Is yearly interferon gamma release assay latent tuberculosis infection screening warranted among patients with rheumatological diseases on disease-modifying drugs in non-endemic settings?

OBJECTIVE: Patients living with rheumatologic diseases on disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) are at an increased risk of developing tuberculosis (TB). Current guidelines recommend screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) before initiating DMARD. However, data is lacking on the value of yearly screening for LTBI. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on adult patients (≥ 18 years) with rheumatologic disease on DMARD followed longitudinally in the outpatient rheumatology clinics between 2017-2021. Collected data included patient demographics, rheumatologic diagnosis, medications, TB-related risk factors, interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) results, LTBI diagnosis and treatment. Descriptive statistics were performed. RESULTS: Among 339 patients, 81 (23.9%) were male, 259 (76.4%) were white, and 93 (27.5%) were Latinx. Inflammatory arthritis (84.1%) was the most common rheumatic diagnosis. Common DMARD were JAK inhibitors (19.2%), TNF-alpha inhibitors (18.9%), and IL-17 A inhibitors (18.0%). Only 2 patients at baseline had positive IGRA, and both had a history of treated LTBI. Positive IGRA tests were recorded in 1 (0.7%), 3 (1.8%), 3 (1.3%), and 3 (1.1%) in the years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. Four patients converted from negative to positive during serial yearly IGRA testing. After reviewing the IGRA test and TB risk factors, only one patient was considered newly diagnosed with LTBI, requiring 4 months of rifampin. CONCLUSION: In a non-endemic area, serial IGRA testing of low-risk patients on DMARD yielded very low rate of newly diagnosed LTBI. A targeted LTBI screening based on TB-related risk factors should be performed prior to IGRA testing rather than universal yearly screening in a non-endemic setting.

Expanded or Risk Factor-Based Annual Screening for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Among Persons With HIV: Which Is the Best Approach?

Introduction. Universal one-time screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is recommended for all adults. For persons with HIV (PWH), guidelines recommend HCV screening at entry into care and annually in men who have unprotected sex with other men (MSM) and persons who inject drugs (PWID). Public health experts recommend expanded annual screening in all PWH given concerns for undiagnosed new HCV diagnoses when risk factors are not assessed. Electronic medical record (EMR) with clinical decision support using a Best Practice Advisory (BPA) tool can aid HCV risk factor assessment. We conducted a prospective study among three HIV clinics to compare the two screening approaches. Methods. Two clinics implemented the EMR-triggered risk factor-based screening; one clinic used the expanded screening approach. We evaluated BPA uptake and compared HCV testing and positivity rates from August 12, 2019 to March 12, 2020. Results. In the risk factor-based screening clinics, of 1,343 PWH, 239 tests were performed with 139 attributed to the BPA (testing rate 10%). At the expanded screening site, among 434 patients, 237 HCV tests were performed (testing rate 55%). The risk factor-based screening sites were less likely to test for HCV (odds ratio [OR] = 0.0884, p < .01) and identify positive cases (OR = 0.55, p = .025). Conclusions. An EMR-based clinical-decision support tool was successfully implemented for HCV risk factor-based screening resulting in a lower HCV annual screening rate compared with an expanded approach. Although in this group of HIV clinics with limited longitudinal follow-up, no previously undiagnosed HCV cases were detected, additional work is needed to guide the design of the best approach.

Do Cultures From Percutaneously Drained Intra-abdominal Abscesses Change Treatment? A Retrospective Review.

