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Background: The 2016 cumulative incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in Spain was reported by the European Center for Disease Control to be above the mean of other European countries. The aim of this multicenter prospective observational cohort study was to examine the risk factors that determine 90-day CDI recurrence in Catalonia, Spain. Methods: The study included 558 consecutive adults admitted to hospital who had a symptomatic, first positive CDI diagnosis. Sociodemographic, clinical and epidemiological variables were recorded. The primary outcome was 90-day CDI recurrence. Results: In this Catalan population, having received more than one course of antibiotics in the 30 days prior to CDI diagnosis (odds ratio: 2.459; 95% CI: 1.195–5.060; p = 0.015) and active chemotherapy (odds ratio: 4.859; 95% CI: 1.495–15.792; p = 0.009) are significant predictors of 90-day CDI recurrence. Conclusion: The identification of independent risk factors of 90-day CDI recurrence will enable the optimization of preventive measures in at-risk populations.

Objectives To determine the health status, exercise capacity, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) of COVID-19 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors, 8 months after diagnosis. Methods All eligible patients were interviewed and underwent a physical examination, chest X-ray, and 6 min walk test (6MWT). Scales to evaluate post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and HRQoL were applied. Results Of 1295 patients, 365 suffered ARDS and 166 survived to hospital discharge. Five died after discharge and 48 were lost to follow-up. Of the 113 remaining patients, 81% had persistent symptoms. More than 50% of patients completed less than 80% of the theoretical distance on the 6MWT, 50% had an abnormal X-ray and 93% of patients developed psychiatric disorders. Mean SF-36 scores were worse than in the general population. After multivariate regression analysis, female sex, non-Caucasian race, and Charlson index>2 were independent risk factors for a worse mental health component summary score on the SF-36, and age was associated with a better prognosis. Female sex and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were independently associated with a worse physical component summary score. Conclusion COVID-19 associated ARDS survivors have long-term consequences in health status, exercise capacity, and HRQoL. Strategies addressed to prevent these sequelae are needed.

Background Cancer has been associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality in CDI patients. However, data on delayed mortality in cancer patients with CDI are scarce. Aim/Objective The aim of the present study was to compare outcomes between oncological patients and the general population with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) after 90 days of follow-up. Methods A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted in 28 hospitals participating in the VINCat program. Cases were all consecutive adult patients who met the case definition of CDI. Sociodemographic, clinical, and epidemiological variables and evolution at discharge and after 90 days were recorded for each case. Findings/results The mortality rate was higher in oncological patients (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.08–2.67). In addition, oncological patients receiving chemotherapy (CT) presented higher recurrence rates (18.5% vs 9.8%, p = 0.049). Among oncological patients treated with metronidazole, those with active CT showed a higher rate of recurrence (35.3% vs 8.0% p = 0.04). Discussion Oncological patients presented a higher risk of poor outcomes after CDI. Their early and late mortality rates were higher than in the general population, and in parallel, those undergoing chemotherapy (especially those receiving metronidazole) had higher rates of recurrence

BackgroundDiabetic patients with kidney disease have a high prevalence of non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD). Renal and patient survival regarding the diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) or NDRD have not been widely studied. The aim of our study is to evaluate the prevalence of NDRD in patients with diabetes and to determine the capacity of clinical and analytical data in the prediction of NDRD. In addition, we will study renal and patient prognosis according to the renal biopsy findings in patients with diabetes.MethodsRetrospective multicentre observational study of renal biopsies performed in patients with diabetes from 2002 to 2014.ResultsIn total, 832 patients were included: 621 men (74.6%), mean age of 61.7 ± 12.8 years, creatinine was 2.8 ± 2.2 mg/dL and proteinuria 2.7 (interquartile range: 1.2–5.4) g/24 h. About 39.5% (n = 329) of patients had DN, 49.6% (n = 413) NDRD and 10.8% (n = 90) mixed forms. The most frequent NDRD was nephroangiosclerosis (NAS) (n = 87, 9.3%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05, P ConclusionsThe most frequent cause of NDRD is NAS. Elderly patients with microhaematuria and the absence of DR are the ones at risk for NDRD. Patients with DN presented worse renal prognosis and higher mortality than those with NDRD. These results suggest that in some patients with diabetes, kidney biopsy may be useful for an accurate renal diagnosis and subsequently treatment and prognosis.

