiding the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients at a low risk of resistance development

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bloodstream Infections Presenting with Septic Shock in Neutropenic Cancer Patients: Impact of Empirical Antibiotic Therapy.

This large, multicenter, retrospective cohort study including onco-hematological neutropenic patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infection (PABSI) found that among 1213 episodes, 411 (33%) presented with septic shock. The presence of solid tumors (33.3% vs. 20.2%, p < 0.001), a high-risk Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) index score (92.6% vs. 57.4%; p < 0.001), pneumonia (38% vs. 19.2% p < 0.001), and infection due to multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (MDRPA) (33.8% vs. 21.1%, p < 0.001) were statistically significantly higher in patients with septic shock compared to those without. Patients with septic shock were more likely to receive inadequate empirical antibiotic therapy (IEAT) (21.7% vs. 16.2%, p = 0.020) and to present poorer outcomes, including a need for ICU admission (74% vs. 10.5%; p < 0.001), mechanical ventilation (49.1% vs. 5.6%; p < 0.001), and higher 7-day and 30-day case fatality rates (58.2% vs. 12%, p < 0.001, and 74% vs. 23.1%, p < 0.001, respectively). Risk factors for 30-day case fatality rate in patients with septic shock were orotracheal intubation, IEAT, infection due to MDRPA, and persistent PABSI. Therapy with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and BSI from the urinary tract were associated with improved survival. Carbapenems were the most frequent IEAT in patients with septic shock, and the use of empirical combination therapy showed a tendency towards improved survival. Our findings emphasize the need for tailored management strategies in this high-risk population

Clinical predictive model of multidrug resistance in neutropenic cancer patients with bloodstream infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa

We aimed to assess the rate and predictive factors of bloodstream infection (BSI) due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in neutropenic cancer patients. We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study including oncohematological neutropenic patients with BSI due to P. aeruginosa conducted across 34 centers in 12 countries from January 2006 to May 2018. A mixed logistic regression model was used to estimate a model to predict the multidrug resistance of the causative pathogens. Of a total of 1,217 episodes of BSI due to P. aeruginosa, 309 episodes (25.4%) were caused by MDR strains. The rate of multidrug resistance increased significantly over the study period (P = 0.033). Predictors of MDR P. aeruginosa BSI were prior therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam (odds ratio [OR], 3.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.29 to 5.30), prior antipseudomonal carbapenem use (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.87), fluoroquinolone prophylaxis (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.92 to 4.64), underlying hematological disease (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.26 to 3.44), and the presence of a urinary catheter (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.91), whereas older age (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97 to 0.99) was found to be protective. Our prediction model achieves good discrimination and calibration, thereby identifying neutropenic patients at higher risk of BSI due to MDR P. aeruginosa. The application of this model using a web-based calculator may be a simple strategy to identify high-risk patients who may benefit from the early administration of broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage against MDR strains according to the local susceptibility patterns, thus avoiding the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients at a low risk of resistance development

Effect of Combination Antibiotic Empirical Therapy on Mortality in Neutropenic Cancer Patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pneumonia

To assess the effect of combination antibiotic empirical therapy on 30-day case-fatality rate in neutropenic cancer patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) bacteremic pneumonia. This was a multinational, retrospective cohort study of neutropenic onco-hematological patients with PA bloodstream infection (BSI) (2006-2018). The effect of appropriate empirical combination therapy, appropriate monotherapy and inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy [IEAT] on 30-day case-fatality was assessed only in patients with PA bacteremic pneumonia. Among 1017 PA BSI episodes, pneumonia was the source of BSI in 294 (28.9%). Among those, 52 (17.7%) were caused by a multidrug-resistant (MDR) strain and 68 (23.1%) received IEAT, mainly when the infection was caused by an MDR strain [38/52 (73.1%) vs. 30/242 (12.4%); p < 0.001]. The 30-day case-fatality rate was higher in patients with PA bacteremic pneumonia than in those with PA BSI from other sources (55.1% vs. 31.4%; p < 0.001). IEAT was associated with increased 30-day case-fatality (aHR 1.44 [95%CI 1.01-2.03]; p = 0.042), whereas the use of appropriate combination empirical treatment was independently associated with improved survival (aHR 0.46 [95%CI 0.27-0.78]; p = 0.004). Appropriate empirical monotherapy was not associated with improved overall survival (aHR 1.25 [95%CI 0.76-2.05]; p = 0.39). Combination antibiotic empirical therapy should be administered promptly in febrile neutropenic patients with suspected pneumonia as the source of infection

Clinical Predictive Model of Multidrug Resistance in Neutropenic Cancer Patients with Bloodstream Infection Due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa

We aimed to assess the rate and predictive factors of bloodstream infection (BSI) due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in neutropenic cancer patients. We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study including oncohematological neutropenic patients with BSI due to P. aeruginosa conducted across 34 centers in 12 countries from January 2006 to May 2018. A mixed logistic regression model was used to estimate a model to predict the multidrug resistance of the causative pathogens. Of a total of 1,217 episodes of BSI due to P. aeruginosa, 309 episodes (25.4%) were caused by MDR strains. The rate of multidrug resistance increased significantly over the study period (P 0.033). Predictors of MDR P. aeruginosa BSI were prior therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam (odds ratio [OR], 3.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.29 to 5.30), prior antipseudomonal carbapenem use (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.87), fluoroquinolone prophylaxis (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.92 to 4.64), underlying hematological disease (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.26 to 3.44), and the presence of a urinary catheter (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.91), whereas older age (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97 to 0.99) was found to be protective. Our prediction model achieves good discrimination and calibration, thereby identifying neutropenic patients at higher risk of BSI due to MDR P. aeruginosa. The application of this model using a web-based calculator may be a simple strategy to identify high-risk patients who may benefit from the early administration of broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage against MDR strains according to the local susceptibility patterns, thus avoiding the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients at a low risk of resistance development