Candidemia in Colombia / [Candidemia en Colombia].

In Colombia, especially in intensive care units, candidemia is a frequent cause of infection, accounting for 88% of fungal infections in hospitalized patients, with mortality ranging from 36% to 78%. Its incidence in Colombia is higher than that reported in developed countries and even higher than in other Latin American countries. First, the patient's risk factors should be considered, and then clinical characteristics should be assessed. Finally, microbiological studies are recommended and if the evidence supports its use, molecular testing. In general, American, Latin American, and European guides place the echinocandins as the first-line treatment for candidemia and differ in the use of fluconazole based on evidence, disease severity, previous exposure to azoles, and prevalence of Candida non-albicans. Taking into account the high incidence of this disease in our setting, it should be looked for in patients with risk factors to start a prompt empirical anti-fungal treatment.

En Colombia, especialmente en las unidades de cuidados intensivos, la candidemia es una causa frecuente de infección del torrente sanguíneo y representa el 88 % de las infecciones fúngicas en pacientes hospitalizados, con una mortalidad entre 36 y 78 %. Su incidencia en Colombia es mayor a la reportada en los países desarrollados e, incluso, en otros países de Latinoamérica. Para su manejo deben considerarse los factores de riesgo del paciente, luego valorar las características clínicas y, finalmente, hacer los estudios microbiológicos y, si es necesario, pruebas moleculares. En general, las guías estadounidenses, latinoamericanas y europeas recomiendan las equinocandinas como el tratamiento de primera línea de la candidemia y difieren en el uso de fluconazol dependiendo de la 'evidencia', la gravedad de la enfermedad, la exposición previa a los azoles y la prevalencia de Candida no albicans. Dada su gran incidencia en nuestro país, asociada con una elevada mortalidad, esta infección debe buscarse sistemáticamente en pacientes con factores de riesgo, con el fin de iniciar oportunamente el tratamiento antifúngico.

Costos en pacientes con infección por Acinetobacter baumanniien Colombia / Healthcare costs in Colombian patients infected with Acinetobacter baumannii

Objetivo: Determinar el impacto económico como resultado de la adquisición de una infección por A. baumannii en Colombia. Métodos: Se consideró la información de un estudio previo de cohorte prospectivo, multicéntrico. Se incluyeron 165 pacientes ingresados en las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos (UCIs) participantes entre abril de 2006 y abril de 2010. Se cuantificaron los costos directos e indirectos de la atención desde la perspectiva de la sociedad utilizando la técnica de microcosteo, y se realizaron modelos uni y multivariados. Resultados: La mayoría de los pacientes eran menores de 65 años de edad (75%), hombres (64%) y una tercera parte (32%) estaban infectados por un A. baumannii resistente (resistencia a 5 o más familias de antimicrobianos). El costo total hospitalario en la población de pacientes del estudio fue de US $ 10.180 (Costos directos US $ 10.105 SD ± 6.671 y costos indirectos US $ 75 ± 106 por paciente). El costo de los antimicrobianos fue de US $ 3.497 ± 3.510 por paciente. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con A. baumannii que fueron ingresados en la UCI son altamente costosos para el sistema de salud Colombiano. Aunque el costo principal estuvo asociado directamente a la atención en salud, cada paciente y su familia también asumieron costos, que se estimaron aproximadamente en 30% del salario mensual mínimo legal vigente para el año 2012.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the healthcare costs among patients infected with A. baumannii in intensive care units (ICUs) in Colombia. Methods: We reviewed information from a previous prospective, observational, and multicenter study that included 165 patients admitted to Critical Care Units (ICUs) between April 2006 and April 2010. Direct and indirect health care costs were estimated from the societal perspective using micro-costing, and uni- and multivariate models were constructed. Results: The majority of patients (64%) were male; most (75%) were under 65 years of age, and 32% were infected with a pathogen resistant to 5 or more antimicrobial families. Overall, the healthcare cost in our sample was US $10,180 (The total direct cost (SD) was US $10,105±$6671 and the indirect cost was US $75±$106 per patient). The antimicrobia cost was US $3,497±$3,510 per patient and indirect costs represented <1% of the total cost. Conclusions: High costs were observed in patients with A. baumannii who were admitted to the ICU. The main cost was the direct cost of care, but patients and their families assumed out-of-pocket costs as a consequence of the infection that represented nearly 30% of the legal minimum wage for Colombia in 2012.

Healthcare expenses associated with multiple vs singleton pregnancies in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to document cost that is associated with multiple births vs singleton births in the United States. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study that used a claims database. Women 19-45 years old with live-born infants from 2005-2010 were identified. Infant deliveries were identified by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes. The cost entailed all payment made by insurers and patients. For mothers, the cost included expenses from 27 weeks before delivery to 1 month after delivery. For infants, the cost contained all expenses until their first birthday. Adjusted cost was estimated by generalized linear models after adjustment for the potential confounding variables with a gamma distribution and a log link. RESULTS: The analysis included 437,924 eligible deliveries. Of them, 97.02% were singletons; 2.85% were twins, and 0.13% was triplets or more. Women with multiple pregnancies had higher systemic and localized comorbidities compared with women with singleton pregnancies (P < .0001). Twins and triplets or more were more likely to have stayed in a neonatal intensive care unit than were singletons (P < .0001). On average, adjusted total all-cause health care cost was $21,458 (95% confidence interval [CI], $21,302-21,614) per delivery with singletons, $104,831 (95% CI, $103,402-106,280) with twins, and $407,199 (95% CI, $384,984-430,695) with triplets or more. CONCLUSION: Pregnancies with the delivery of twins cost approximately 5 times as much when compared with singleton pregnancies; pregnancies with delivery of triplets or more cost nearly 20 times as much.