To describe the effectiveness and safety of remdesivir in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in real-world clinical practice conditions.Retrospective observational study that included all adults with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia admitted at the Moisès Broggi Hospital and treated with remdesivir between July 1st and November 7th, 2020. Efficacy outcomes were time to recovery, 28-day mortality, length of hospital stay, and the need of mechanical ventilation after treatment. The main safetyrelated endpoint was elevation of transaminases after treatment.A total of 111 patients were included of whom 97 (87.4%) were receiving low-flow oxygen therapy. Median time to recovery was 9 days [6-14]. Seven patients (6.3%) died at 28 days' follow-up. Median length of hospital stay was 12 days [9-22] and 15 patients (13.5%) needed mechanical ventilation after treatment with remdesivir. Severe hypertransaminasemia was observed in 4 patients (4%).Clinical outcomes of patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia on low-flow oxygen therapy treated with remdesivir were similar to those published in clinical trials, both in terms of time to recovery and 28-day mortality.Objetivo: Describir la efectividad y seguridad de remdesivir en pacientes con neumonía por SARS-CoV-2 en condiciones de práctica clínica real.Método: Estudio observacional retrospectivo que incluyó a todos los pacientes tratados con remdesivir en el Hospital Moisès Broggi entre el 1 de julio y el 7 de noviembre de 2020. Como variables de efectividad se registraron el tiempo hasta la recuperación, la mortalidad a los 28 días, la estancia hospitalaria y la proporción de pacientes que requirió ventilación mecánica invasiva tras el tratamiento. Como variable de seguridad se registró la alteración en las transaminasas tras el tratamiento.Resultados: Se incluyeron 111 pacientes, 97 (87,4%) con oxigenoterapia de bajo flujo. El tiempo hasta la recuperación fue de 9 días [6-14] de mediana y 7 pacientes (6,3%) habían fallecido a los 28 días de seguimiento. La estancia hospitalaria fue de 12 días [9-22] de mediana. Un total de 15 pacientes (13,5%) requirió ventilación mecánica invasiva tras el tratamiento y 4 pacientes (4%) presentaron una alteración grave de las transaminasas.Conclusiones: El tratamiento con remdesivir en la práctica clínica habitual presenta resultados similares a los publicados en los ensayos clínicos en el subgrupo de pacientes con oxigenoterapia de bajo flujo, tanto en el tiempo hasta la recuperación como en la mortalidad a los 28 días.

Objectives The effect of the use of immunomodulatory drugs on the risk of developing hospital-acquired bloodstream infection (BSI) in patients with COVID-19 has not been specifically assessed. We aim to identify risk factors for, and outcomes of, BSI among hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods We performed a severity matched case-control study (1:1 ratio) nested in a large multicenter prospective cohort of hospitalized adults with COVID-19. Cases with BSI were identified from the cohort database. Controls were matched for age, sex, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. A Cox proportional hazard ratio model was performed. Results Of 2005 patients, 100 (4.98%) presented 142 episodes of BSI, mainly caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci, Enterococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Polymicrobial infection accounted for 23 episodes. The median time from admission to the first episode of BSI was 15 days (IQR 9 - 20), and the most frequent source was catheter-related infection. The characteristics of patients with and without BSI were similar, including the use of tocilizumab, corticosteroids, and combinations. In the multivariate analysis, the use of these immunomodulatory drugs was not associated with an increased risk of BSI. A Cox proportional hazard ratio (HR) model showed that after adjusting for the time factor, BSI was associated with a higher in-hospital mortality risk (HR 2.59 [1.65 – 4.07], Graphical abstract Image 1

