Search

Aim: Colistin (Col) is an agent used in the treatment of multidrug-resistant gram-negative (MDRGN) bacterial infections. This drug has been administered with a loading dose in recent years to provide rapid clinical response and therapeutic blood levels. In our study, we aimed to evaluate whether there is a relationship between the efficacy of the loading dose of Col treatment, mortality, microbiological clearance during treatment, nephrotoxicity, and neurotoxicity side effects for the treatment of MDRGN bacterial infections. Material method: In this retrospective study, which included a control group, 6-years data was analyzed. Totally, 323 patients who received Col treatment with or without loading dose (LD) were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups; I: without Col-LD regimen (those who were hospitalized in 2011-2014), II: with Col-LD regimen (those who were hospitalized in 2015-2017). Demographic characteristics such as age, gender, microbiological cultures, laboratory results, side effects, and mortality of the patients were evaluated. Results: A statistically significant relationship was found between with Col-LD regimen and nephrotoxicity. However, it was determined that there was no statistically significant relationship between microbiological clearance without a Col-LD regimen. Nephrotoxicity was found to be decreased with the Col-LD regimen. Neurotoxicity was observed more frequently (3.7%) in with Col-LD regimen. Initial and final C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels were statistically significantly lower in with Col-LD regimen. Conclusion: It was found that with Col-LD regimen had a statistically significant effect on nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and treatment outcome, but had no effect on microbiological clearance. In addition, with Col-LD regimen was effective in decreasing CRP and PCT values.

Amaç: İmmünsupresif tedavi altındaki yüksek riskli hastalarda hepatit B reaktivasyonu antiviral profilaksi ile önlenebilir. Antiviral seçiminde entekavir (ETC) veya tenofovir disoproksil fumarat (TDF) uzun zamandır kullanılabilmekteyken yakın zamanda kullanıma giren tenofovir alafenamid (TAF) güvenli yan etki profili ile iyi bir alternatif olmuştur. Bu çok merkezli geniş hasta sayılı çalışmada immünsüpresif hasta grubunda tenofovir alafenamidin (TAF) etkinliği ve güvenliği araştırılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Altı eğitim ve araştırma hastanesinin 1 Ocak 2019- 30 Eylül 2021 arasındaki kayıtları retrospektif olarak incelenerek immünsüpresif tedavi altında iken hepatit B için antiviral profilaksi başlanan ve en az 6 ay süre ile takip edilen hastalar çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Aldıkları immünsüpresif tedavi veya kemoterapiye ayrıca hepatit B serolojilerine göre risk grupları belirlenmiş, hepatit B reaktivasyon varlığı ve yan etkileri yönünden incelenmiştir. Bulgular: Yaş ortalaması 62.5±29 yıl olan 148 hastanın 85’i (%57.4) TAF, 63’ü (%42.6) tenofovir disoproksil fumarate (TDF) veya entekavir (ETC) ile profilaksi almaktaydı. %83.1’i HBsAg (-) antiHBc (+) %16.9’u HBsAg (+) olarak bulundu; kronik HBV’li hastaların %36 sının HBV DNA’sı saptanabilir düzeyin üzerindeydi. Çoğu (%69.6) hematolojik bir malinite nedeni ile immünsüpresif alırken %89.2’sinin aldığı tedavi yüksek riskli ilaç grubunda idi. Riskler açısından TAF ve diğer tedavileri alanlar arasında farklılık yoktu. Tedavi gruplarının hiçbirinde reaktivasyon ya da yan etkiye rastlanmadı. Sonuç: Kronik HBV tedavisinde olduğu gibi immünsüpresif tedavi alan bireylerde HBV reaktivasyonunun önlenmesinde de TAF en az TDF ve ETC kadar etkindir. TDF nin böbrek ve kemik yan etkilerinin TAF da görülmemesinin etkin ve güvenli bu tedavi seçeneğini immünsüpresif hastalarda öne çıkaracağını düşünmekteyiz.

Early and accurate risk prediction is an important clinical demand in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is an independent predictor of worse prognosis in various cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the value of PLR in the prediction of in-hospital mortality among IE patients. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data of 59 adult patients with definite IE and in 40 adult controls. In-hospital mortality occurred in 16 (27%) patients. Vegetation size, levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein and procalcitonin, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and PLR were significantly higher in the in-hospital-mortality-positive group than in the in-hospital-mortality-negative group (p = 0.004, p = 0.009, p = 0.030, p = 0.001, and p = 0.008, respectively). Lymphocyte count was, however, significantly lower in the in-hospital-mortality-positive group (p = 0.004). In the receiver-operating characteristic analysis, PLRs over 191.01 predicted in-hospital mortality with 56.3% sensitivity and 81.4% specificity [area under the curve 0.725, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.594–0.833; p = 0.0027]. In the multivariate analysis, PLR was found to be an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with IE (odds ratio 1.022, 95% CI 1.003–1.042; p = 0.021). In conclusion, higher PLR may predict in-hospital mortality in patients with IE.

