Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(2):151-158

Direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B-immobilized cartridge in severe sepsis due to intestinal perforation: hemodynamic findings and clinical considerations in anticoagulation therapy                               
 

JAVIER MAYNAR, FERNANDO MARTÍNEZ-SAGASTI, MANUEL HERRERA-GUTIÉRREZ, FRANCISCO MARTÍ, FRANCISCO JAVIER CANDEL, JAVIER BELDA, SERGIO CASTAÑO, JOSÉ ÁNGEL SANCHEZ-IZQUIERDO
             

Background. High levels of endotoxin have been reported as a risk factor for mortality in critical patients. Toraymyxin® is a column designed to remove circulating blood endotoxin by direct hemoperfusion widely used in Japan.
Objectives. To evaluate the effect of direct hemoperfusion with Toraymyxin® (DHP-PMX) as an adjuvant treatment in patients with severe sepsis due to intestinal perforation in terms of hemodynamic function and coagulation abnormalities.
Methods. Prospective cohort study with a historical control group. Cohort 1: prospective cohort undergoing two sessions of DHP-PMX (n=14). Cohort 2: retrospective historical cohort (n=7). The anticoagulation regime was used according to the protocol of each centre and to the special conditions of each patient.
Results. Mean norepinephrine dose was significantly reduced (0.9 ± 0.5 μg/kg/min pre-first DHP-PMX vs 0.3 ± 0.4 μg/kg/min post-second DHP-PMX treatment, p<0.05). Central venous pressure (CVP) and stroke volume variation (SVV) remained without significant changes during the study, as well as cardiac index (CI) in patients with initial CI≥2.5 L/min/m2. CI significantly increased in patients with initial CI<2.5 L/min/m2 (2.1±0.4 pre-first DHP-PMX vs 3.4 ± 0.4 pre-second DHP-PMX session, p=0.01). Mean platelet count pre-first and post-second DHP-PMX decreased significantly (213.9×103 ± 138.5×103 platelets/mm3 vs 91.0×103 ± 53.5×103 platelets/mm3, p=0.03), without significant changes during each DHP-PMX treatment. Patients did not experience bleeding nor complications derived from DHP-PMX treatments. Survival rates at 28 and 56 days did not differ significantly between cohort 1 and 2 (21.4% vs 42.9%; 42.9% vs 57.1%; respectively).
Conclusions. Performing two sessions of DHP-PMX treatment in a cohort of patients with abdominal sepsis is a feasible adjuvant therapeutic approach, safe in terms of coagulation abnormalities, can be done with different anticoagulation protocols, improves hemodynamic status and may impact on survival.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(4):378-386

Treatment of invasive fungal infections in high-risk haematological patients: What have we learnt in the past 10 years? 

CARLOS VALLEJO, LOURDES VÁZQUEZ, JOSÉ RAFAEL CABRERA MARTÍN, ENRIC CARRERAS, JULIO GARCÍA RODRÍGUEZ, ISABEL RUIZ CAMPS, JESÚS FORTÚN, JOSEP MENSA, JOSÉ BARBERÁN             

Invasive fungal infection (IFI) caused by filamentous fungi remains a very severe infectious complication in patients with onco-haematological diseases. Last advances in the diagnostic and therapeutic fields, today we know that their contributions are limited. Something similar can be said of clinical trials especially in relation to some changes in the characteristics of the host. The development of promising diagnostic techniques and the relative expansion in the number of antifungal agents has been associated with diversification of therapeutic strategies (prophylaxis with extended-spectrum azoles and preemptive antifungal treatment). However, the low sensitivity of AGA testing in some circumstances, and the potential delay in starting treatment due to logistic reasons, has been reflected by a greater mortality in certain type of patients and a significant increase in the days of treatment. All these circumstances has once again focus attention to the empirical approach as a central strategy in high-risk patients. The objective of this article is to review the clinical experience in the treatment of IFI in onco-haematological patients according to data published in the literature in the last decade and to present a set of recommendations.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(1):43-46

Aumento significativo de la resistencia a fosfomicina en cepas de Escherichia coli productoras de ß-lactamasas de espectro extendido (BLEE) aisladas de urocultivos (2005-2009-2011)                                   
 