Background Obese kidney allograft recipients have worse results in kidney transplantation (KT). However, there is lack of information regarding the effect of body mass index (BMI) variation after KT. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of body weight changes in obese kidney transplant recipients. Methods In this study we used data from the Catalan Renal Registry that included KT recipients from 1990 to 2011 (n = 5607). The annual change in post-transplantation BMI was calculated. The main outcome variables were delayed graft function (DGF), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and patient and graft survival. Results Obesity was observed in 609 patients (10.9%) at the time of transplantation. The incidence of DGF was significantly higher in obese patients (40.4% versus 28.3%; P < 0.001). Baseline obesity was significantly associated with worse short- and long-term graft survival (P < 0.05) and worse graft function during the follow-up (P < 0.005). BMI variations in obese patients did not improve eGFR or graft or patient survival. Conclusions Our conclusion is that in obese patients, decreasing body weight after KT does not improve either short-term graft outcomes or long-term renal function.

BACKGROUND Low adherence to chronic immunosuppression is associated with suboptimal transplantation outcomes. Mobile-health technology is a promising tool to monitor medication adherence, but data on patient engagement to these tools are lacking. METHODS Prospective, observational, multicenter, 2-phase trial in kidney and liver transplant recipients, investigating the degree of engagement to TrackYourMed® (TYM), a novel m-Health technology with a QR code-scan app to track immunosuppression adherence and its association with drug monitoring. RESULTS Out of 204 consecutive transplant patients, 90 patients were eligible to participate. 61 (68%) used TYM regularly, 21 (23%) never or barely used it, 5 (5.5%) were irregular users, and 3 (3.3%) were lost to follow-up. 6-month total correct intakes (CIN) ranged between 69%-76%, 12%-19% intakes were out-of-time (OUT), and 9%-12% were missed (MIS). Notably, a rate of intakes out of the scheduled time higher than 20% in the 6 days prior to blood immunosuppressant trough levels was associated with a higher intra-patient variability (17 IQR 13-21% vs. 29 IQR 23%-36%, p = .001), and with a higher dose-adjustment (p

Tacrolimus (Tac) is the cornerstone calcineurin inhibitor in transplantation. Extended-release Meltdose formulation (Tac-LCP) offers better bioavailability compared with immediate-release formulation (Tac-IR). We postulated that the less fluctuating pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of Tac-LCP might maintain a sustained inhibition of calcineurin activity (CNA) between dose intervals. Higher concentrations (peak plasma concentration (Cmax )) after Tac-IR may not result in a more potent CNA inhibition due to a capacity-limited effect. This study was aimed at evaluating the pharmacodynamic (PD)/PK profiles of Tac-IR compared with Tac-LCP. An open-label, prospective, nonrandomized, investigator-driven study was conducted. Twenty-five kidney transplant recipients receiving Tac-IR were switched to Tac-LCP. Before and 28 days after conversion, intensive CNA-PD and PK sampling were conducted using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem accurate mass spectrometry. PD nonlinear mixed effects model was performed in Phoenix-WinNonlin. Statistically significant higher Cmax (P < 0.001) after Tac-IR did not result in lower CNA as compared with after Tac-LCP (P = 0.860). Tac-LCP showed a statistically more maintained CNA inhibition between dose intervals (area under the effect-time curve from 0 to 24 hours (AUE0-24h )) compared with Tac-IR, in which CNA returned to predose levels after 4 hours of drug intake (373.8 vs. 290.5 pmol RII·h/min·mg prot, Tac-LCP vs. Tac-IR; P = 0.039). No correlation was achieved between any PD and PK parameters in any formulations. Moreover, Tac concentration to elicit a 50% of the maximum response (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) was 9.24 ng/mL. The higher Cmax after Tac-IR does not result in an additional CNA inhibition compared with Tac-LCP attributable to a capacity-limited effect. Tac-LCP may represent an improvement of the PD of Tac due to the more sustained CNA inhibition during dose intervals.

