ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Both healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance are associated with an increased length of stay and hospital costs, while they have also been linked to high morbidity and mortality rates. In 2016 and 2017, the latest point prevalence survey (PPS) of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals highlighted an HAI prevalence of 6.5%, while Greece had a higher HAI prevalence of 10%. The aim of this PPS was to record the prevalence of HAIs and antimicrobial use in all eight public acute care hospitals in Crete, Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to highlight the types of infections and antimicrobial practices that need to be prioritized for infection control initiatives. METHODS: The PPS was conducted between 30 March and 15 April 2022, according to the ECDC standardized relevant protocol (version 5.3). Statistics were extracted using the ECDC Helics.Win.Net application (software version 4.1.0). RESULTS: A total of 1188 patients were included. The overall point prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 10.6%. The most frequent types of infections were pneumonia (34.3%), bloodstream infections (10.5%), systemic infections and urinary tract infections (10.5% and 9.1%, respectively). In 14 (12.4%) cases, the pathogen responsible for HAI was SARS-CoV-2 following onsite spread, accounting for almost 10% of all HAIs. Microorganisms were identified in 60.1% of HAIs. Antimicrobials were administered in 711 (59.8%) patients, with 1.59 antimicrobials used per patient. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HAI and antimicrobial use among hospitalized patients in Crete, Greece was similar to the national HAI prevalence in 2016 despite the enormous pressure on public hospitals due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, both HAI prevalence and antimicrobial use remain high, underlining the need to implement adequate infection control and antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
ABSTRACT
Spirometry is considered the gold standard method for monitoring lung function of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) but it requires patients' cooperation and therefore it is not useful for the majority of preschool-aged children. Oscillometry is an alternative modality for lung function monitoring that requires minimal cooperation and can be applied in children as young as 3 years of age. Furthermore, it generates lesser aerosol compared to spirometry, an issue that is of considerable importance in the COVID-19 era. The aim of this review was to present the existing clinical data regarding the application of oscillometry in children and adolescents with CF. The method seems to have acceptable feasibility and repeatability. However, there is conflicting data regarding the correlation of oscillometry values with the clinical symptoms of CF patients either in clinically stable or in exacerbation periods. Furthermore, it is not clear to what extent oscillometry measurements correlate with the spirometry indices. Based on current evidence, spirometry cannot be substituted by oscillometry in the monitoring of the respiratory status of children and adolescents with CF.
ABSTRACT
During the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Greece adopted strict lockdown measures. We aimed to investigate the effects of lockdown and the resultant changes in the standard of care, on the lung function and somatic growth of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We analyzed data on body mass index and lung function of 103 CF patients 5.0- to 23.0-years-old before and after the lockdown period. Body mass index did not change significantly, but there was a significant improvement in lung function after the end of the lockdown period.