C. RODRÍGUEZ-AVIAL, I. RODRÍGUEZ-AVIAL, E. HERNÁNDEZ, J. J. PICAZO                    

Introducción. Escherichia coli es el principal uropatógeno. La aparición de cepas productoras de β-lactamasas de espectro extendido (BLEE), que con frecuencia presentan multirresistencia, deja pocas opciones terapéuticas, y es necesario realizar un seguimiento de su sensibilidad a lo largo del tiempo. En el presente trabajo se presentan los porcentajes de aislados urinarios de E.coli productores de BLEE durante 2005, 2009 y 2011 y se comparan los resultados de la determinación de su sensibilidad a antibióticos de diferentes grupos, fosfomicina entre ellos.
Métodos. Se analizaron 5.053, 6.324 y 6.644 aislados urinarios de E. coli en 2005, 2009 y 2011 respectivamente. Se excluyeron duplicados. La sensibilidad se determinó por microdilución con el sistema Wider (Soria Melguizo S.A.) y se seleccionó el fenotipo que indicaba producción de BLEE (CLSI 2009).
Resultados. El 3,9% de las cepas (198) resultó productor de BLEE en 2005, el 7,3% (463) en 2009 y el 8,7% (584) en 2011. Se detectó resistencia a carbapenemicos en 2009, aunque continúan con un 95% de sensibilidad. Entre los no-β-lactámicos, colistina fue el más activo, seguido de nitrofurantoina. Ciprofloxacino y sulfametoxazol-trimetoprim presentaron un 80% y 60% de resistencia, respectivamente. Se observó una tendencia al aumento de la resistencia en fosfomicina, desde 0% a 9,3 llegando al 14,4% en 2011.
Conclusiones. Se observó una creciente prevalencia de cepas de E. coli productoras de BLEE aisladas de urocultivos, alcanzando el 8,7% en 2011. Los carbapenemicos siguen siendo los antibióticos más activos frente a este tipo de cepas. El aumento de resistencia a fosfomicina fue significativo.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(2):173-188

Epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of fungal respiratory infections in the critically ill patient                                
 

JOSÉ GARNACHO-MONTERO, PEDRO OLAECHEA, FRANCISCO ALVAREZ-LERMA, LUIS ALVAREZ-ROCHA,  JOSÉ BLANQUER, BEATRIZ GALVÁN, ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ, RAFAEL ZARAGOZA, JOSÉ-MARÍA AGUADO, JOSÉ MENSA, AMPARO SOLÉ, JOSÉ BARBERÁN
             

Objective. To elaborate practical recommendations based on scientific evidence, when available, or on expert opinions for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of fungal respiratory infections in the critically ill patient, including solid organ transplant recipients.
Methods. Twelve experts from two scientific societies (The Spanish Society for Chemotherapy and The Spanish Society of Intensive Care and Coronary Units) reviewed in a meeting held in March 2012 epidemiological issues and risk factors as basis for a document about prevention, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory fungal infections caused by Candida spp., Aspergillus spp or Zygomycetes.
Results. Despite the frequent isolation of Candida spp. from respiratory tract samples, antifungal treatment is not recommended since pneumonia by this fungal species is exceptional in non-neutropenic patients. In the case of Aspergillus spp., approximately 50% isolates from the ICU represent colonization, and the remaining 50% cases are linked to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), an infection of high mortality. Main risk factors for invasive disease in the ICU are previous treatment with steroids and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Collection of BAL sample is recommended for culture and galactomannan determination. Voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin B have the indication as primary therapy while caspofungin has the indication as salvage therapy. Although there is no solid data supporting scientific evidence, the group of experts recommends combination therapy in the critically ill patient with sepsis or severe respiratory failure. Zygomycetes cause respiratory infection mainly in neutropenic patients, and liposomal amphotericin B is the elective therapy.
Conclusions. Presence of fungi in respiratory samples from critically ill patients drives to different diagnostic and clinical management approaches. IPA is the most frequent infection and with high mortality.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(1):47-50

Detection and genotyping of human respiratory viruses in clinical specimens from children with acute respiratory tract infections 
                                  