Kidney transplant recipients might be at higher risk for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). However, risk factors for relevant outcomes remain uncertain in this population. This is a multicentric kidney transplant cohort including 104 hospitalized patients between Mar 4 and Apr 17, 2020. Risk factors for death and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were investigated, and clinical and laboratory data was analyzed. The mean age was 60 years. Forty‐seven patients (54.8%) developed ARDS. Obesity was associated to ARDS development (OR 2.63; p=0.04). Significant age differences were not found among patients developing and not developing ARDS (61.3yr vs 57.8yr, p=0.16). Seventy‐six (73%) patients were discharged while 28 (27%) died. Death was more common among the elderly (55yr and 70.8yr, p

Background and Aims During the last decades, the incidence of drug-associated acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN) has markedly increased. In the recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have shown promising results in the treatment of malignancies such as melanoma or lung cancer. Immune mediated adverse events are frequent during the use of these drugs as a result of their mechanism of action. The most common kidney lesion in ICI-treated patients who present acute kidney injury (AKI) is ATIN. It is well established that classical drug-induced ATIN is an allergic drug hypersensitivity reaction mediated by T lymphocytes that occurs 7-10 days after exposure. On the contrary, the pathomechanism of ICI-related ATIN remains controversial. Together with the hypothesis that ATIN is a hypersensitivity reaction against ICI itself, other authors propose that loss of inhibition of T cells may facilitate hypersensitivity reactions to previously tolerated drugs or kidney antigens. Method We reviewed 3 cases of ICI-associated ATIN diagnosed in our nephrology unit with known concomitant medications associated to ATIN. The main demographical, clinical and analytical variables such as gender, age, type of malignancy and oncological treatment were recorded. Results: Patient 1 A 70 year-old man was diagnosed with a non-small-cell lung carcinoma in June 2018. He was treated with carboplatin, paclitaxel and nivolumab (first cycle 21st June 2018), and underwent lobectomy. NSAIDs were prescribed on September 2018 after surgery. Creatinine was normal at baseline. On September 2018 (110 days after nivolumab initiation and 7 days after NSAIDs prescription) he was admitted to the nephrology unit due to AKI, and the kidney biopsy revealed ATIN. ICI and NSAIDs were discontinued. He was treated with steroids with partial renal recovery. Patient 2 An 82 year-old man was diagnosed with a locally advanced nasal melanoma. He was treated with pembrolizumab. He was referred to the emergency room 73 days after pembrolizumab initiation presenting acute renal failure. Immunological tests were negative and ultrasonography was normal. No other ATIN-related drugs were identified. The final diagnostic was ATIN confirmed by kidney biopsy and the patient was treated with steroids. ICI was discontinued and the recovery of the kidney function was partial. Six months later he was diagnosed with septic arthritis on his right wrist due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 7 days after ciprofloxacin prescription he presented AKI. The diagnosis was a flare of interstitial nephritis, thus oral steroids were re-initiated. Kidney function partially recovered. Patient 3 A 63-year-old woman was diagnosed of renal cancer diagnosed in 2014. She was initially treated with Sunitinib, but it was discontinued due to hypothyroidism. She initiated second-line treatment with Nivolumab 7 months before referral to our nephrology unit. Baseline creatinine was normal. 5 days before referral, she took 3 pills of ibuprofen 600mg during three days due to knee pain. The final diagnostic according to kidney biopsy was ATIN. ICI and NSAIDs were discontinued and she was treated with steroids. Kidney function was totally recovered. Conclusion ICI associated ATIN present scarce temporal association with the initiation of ICI. High prevalence of use of other ATIN-related drugs has been noticed among these patients. Herein, we report 3 cases of ATIN in the setting of the treatment with ICI. The temporal association of the first episode with other drugs rather than ICI, and the relapse after the rechallenge with a drug classically associated with ATIN suggests that it might be caused by these drugs rather than by ICI itself, that actually may facilitate the drug hypersensitivity reaction. Research in the pathomechanisms of ATIN in ICI patients is required in order to anticipate, prevent and treat this adverse effect.

