Simulation-based training programme and preparedness testing for COVID-19 using system integration methodology.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic is presenting serious challenges to the world's healthcare systems. The high communicability of the COVID-19 necessitates robust medical preparedness and vigilance. Objective: To report on the simulation-based training and test preparedness activities to prepare healthcare workers (HCWs) for effective and safe handling of patients with COVID-19. Methodology: Two activities were conducted: simulation-based training to all HCWs and a full-scale unannounced simulation-based disaster exercise at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC). The online module was designed to enhance the knowledge on COVID-19. This module was available to all KFMC staff. The five hands-on practical part of the course was available to frontliner HCWs. The unannounced undercover simulated patients' full-scale COVID-19 simulation-based disaster exercise took place in the emergency department over 3 hours. Six scenarios were executed to test the existing plan in providing care of suspected COVID-19 cases. Results: 2620 HCWs took the online module, 17 courses were conducted and 337 frontliner HCWs were trained. 94% of learners were satisfied and recommended the activity to others. The overall compliance rate of the full-scale COVID-19 disaster drill with infection control guidelines was 90%. Post-drill debriefing sessions recommended reinforcing PPE training, ensuring availability of different sizes of PPEs and developing an algorithm to transfer patients to designated quarantine areas. Conclusion: Simulation-based training and preparedness testing activities are vital in identifying gaps to apply corrective actions immediately. In the presence of a highly hazardous contagious disease like COVID-19, such exercises are a necessity to any healthcare institution.

The association between histamine 2 receptor antagonist use and Clostridium difficile infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major health problem. Epidemiological evidence suggests that there is an association between acid suppression therapy and development of CDI. PURPOSE: We sought to systematically review the literature that examined the association between histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) and CDI. DATA SOURCE: We searched Medline, Current Contents, Embase, ISI Web of Science and Elsevier Scopus from 1990 to 2012 for all analytical studies that examined the association between H2RAs and CDI. STUDY SELECTION: Two authors independently reviewed the studies for eligibility. DATA EXTRACTION: Data about studies characteristics, adjusted effect estimates and quality were extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: Thirty-five observations from 33 eligible studies that included 201834 participants were analyzed. Studies were performed in 6 countries and nine of them were multicenter. Most studies did not specify the type or duration of H2RAs therapy. The pooled effect estimate was 1.44, 95% CI (1.22-1.7), I(2) = 70.5%. This association was consistent across different subgroups (by study design and country) and there was no evidence of publication bias. The pooled effect estimate for high quality studies was 1.39 (1.15-1.68), I2 = 72.3%. Meta-regression analysis of 10 study-level variables did not identify sources of heterogeneity. In a speculative analysis, the number needed to harm (NNH) with H2RAs at 14 days after hospital admission in patients receiving antibiotics or not was 58, 95% CI (37, 115) and 425, 95% CI (267, 848), respectively. For the general population, the NNH at 1 year was 4549, 95% CI (2860, 9097). CONCLUSION: In this rigorous systematic review and meta-analysis, we observed an association between H2RAs and CDI. The absolute risk of CDI associated with H2RAs is highest in hospitalized patients receiving antibiotics.

Association between proton pump inhibitor therapy and clostridium difficile infection: a contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Emerging epidemiological evidence suggests that proton pump inhibitor (PPI) acid-suppression therapy is associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). METHODS: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from 1990 to January 2012 for analytical studies that reported an adjusted effect estimate of the association between PPI use and CDI. We performed random-effect meta-analyses. We used the GRADE framework to interpret the findings. RESULTS: We identified 47 eligible citations (37 case-control and 14 cohort studies) with corresponding 51 effect estimates. The pooled OR was 1.65, 95% CI (1.47, 1.85), I(2) = 89.9%, with evidence of publication bias suggested by a contour funnel plot. A novel regression based method was used to adjust for publication bias and resulted in an adjusted pooled OR of 1.51 (95% CI, 1.26-1.83). In a speculative analysis that assumes that this association is based on causality, and based on published baseline CDI incidence, the risk of CDI would be very low in the general population taking PPIs with an estimated NNH of 3925 at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: In this rigorously conducted systemic review and meta-analysis, we found very low quality evidence (GRADE class) for an association between PPI use and CDI that does not support a cause-effect relationship.