BACKGROUND: Routinely obtaining intraoperative cultures for abdominal infections is not a currently recommended evidence-based practice. Yet, cultures are frequently sent from these infections when they are managed by image-guided percutaneous drains. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the utility of cultures from percutaneously drained intra-abdominal abscesses. DESIGN: Retrospective medical record review. SETTING: Single university-affiliated institution. PATIENTS: Inpatients with an intra-abdominal abscess secondary to diverticulitis or appendicitis between 2013 and 2021 managed with image-guided percutaneous drain, excluding those with active chemotherapy, HIV, or solid organ transplant, were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency culture data from percutaneous drains changed antimicrobial therapy. RESULTS: There were 221 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 56% were admitted for diverticulitis and 44% for appendicitis. Patients were 54% female and had a median age of 62 years (range, 18-93), and 14% were active smokers. The median length of hospitalization was 8 days (range, 1-78) and the median antibiotics course was 8 days (range, 1-22). Culture data from percutaneous drains altered antimicrobial therapy in 8% of patients (16/211). A culture was obtained from 95% of drains, with 78% of cultures with growth. Cultures grew multiple bacteria in 66% and mixed variety without speciation in 13%. The most common pathogen was the Bacteroides family at 33% of all bacteria. The most common empiric antibiotic regimens were ceftriaxone used in 33% of patients and metronidazole used in 40% of patients. Female sex ( p = 0.027) and presence of bacteria with any antibiotic resistance ( p < 0.01) were associated with higher likelihood of cultures influencing antimicrobial therapy. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective and single institution's microbiome. CONCLUSIONS: Microbiology data from image-guided percutaneous drains of abdominal abscesses altered antimicrobial therapy in 8% of patients, which is lower than reported in previously published literature on cultures obtained surgically. Given this low rate, similar to the recommendation regarding cultures obtained intraoperatively, routinely culturing material from drains placed in abdominal abscesses is not recommended. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/C64 . LOS CULTIVOS DE ABSCESOS INTRA ABDOMINALES DRENADOS PERCUTNEAMENTE CAMBIAN EL TRATAMIENTO UNA REVISIN RETROSPECTIVA: ANTECEDENTES:La obtención rutinaria de cultivos intra-operatorios para infecciones abdominales no es una práctica basada en evidencia actualmente recomendada. Sin embargo, con frecuencia se envían cultivos de estas infecciones cuando se manejan con drenajes percutáneos guiados por imágenes.OBJETIVO:Determinar la utilidad de los cultivos de abscesos intra-abdominales drenados percutáneamente.DISEÑO:Revisión retrospectiva de gráficos.ESCENARIO:Institución única afiliada a la universidad.PACIENTES:Pacientes hospitalizados con absceso intra-abdominal secundario a diverticulitis o apendicitis entre 2013 y 2021 manejados con drenaje percutáneo guiado por imagen, excluyendo aquellos con quimioterapia activa, VIH o trasplante de órgano sólido.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Los datos de cultivo de frecuencia de los drenajes percutáneos cambiaron la terapia antimicrobiana.RESULTADOS:Hubo 221 pacientes que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. De estos, el 56% ingresaron por diverticulitis y el 44% por apendicitis. El 54% de los pacientes eran mujeres, tenían una edad media de 62 años (18-93) y el 14% eran fumadores activos. La duración de hospitalización media fue de 8 días (rango, 1-78) y la mediana del curso de antibióticos fue de 8 días (rango, 1-22). Los datos de cultivo de drenajes percutáneos alteraron la terapia antimicrobiana en el 7% (16/221) de los pacientes. Se obtuvo cultivo del 95% de los drenajes, con un 79% de cultivos con crecimiento. Los cultivos produjeron múltiples bacterias en el 63% y variedad mixta sin especiación en el 13%. El patógeno más común fue la familia Bacteroides con un 33% de todas las bacterias. El régimen de antibiótico empírico más común fue ceftriaxona y metronidazol, utilizados en el 33% y el 40% de los pacientes, respectivamente. El sexo femenino ( p = 0,027) y la presencia de bacterias con alguna resistencia a los antibióticos ( p < 0,01) se asociaron con una mayor probabilidad de que los cultivos influyeran en la terapia antimicrobiana.LIMITACIONES:Microbioma retrospectivo y de una sola institución.CONCLUSIONES:Los datos microbiológicos de los drenajes percutáneos guiados por imágenes de los abscesos abdominales alteraron la terapia antimicrobiana en el 7% de los pacientes, que es inferior a la literatura publicada previamente sobre cultivos obtenidos quirúrgicamente. Dada esta baja tasa, similar a la recomendación sobre cultivos obtenidos intraoperatoriamente, no se recomienda el cultivo rutinario de material de drenajes colocados en abscesos abdominales. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/C64 . (Traducción-Dr. Mauricio Santamaria.

Efficacy of an 8-week course of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir for the treatment of HCV infection in selected HIV-infected patients.