Background and Aims Tertiary hyperparathyroidism is a common cause of hypercalcemia after kidney transplant (KT) and has been associated with renal dysfunction, loss bone mineral density and increased risk of fracture, vascular calcification, and increased risk of cardiovascular events. Long clinical management remains controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of parathyroidectomy versus cinacalcet in patients with persistent hyperparathyroidism. Method A 12-month prospective, multicenter, randomized study demonstrated than subtotal parathyroidectomy is more effective than cinacalcet for controlling hypercalcemia. Now, we evaluate in the same cohort of patients if this effect is maintained after 5 years of follow-up. Laboratory assessment included serum calcium, serum phosphate, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), calcidiol levels, estimated glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria at 2, 3, 4 and 5 year follow-up. Therapeutic details about the use of vitamin D, calcium supplementation and phosphate binders were compiled. Fragility fractures were also collected. Results In total, 24 patients had data available at 5 years, 13 in the cinacalcet group and 11 in the parathyroidectomy group. At 5 years, six of 13 patients in the cinacalcet group and ten of 11 patients in the parathyroidectomy group (p=0.015) showed normocalcemia (Figure 1). Subtotal parathyroidectomy retained a greater reduction of iPTH compared with cinacalcet group (Figure 2). No differences were observed in kidney function and incidence of fragility fractures between both groups. In relation of treatment, 8 of 13 patients in cinacalcet group maintained treatment with cinacalcet after 5 years follow-up. Conclusion Subtotal parathyroidectomy is more effective in long term to maintain normal serum calcium and iPTH compared with cinacalcet in kidney transplant patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism.

Background and Aims Considering the particular pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of mycophenolate (MMF/MPS) with the important contribution of enterohepatic recirculation (EHC) and the potential alteration in tacrolimus (TAC) exposure, a PK study in solid-organ transplant patients who had undergone intestinal resection was carried out. Method This is a prospective single-center study of MMF/MPS and TAC exposure changes after bowel resection and after reconstruction. Whole blood samples were collected at the following time points: 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 hours post-dose. Areas under the curves (AUCs) were determined in both conditions: with ileostomy and after bowel reconstruction. Results Six renal and two cardiac transplant recipients were included. Four subjects completed both pre- and post-reconstruction surgery procedures. Different intestinal anatomic resections were performed (Table 1). Patients with terminal ileostomy showed an under exposure to MMF/MPS. In three patients, initial MPA levels were on target, but they decreased >80% after 4 hours post-drug administration. After bowel reconstruction, the AUC increased maintaining MMF/MPA levels during 12h (Table 2). Before bowel reconstruction, TAC trough levels were within therapeutic target but, after reconstruction, AUCs normalized by dose were much higher than the expected. Conclusion Transplant recipients with ileostomy showed infra-exposure to mycophenolate. After 4 hours post-dose, MMF/MPA was undetectable because of the absence of EHC, which was recovered after anatomical correction. TAC exposure was higher after bowel reconstruction suggesting changes in the absorption. The use of mTORi in such clinical situations would be an alternative.