E. CULEBRAS, C. BETRIU, E. VÁZQUEZ-CID, E. LÓPEZ-VARELA, S. RUEDA, J. J. PICAZO                     

Respiratory virus infections are a major health concern and represent the primary cause of testing consultation and hospitalization for young children. The application of nucleic acid amplification technology, particularly multiplex PCR coupled with fluidic or fixed microarrays, provides an important new approach for the detection of multiple respiratory viruses in a single test. The aim of this study was to analyze respiratory samples from children with acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) using a commercial array-based method (CLART® PneumoVir Genomica, Coslada, Spain). These tests were used to identify viruses in 281 nasopharyngeal samples obtained from children affected by ARTI. Samples were obtained form October 2008 to April 2009. Viruses were identified in 80% of the studied ARTI providing useful information on clinical features and epidemiology of specific agents affecting children in cold months. Multiple viral infections were found in 33.45% of the specimens.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(3):193-197

Identification of fungal clinical isolates by matrix-assisted laser desorption
ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry                                
 

LAURA FERREIRA, FERNANDO SÁNCHEZ-JUANES, SILVIA VEGA, MAGDALENA GONZÁLEZ, Mª INMACULADA GARCÍA, SILVIA RODRÍGUEZ, JOSÉ MANUEL GONZÁLEZ-BUITRAGO, JUAN LUIS MUÑOZ-BELLIDO
             

Background. Recently, bacterial identification by MALDI-TOF MS has acquired a high relevance in terms of speed and reliability. Conventional mycological identification has some disadvantages: it is frequently slow, reliability is sometimes low, and an extensive experience is required. The risk population for fungal infections, and therefore their clinical significance has progressively increased in recent years.
Methods. 153 yeast and mould clinical isolates were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS and conventional identification. When both methods were discrepant to the genus or species level, ITS-2 sequencing was performed.
Results. The correlation in yeasts identification between conventional identification methods and MALDI-TOF MS was extremely high (99.2% to the species level and 100% to the genus level). The only discrepancy was checked by ITS-2 sequencing and confirmed the MALDI-TOF identification. The correlation in moulds identification was more heterogeneous. 68.7% of the isolates showed correlation at least to the genus level and 40.6% to the species level. Therefore, the correlation between conventional identification and MALDI-TOF MS in fungal identification was, in whole, 87% to the species level, and 93.5% to the genus level.
Conclusions. Identification of fungi by MALDI-TOF MS is reliable and shows potential advantages over conventional identification methods.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(1):51-55

Candida sp endocarditis. Experience in a third level hospital and review of the literature 
                                  

A.HERNÁNDEZ-TORRES, E. GARCÍA-VÁZQUEZ, A. LASO-ORTIZ, J. A. HERRERO-MARTÍNEZ, J. GÓMEZ-GÓMEZ                      

Despite the relative high frequency of Candida bloodstream infection, Candida endocarditis is a rare entity. We report five cases of Candida endocarditis admitted to our hospital in the period between 2005 and 2011. Two cases were caused by C. albicans, two cases were caused by C. parapsilosis and in the last one, we didn´t identify the species of Candida. All but one had clear risk factors for candidemia. Treatment consisted of amphotericin B with / without flucytosine in four patients, and they all underwent surgery for valve replacement and / or removal of intravascular devices. Overall mortality was 60% (40% of mortality was directly related to endocarditis). All patients who survived were given suppressive therapy with fluconazole for a minimum of two years. After stopping fluconazole there was a case of recurrence.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(3):198-202

Psoas abscess associated with hip arthroplasty infection                                 
 

IBON LÓPEZ-ZABALA, SEBASTIÁN GARCÍA-RAMIRO, GUILLEM BORI, XAVIER GALLART, XAVIER TOMÁS,DAVID FUSTER, JOSEP MENSA, ALEX SORIANO
             

Introduction. Psoas abscess associated with hip arthroplasty infection is a rare entity. The aim of this report was to review our experience.
Material and methods. Patients with computerized tomography (CT) diagnosis of psoas abscess associated with a hip arthroplasty infection from 2004 to 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, microbiological data, CT results and outcome of each patient were recorded.
Results. Seven patients out of 214 evaluated by CT due to hip infection suspected were identified. Three women and 4 men, with a mean age of 69 years (range 46-89). Mean abscess diameter was of 62x47mm. In all cases, a direct communication between abscess and prosthesis was observed. The most commonly isolated microorganisms were grampositive cocci. All patients were treated with two-stage revision surgery. After a mean follow-up of 65 months (28-113), six patients were in remission.
Conclusions. The use of CT in the study of suspected infection of a hip arthroplasty identified a psoas abscess in 7 cases out of 214 evaluated. Patients treated with two-stage revision surgery and large debridement was associated with a good clinical outcome.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(1):56-63