Background: With the availability of direct acting antiviral treatment for hepatitis C (HCV), HIV and HCV co-infected patients show comparable treatment responses to HCV-monoinfected patients. An 8-week course of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) is highly effective for the treatment of HCV genotype 1 infection in treatment-naïve mono-infected patients with HCV viral loads <6 million IU/ml. There is limited data on the efficacy of this 8-week HCV treatment regimen in HIV-infected individuals with similar viral loads. Methods: The study was a retrospective review of HIV-infected adults coinfected with HCV genotype 1 for whom an 8-week course of SOF/LDV was prescribed by providers at two clinics in the Yale-New Haven Health system from November 1, 2014 until April 30, 2016. Treatment efficacy was assessed as the proportion of treatment initiators who achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completion of therapy (SVR 12). Results: Nineteen patients met study eligibility criteria and included 14 men (74%); and 12 African-Americans (63%). All patients were on antiretroviral therapy with fully suppressed HIV viral loads and were HCV treatment-naïve. All patients had pre-treatment HCV viral loads <6 million IU/mL. Eighteen patients (95%) completed HCV treatment. Overall, SVR 12 was 95%, with 1 treament failure occurring due to suboptimal adherence. Conclusion: Among our HIV-infected patient cohort with HCV genotype 1 infection, 95% of those treated with an 8 week course of SOF/LDV achieved SVR 12. This is comparable to the efficacy of the same treatment regimen in patients without HIV infection. This study lends proof of concept to the use of shorter course SOF/LDV treatment for HIV-HCV genotype 1 coinfected patients with viral loads <6 million IU/ml. Larger studies are indicated to validate our findings.

Evaluation of cardiovascular biomarkers in a randomized trial of fosamprenavir/ritonavir vs. efavirenz with abacavir/lamivudine in underrepresented, antiretroviral-naïve, HIV-infected patients (SUPPORT): 96-week results.

BACKGROUND: Rates of cardiovascular disease are higher among HIV-infected patients as a result of the complex interplay between traditional risk factors, HIV-related inflammatory and immunologic changes, and effects of antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study prospectively evaluated changes in cardiovascular biomarkers in an underrepresented, racially diverse, HIV-1-infected population receiving abacavir/lamivudine as backbone therapy. METHODS: This 96-week, open-label, randomized, multicenter study compared once-daily fosamprenavir/ritonavir 1400/100 mg and efavirenz 600 mg, both with ABC/3TC 600 mg/300 mg, in antiretroviral-naïve, HLA-B*5701-negative adults without major resistance mutations to study drugs. We evaluated changes from baseline to weeks 4, 12, 24, 48, and 96 in interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), d-dimer, plasminogen, and fibrinogen. Biomarker data were log-transformed before analysis, and changes from baseline were described using geometric mean ratios. RESULTS: This study enrolled 101 patients (51 receiving fosamprenavir/ritonavir; 50 receiving efavirenz): 32% female, 60% African American, and 38% Hispanic/Latino; 66% (67/101) completed 96 weeks on study. At week 96, levels of IL-6, sVCAM-1, d-dimer, fibrinogen, and plasminogen were lower than baseline in both treatment groups, and the decrease was statistically significant for sVCAM-1 (fosamprenavir/ritonavir and efavirenz), d-dimer (fosamprenavir/ritonavir and efavirenz), fibrinogen (efavirenz), and plasminogen (efavirenz). Values of hs-CRP varied over time in both groups, with a significant increase over baseline at Weeks 4 and 24 in the efavirenz group. At week 96, there was no difference between the groups in the percentage of patients with HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL (fosamprenavir/ritonavir 63%; efavirenz 66%) by ITT missing-equals-failure analysis. Treatment-related grade 2-4 adverse events were more common with efavirenz (32%) compared with fosamprenavir/ritonavir (20%), and median lipid concentrations increased in both groups over 96 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In this study of underrepresented patients, treatment with abacavir/lamivudine combined with either fosamprenavir/ritonavir or efavirenz over 96 weeks, produced stable or declining biomarker levels except for hs-CRP, including significant and favorable decreases in thrombotic activity (reflected by d-dimer) and endothelial activation (reflected by sVCAM-1). Our study adds to the emerging data that some cardiovascular biomarkers are decreased with initiation of ART and control of HIV viremia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00727597.