Temporal trends in the incidence of surgical site infections in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a population-based cohort study, 1993 to 2008.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of and temporal trends in surgical site infections (SSIs) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. METHODS: A population-based cohort study was conducted to describe the epidemiologic features of SSI in Olmsted County, Minnesota, between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 2008, using the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Period-specific incidence rates (in-hospital or within 30 days outside the hospital) were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for potential confounders that could affect temporal trends in SSI incidence rates. RESULTS: During the 16-year study, of 1424 residents of Olmsted County who underwent CABG surgery, 1189 (83%) had isolated CABG and 235 (17%) had combined CABG and valve surgery. The overall SSI incidence rate was 7.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7%-8.4%). The incidence rate of superficial sternal SSI was 2.0% (95% CI, 1.2%-2.7%) and of deep sternal SSI was 1.5% (95% CI, 0.9%-2.2%). The leg harvest site infection rate was 3.6% (95% CI, 2.6 %-4.5%). The incidence rate decreased over time with a statistically significant linear trend. The adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of SSI showed a decreasing linear trend: 0.39 (0.19-0.81) vs 0.50 (0.27-0.93) vs 0.83 (0.48-1.42) vs reference for 2005-2008 vs 2001-2004 vs 1997-2000 vs 1993-1996. CONCLUSION: In this population-based surveillance study of patients undergoing CABG surgery, the incidence of SSI decreased markedly between 1993 and 2008 in patients in Olmsted County. The factors responsible for this decrease are the focus of ongoing investigations.

Association between preoperative statin therapy and postoperative infectious complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Infectious complications of cardiac surgery are often severe and life threatening. Statins having both immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects were intuitively thought to influence the development of postsurgical infections. We sought to systematically examine whether any association exists between statin use and risk of infectious complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Thomson Scientific Web of Science, and Elsevier Scopus from inception through February 2011 for comparative studies examining the association between statin use and risk of postoperative infections in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We contacted a study's author for missing information. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis of individual studies' odds ratios (adjusted for potential confounders). We identified 6 cohort studies for inclusion, 3 of which were conducted in Canada and 3 of which were conducted in the United States. Four were single-center studies, and 2 were population based. Exposure ascertainment was based on a review of admission medication list or prescription databases. Infectious outcomes were heterogeneous and included surgical site infections within 30 days, serious infections (sepsis), or any other postoperative infection. Statin use in the preoperative period was associated with a trend toward reduction in the incidence of postoperative infections in patients who underwent cardiac surgery (odds ratio, 0.81 [95% confidence interval, 0.64-1.01]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]). Heterogeneity was explained by country effect. Studies performed in Canada showed weaker associations than studies performed in the United States. This difference could not be attributed to study quality alone. We did not find good evidence to support an association between statin use and postoperative infectious complications. However, the trend toward statistical significance for this association indicates that further investigation is warranted.

The role of combination antifungal therapy in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Because treatment outcomes of invasive aspergillosis (IA) remain suboptimal, clinicians have resorted to the use of combination antifungal therapy. We therefore sought to systematically review the evidence that addresses the role of combination antifungal therapy in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis. METHODS: We retrieved the literature from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and Scopus from inception up to March 2011 for cohort and randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies that assessed the efficacy of combination antifungal therapy for IA and reported on clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Eight studies (one RCT and seven cohort studies) that enrolled a total of 1071 patients met our inclusion criteria. Six cohort studies examined the role of combination therapy for the primary treatment of IA and two for salvage therapy. Various antifungal combinations were used, mainly azoles with either an echinocandin or a polyene. Of the seven cohort studies, four reported adjusted effect estimates, one of which showed a better outcome with combination antifungal therapy and one a trend towards a better outcome, while the remaining two revealed that there was no added advantage of combination antifungal therapy over monotherapy or a better response with monotherapy, respectively. The randomized controlled trial revealed that the use of combination therapy was associated with a better outcome. CONCLUSION: Cumulative evidence supporting the use of combination antifungal therapy in IA is conflicting and of moderate strength. Well-designed RCTs are required to adequately address the issue of the usefulness of this approach.

Corticosteroid administration and outcome of adolescents and adults with acute bacterial meningitis: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess the effect of the adjunctive administration of corticosteroids in the treatment of acute bacterial meningitis. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching several databases for reports (published from January 1966 through February 2008) of placebo-controlled randomized trials of corticosteroid use in the treatment of adolescents and adults with acute bacterial meningitis. We used random-effects models. Sources of heterogeneity were explored by preplanned subgroup analyses. RESULTS: The 4 eligible trials (published between 1999 and 2007) were of high methodological quality and included 1261 adult patients. Overall, the short-term mortality rate associated with corticosteroid administration was not significantly lower than that associated with placebo (relative risk [RR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-1.20; I(2)=54%). A significant interaction was found between the effect of corticosteroids and the income status of the country (P=.02) and the prevalence of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among study populations (P=.03). The administration of corticosteroids resulted in a lower short-term mortality rate than did the administration of placebo in high-income countries (pooled RR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.27-0.92; I(2)=0%) and in the studies with a low prevalence of infection with HIV (RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.44-0.99; I(2)=0%). In studies from high-income countries, the number needed to treat with corticosteriods to prevent 1 death and 1 neurologic sequela was 12.5 (95% CI, 7.1-100.0) and 11.0 (95% CI, 5.6-100.0), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis suggests that the adjunctive administration of corticosteroids is beneficial in the treatment of adolescents and adults with bacterial meningitis in patient populations similar to those seen in high-income countries and in areas with a low prevalence of HIV infection.