Use of tigecycline in critically ill patients with serious nosocomial intra-abdominal infections 
                                  

E. MASEDA, S. E. DENIS, A. RIQUELME, F. GILSANZ                        

Intra-abdominal infection (IAI) is a frequent complication found in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and continues to be associated with considerable mortality. Tigecycline, the first-in-class glycylcycline has demonstrated a broad spectrum of activity against a wide range of bacteria commonly found in IAI. This observational retrospective study aimed to describe the experience with tigecycline for serious nosocomial IAI in the SICU. Data were collected from 23 consecutive patients admitted to SICU with serious nococomial IAI who had received empirical treatment with tigecycline. In all cases, IAI was diagnosed via emergency surgery. Severe sepsis was found in 56.5% and 43.5% developed septic shock. Oncological disease was the most common comorbidity (60%). The mean Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) III within 24 hours from IAI diagnosis was 57.5±14.7, and 87% showed a McCabe score >1 (2 or 3). Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen (43.5%), followed by Bacteroides spp. and Streptococcus spp. (30.4%, respectively). All but one patient received tigecycline in combination (95.7%), particularly with fluconazole (52.2%), followed by piperacillin-tazobactam (43.5%). Empirical antibiotic therapy was considered adequate in 95%. The mean duration of treatment was 8.5±4.5 days. A favorable response was achieved in 78%. Failure of the antibiotic therapy was not observed in any patient. None of the patients discontinued tigecycline due to adverse reactions. SICU mortality was 13%, with no deaths attributable to tigecycline. These findings suggest that tigecycline combination therapy is an effective and well tolerated empirical treatment of serious nosocomial IAI in the SICU.

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2013:26(3):203-213

Study of a cohort of patients with Enterococcus spp. Bacteraemia. Risk factors associated to high-level resistance to aminoglycosides                                
 

ELISA GARCÍA-VÁZQUEZ, HELENA ALBENDÍN, ALICIA HERNÁNDEZ-TORRES, MANUEL CANTERAS, GENOVEVA YAGÜE, JOAQUÍN RUIZ, JOAQUÍN GÓMEZ
             

Objectives. To analyze a cohort of patients with Enterococcus sp. bacteraemia.
Patients and methods. Retrospective and observational study of a cohort of non-pediatric in-patients with Enterococcus spp. bacteraemia (June 2007-September 2009). Data collection from clinical records was done according to a standard protocol. We analyzed epidemiological, clinical and microbiological data. Treatment with glycopeptides in non allergic patients or in case of betalactam susceptibility (ampicillin) was considered “optimizable”.
Results. Three were 106 cases of bacteraemia (2.2/1000 admitted patients; 84% E. faecalis); 83% had an underlying condition; 88% nosocomial or health related cases. Urinary infection was present in 20% and primary bacteraemia in 47%. High level resistance to gentamicin (HLRG) was present in 60%; there was no vancomycin or linezolid resistance. Most frequent empiric treatments were penicillin-betalactamase inhibitor (25%) and glycopeptides (22%). Most frequent definitive treatment was glycopeptides (34%), being “optimized” 21% and 44% of empiric and definitive treatments, respectively. Mortality was 23% (related, 14%). In the multivariate analysis, risk factors associated with HLRG were nosocomial acquired infection (OR 6.083; 95CI% 1.428-25.915) and no-abdominal origin (OR 6.006; 95CI%1.398-25.805). In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for mortality were: Pitt > 3 (OR 14.405; 95CI%2.236-92.808) and active empiric treatment (OR 8.849; 95CI% 1.101-71.429).). Incidence in previous cohort was similar but HLRG rate has increased.
Conclusions. Risk factors associated with HLRG were nosocomial acquired infection and no-abdominal origin. Risk factors for mortality were initial clinical severity and having received active empiric treatment. HLRG rate has increased.

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