Background and Aims Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication after cardiac surgery. Its incidence ranges from 19 to 44% depending on the study and which definition is used. There are some well-known risk factors associated with AKI, including baseline patient characteristics (age and comorbidities), need of perioperative blood transfusion or presence of previous chronic kidney disease. We wanted to evaluate if a nephrologist management and control of potential risk factors of renal disease can be used to prevent AKI, thereby minimizing the risk of need RRT, reducing costs and improving survival in these patients. It will be the first study focused on this intervention. The aim of this study is to assess if a nephrology intervention before cardiac surgery can reduce the postoperative incidence of AKI. Method Unicentric prospective randomized controlled trial of 298 participants from 2015 to 2019. The inclusion criteria was patients undergoing scheduled cardiac surgery of > 18 years old. The exclusion criteria was a requirement for renal replacement therapy before surgery. Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Bellvitge has approved the study before initiation. All patients have given written informed consent. We have done an intention-to-treat analysis, continuous variables have been compared between groups using Student's t test and categorical variables using X2. Results Nephrology intervention before surgery, included a preoperative study done minimum 1 month before the surgery to optimize the patient’ s overall condition by optimization of hydration state, remove or minimize dose of drugs that potentially deteriorate kidney function and correct metabolic disorders. No differences in the characteristics of the patients between groups was found (Table 1). The number of patients with AKI were 49 without differences between groups (0.112), with most of them presenting a stage 1 AKI, only 3 patients present a stage 3 AKI, but none of them required renal replacement therapy (Table 2). We found 1.3% of mortality (1 participant in the intervention group and 3 in control group). Data at 1 year follow-up (n= 144) showed low incidence of kidney disease (creatinine in intervention arm 91.87±30.79μmol/L and in control arm 87.08±23.58, p=0.292) without differences in albuminuria. Conclusion In summary, we did not find any difference in acute kidney injury and death when a nephrology intervention is done to cardiac surgery patients, probably it would be necessary to increase the sample size to make conclusions. The results at 1 year follow-up showed no kidney disease in these patients.

Tertiary hyperparathyroidism is a common cause of hypercalcemia after kidney transplantation (KT) and has been associated with renal dysfunction, bone mineral density loss, and increased risk of fracture and cardiovascular events. In a previous 12-month clinical trial, we demonstrated that subtotal parathyroidectomy was more effective than cinacalcet for controlling hypercalcemia. In the current study, we retrospectively evaluate whether this effect is maintained after 5 years of follow-up. In total, 24 patients had data available at 5 years, 13 in the cinacalcet group and 11 in the parathyroidectomy group. At 5 years, 7 of 11 patients (64%) in the parathyroidectomy group and 6 of 13 patients (46%) in the cinacalcet group (P = .44) showed normocalcemia. However, recurrence of hypercalcemia was only observed in the cinacalcet group (P = .016). Subtotal parathyroidectomy retained a greater reduction in intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) compared with cinacalcet group. No differences were observed in kidney function and incidence of fragility fractures between both groups. Cinacalcet was discontinued in 5 out of 13 patients. In conclusion, in kidney transplant patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism recurrence of hypercalcemia after 5-year follow-up is more frequent in cinacalcet than after subtotal parathyroidectomy.

Background: In December 2019, the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus triggered a large-scale pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Kidney transplant recipients m

In the last 10 years, basic science and clinical research have made important contributions to the understanding and management of primary membranous nephropathy (MN). The identification of antibodies directed against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) and thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A protein have added a new perspective on diagnosis, monitoring the immunological activity, predicting prognosis and guiding therapy in patients with primary MN. Mounting evidence suggests that quantification and follow-up of antiPLA2R Abs levels can help in assessing prognosis and evaluate the response to treatment. The kidney disease improving global outcomes guidelines published in 2012 have not been updated. New data on the use of rituximab suggest it should be considered as a potential initial therapy in the treatment of patients with primary MN.

