Inappropriate Doses of Intravenous Polymyxin B after Renal Adjustment Lead to Treatment Failure

Sub-therapeutic doses, shorter duration of therapy, female gender, bacteremia, and renal impairment were among independent predictors of polymyxin B treatment failure. In this study, we found an association between inappropriate doses of polymyxin B (<15000 or >25000 unit/kg/day) and renal impairment. Inappropriate doses of polymyxin B were significantly associated with CrCl 20-50 mL/min (p = 0.021, ORadj 6.660, 95% CI 1.326, 33.453) and CrCl <20 mL/min (p = 0.001, ORadj 22.200, 95% CI 3.481, 141.592). By conducting sub-group analysis only using subjects with appropriate dosage, renal impairment was not associated with polymyxin B treatment failure, thus indicating that treatment failure was due to an inappropriate dose of polymyxin B, rather than renal impairment. In conclusion, renal impairment was not directly associated with treatment failure but was due to an inappropriate dosage of polymyxin B after renal adjustment

Outcomes and appropriateness of management of nosocomial Acinetobacter bloodstream infections at a teaching hospital in northeastern Malaysia.

Acinetobacter spp is a known nosocomial pathogen causing a wide range of clinical diseases such as pneumonia, wound infection and bloodstream infections (BSI). The clinical outcomes of acinetobacter BSI were determined by a 1:1 case control study involving 58 confirmed cases of acinetobacter BSI who were compared to other gram-negative infections. The crude mortality of acinetobacter BSI was 47.2%, which was significantly greater than other gram-negative BSI (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.10-3.24) but there were no significant differences in attributed mortality between the two groups. We found that patients treated in intensive care units (ICU), who had longer ICU stays, who presented with shock or coagulopathy, had prior exposure to carbapenems, had mechanical ventilation, were on a ventilator for longer periods, had a nasogastric tube, had an arterial catheter or had parenteral nutrition at a significantly greater risk of mortality due to acinetobacter BSI. Patients presenting with septic shock (OR 17.95, 95% CI 3.36-95.84) or having a central venous catheter (OR 12.48, 95% CI 1.09-142.68) were independently at higher risk for mortality. Appropriateness of therapy reduced the mortality attributes of acinetobacter BSI (OR 0.197, 95% CI 0.040-0.967) but did not significantly reduce crude mortality in acinetobacter BSI patients. This study shows the importance of preventing acinetobacter BSI and the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents to reduce mortality.