Invasive aspergillosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Many cases of pulmonary, cutaneous, cerebral, and paranasal sinus aspergillosis in immunocompetent patient were defined in literature but disseminated aspergillosis is very rare. Here we present an immunocompetent case with extrapulmonary disseminated aspergillosis due to Aspergillus niger, totally recovered after effective antifungal treatment with voriconazole.

Objective: Each year, approximately 125 million people visit malaria-endemic countries. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of imported Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections in Türkiye. Methods: The study included patients diagnosed with P. falciparum malaria between 1996 and 2022. A retrospective evaluation was conducted on whole blood samples and/or blood smears, as well as detailed medical histories, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings. A total of 131 imported cases of P. falciparum were included in the study. Results: Among the patients, 121 were male. Of these, 101 had traveled to Africa, while 30 had visited Asia. Among the patients, 109 were returned travelers, and 22 were refugees/migrants. Early trophozoites were observed in all patients, while gametocytes were detected in 30 patients. Cerebral malaria developed in 15 patients, resulting in the death of two individuals. Additionally, 10 patients received preventive chemoprophylaxis. Conclusion: Turkey is situated on migration routes that connect two continents to Europe, where more than 95% of the global malaria burden exists. The importation of malaria through returned travelers poses a risk of malaria reintroduction in our country, given the presence of suitable vectors, climate conditions, and environmental factors. Importantly, 30 patients (22.9%) exhibited gametocyte forms of P. falciparum, which have the potential to infect Anopheles species, thus establishing a basis for local malaria transmission.

Introduction: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a complicated and rapidly spreading soft tissue infection that affects the superficial fascia, skin, and subcutaneous tissue. In this study, we evaluated patients who were diagnosed with NF and treated in two tertiary-care educational university hospitals. Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with NF in three centers (Ege University Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology and Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology and Celal Bayar University Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology) between November 2016 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients’ demographic characteristics, significant risk factors for infection, sites of infection, models of surgical treatment, department(s) that performed the surgery, causative infectious agents, empirical and agent-specific treatment regimens and their duration, length of hospital stay, need for intensive care, and one month survival were evaluated. Results: Eighteen patients (10 females, mean age 53.7 [19-86 years]) who were diagnosed with NF were included in the study. Diabetes mellitus, trauma/surgery history, and decubitus wound were the most common predisposing factors. The most common anatomic site was lower extremity (n=10, 55.5%). All patients underwent surgical debridement. The most commonly isolated microorganisms were Escherichia coli (n=4), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Acinetobacter baumannii (each n=3). Empirical treatment was initiated with meropenem in eight patients (32%) and tigecycline in four patients (12.5%), and the antibiotic was changed in five patients based on culture results. The mean duration of antibiotic therapy was 35.5 (9-68) days. The average hospital stay was 55 (11-186) days. Six patients (33.3%) required intensive care during follow-up. The mortality rate was 16.6%. Conclusion: NF is a fulminant disease, and early diagnosis and effective multidisciplinary treatment are crucial for reducing mortality rates. When the diagnosis is suspected, early surgical debridement should be performed and empirical antibiotherapy should be started immediately.

Solid organ transplantation (SOT) is a treatment method that improves quality of life and survival of patients with end-stage organ failure. Immunosuppressive treatments given to these patients may predispose to the development of invasive fungal infections (IFI). The incidence of IFI in SOT recipients, which is between 5% and 42%, depends on the organ to be transplanted. Although Candida spp., followed by Aspergillus spp. are the most common microorganisms, among fungal pathogens, this situation varies according to transplant type. The mortality rate associated with these IFI can be high. Therefore, antifungal prophylaxis may be necessary for SOT recipients. Many transplantation centers employ antifungal strategies according to their own experience because of the lack of randomized controlled studies. If the antifungal prophylaxis is given to all patients, antimicrobial resistance and drug-drug interactions may occur. Therefore, it is important to identify patients at a high risk of developing IFI. In this paper, epidemiology, risk factors, literature data and antifungal prophylaxis associated with IFI in liver, kidney, small intestine, pancreas, heart, and lung transplant recipients are reviewed.