Background Extended-spectrum s-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) is an important cause of invasive infections. Alternatives to carbapenems--considered the drugs of choice--are needed because of the emergence of carbapenemase-producing enterobacteria. The efficacy of s-lactam/s-lactam inhibitors (BLBLI) in such infections is controversial. Methods The authors performed a post hoc analysis of patients with bloodstream infections due to ESBL-EC from 6 published prospective cohorts. Mortality and length of hospital stay in patients treated with an active BLBLI (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid [AMC] and piperacillin-tazobactam [PTZ]) or carbapenem were compared in 2 cohorts: the empirical therapy cohort (ETC) and the definitive therapy cohort (DTC). Confounding was controlled by multivariate analysis; for patients in the ETC, a propensity score for receiving carbapenem was also used. Results The ETC included 103 patients (BLBLI, 72; carbapenem, 31), and the DTC included 174 (BLBLI, 54; carbapenem, 120). Mortality rates at day 30 for those treated with BLBLI versus carbapenems were 9.7% versus 19.4% for the ETC and 9.3% versus 16.7% for the DTC, respectively (P > .2, log-rank test). After adjustment for confounders, no association was found between either empirical therapy with BLBLI (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], .29-4.40; P = .84) or definitive therapy (adjusted HR, 0.76; 95% CI, .28-2.07; P = .5) and increased mortality. Furthermore, BLBLI therapy, with respect to carbapenem, was not found to influence length of hospital stay. Conclusions These results suggest that AMC and PTZ are suitable alternatives to carbapenems for treating patients with bloodstream infections due to ESBL-EC if active in vitro and would be particularly useful as definitive therapy.

Background There is little clinical information about community-onset bloodstream infections (COBSIs) caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (ESBLEC). We investigated the prevalence and risk factors for COBSI due to ESBLEC, and described their clinical features and the impact of COBSI caused by ESBLEC on 14-day mortality. Methods Risk factors were assessed using a multicenter case-control-control study. Influence of ESBL production on mortality was studied in all patients with COBSI due to E. coli. Isolates and ESBLs were microbiologically characterized. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate logistic regression. Thirteen tertiary care Spanish hospitals participated in the study. Results We included 95 case patients with COBSI due to ESBLEC, which accounted for 7.3% of all COBSI due to E. coli. The ESBL in 83 of these (87%) belonged to the CTX-M family of ESBL, and most were clonally unrelated. Comparison with both control groups disclosed association with health care (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-3.8), urinary catheter use (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.5-6.5), and previous antimicrobial use (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.5-4.9) as independent risk factors for COBSI due to ESBLEC. Mortality among patients with COBSI due to ESBLEC was lower among patients who received empirical therapy with beta-lactam/beta-lactam inhibitor combinations or carbapenems (8%-12%) than among those receiving cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones (24% and 29%, respectively). Mortality among patients with COBSI due to E. coli was associated with inappropriate empirical therapy irrespective of ESBL production. Conclusions ESBLEC is an important cause of COBSI due to E. coli. Clinicians should consider adequate empirical therapy with coverage of these pathogens for patients with risk factors.

Fundamento y objetivo Desconocemos si los pacientes con infeccion por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) presentan mayor riesgo cardiovascular que los pacientes seronegativos. Nuestro objetivo ha sido analizar las diferencias en la presion arterial entre pacientes con infeccion por el VIH y controles sanos. Pacientes y metodo Analizamos retrospectivamente a todos los pacientes con infeccion por el VIH controlados en nuestro centro. El grupo control estuvo formado por voluntarios donantes de sangre, emparejados con aquellos por edad y sexo. Comparamos las cifras de presion arterial y el perfil lipidico entre ambos grupos. Evaluamos las siguientes variables: demograficas, fecha de diagnostico de la infeccion por el VIH, presencia de lipodistrofia, tratamiento antiretroviral y duracion, asi como factores de riesgo vascular. Resultados Evaluamos a 740 pacientes (el 75% varones) con una edad media de 41,8 anos. Encontramos una mayor prevalencia de hipertension en el grupo VIH comparado con el control (el 25 frente al 15%), asi como diferencias significativas entre las medias de presion arterial (p Conclusiones En este estudio observamos un aumento de la prevalencia de hipertension en los pacientes con infeccion por el VIH comparados con el grupo control. Ademas, en el grupo de pacientes con infeccion por el VIH, la prevalencia de lipodistrofia y de factores de riesgo vascular fue mayor entre los que presentaban hipertension comparados con los no hipertensos.