[Acinetobacter baumannii - related mortality in intensive care units in Colombia]. / Mortalidad por Acinetobacter baumannii en unidades de cuidados intensivos en Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: Compare mortality in multidrug-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii infected patients and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii-infected patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) in Colombia. METHODS: A prospective, observational, and multicenter study. A total of 165 patients admitted to the participating ICUs from April 2006 to April 2010 were included. On day 14 and day 30 of hospitalization, mortality in multidrug-resistant patients with clinical isolates of A. baumannii was compared with that in multidrug-susceptible patients. RESULTS: Of the 165 adult patients who had health care-associated infections (HAI) caused by A. baumannii, multidrug-susceptible bacteria were found in 62 patients and multidrug-resistant bacteria in 103. Statistically significant differences in mortality on day 14 of hospitalization in the ICU were not found. On the other hand, significant differences (P < 0.05) in mortality on day 30 of hospitalization were observed between patients with multidrug-resistant isolates and those with multidrug-susceptible isolates. This difference was maintained when the patients' risk factors were evaluated by multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of multidrug resistance is the primary risk factor for mortality in patients with HAI caused by A. baumannii in Colombian ICUs.

Mortalidad por Acinetobacter baumannii en unidades de cuidados intensivos en Colombia / Acinetobacter baumannii - related mortality in intensive care units in Colombia

OBJETIVO: Comparar la mortalidad en pacientes infectados por Acinetobacter baumannii multisensibles con pacientes infectados por A. baumannii multirresistentes hospitalizados en unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI) de Colombia. MÉTODOS: Estudio prospectivo, observacional y multicéntrico. Se incluyó a 165 pacientes ingresados en las UCIs participantes entre abril de 2006 y abril de 2010. Se comparó la mortalidad de los pacientes con aislamientos clínicos de A. baumannii multirresistentes frente a aquellos multisensibles al día 14 y 30 de hospitalización. RESULTADOS: De los 165 pacientes adultos que presentaron infecciones asociadas al cuidado en salud (IACS) por A. baumannii, en 62 se encontraron bacterias multisensibles y en 103, multirresistentes. No se hallaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la mortalidad al día 14 de hospitalización en UCI. Sí se observaron en cambio diferencias significativas (P < 0,05) para mortalidad al día 30 de hospitalización entre los pacientes con aislamientos multirresistentes y multisensibles, y esta diferencia se mantuvo al controlar los factores de riesgo de los pacientes con análisis multivariado. CONCLUSIONES: La presencia de multirresistencia es el principal factor de riesgo para la mortalidad entre los pacientes con IACS por A. baumannii en las UCI de Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: Compare mortality in multidrug-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii infected patients and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii-infected patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) in Colombia. METHODS: A prospective, observational, and multicenter study. A total of 165 patients admitted to the participating ICUs from April 2006 to April 2010 were included. On day 14 and day 30 of hospitalization, mortality in multidrug-resistant patients with clinical isolates of A. baumannii was compared with that in multidrug-susceptible patients. RESULTS: Of the 165 adult patients who had health care-associated infections (HAI) caused by A. baumannii, multidrug-susceptible bacteria were found in 62 patients and multidrug-resistant bacteria in 103. Statistically significant differences in mortality on day 14 of hospitalization in the ICU were not found. On the other hand, significant differences (P < 0.05) in mortality on day 30 of hospitalization were observed between patients with multidrug-resistant isolates and those with multidrug-susceptible isolates. This difference was maintained when the patients' risk factors were evaluated by multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of multidrug resistance is the primary risk factor for mortality in patients with HAI caused by A. baumannii in Colombian ICUs.

Management and prevention of diabetic foot ulcers and infections: a health economic review.

Diabetic foot ulcers and infections are common and incur substantial economic burden for society, patients and families. We performed a comprehensive review, on a number of databases, of health economic evaluations of a variety of different prevention, diagnostic and treatment strategies in the area of diabetic foot ulcers and infections. We included English-language, peer-reviewed, cost-effectiveness, cost-minimization, cost-utility and cost-benefit studies that evaluated a treatment modality against placebo or comparator (i.e. drug, standard of care), regardless of year. Differences were settled through consensus. The search resulted in 1885 potential citations, of which 20 studies were retained for analysis (3 cost minimization, 13 cost effectiveness and 4 cost utility). Quality scores of studies ranged from 70.8% (fair) to 87.5% (good); mean = 78.4% +/- 5.33%.In diagnosing osteomyelitis in patients with diabetic foot infection, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed 82% sensitivity and 80% specificity. MRI cost less than 3-phase bone scanning + Indium (In)-111/Gallium (Ga)-67; however, when compared with prolonged antibacterials, MRI cost $US120 (year 1993 value) more without additional quality-adjusted life-expectancy. Prevention strategies improved life expectancy and QALYs and reduced foot ulcer rates and amputations.Ampicillin/sulbactam and imipenem/cilastatin were both 80% successful in treating diabetic foot infections but the latter cost $US2924 more (year 1994 value). Linezolid cure rates were higher (97.7%) than vancomycin (86.0%) and cost $US873 less (year 2004 value). Ertapenem costs were significantly lower than piperacillin/tazobactam ($US356 vs $US503, respectively; year 2005 values). Becaplermin plus good wound care may be cost effective in specific populations. Bioengineered living-skin equivalents increased ulcer-free months and ulcers healed, but costs varied between countries. Promogran produced more ulcer-free months than wound care alone (3.75 vs 3.41 months, respectively). Treatment with cadexomer iodine resulted in higher rates of healed ulcer (29% vs 11%) and lower weekly treatment costs (Swedish krona [SEK]903 vs SEK1421; year 1993 values) than standard care. Filgrastim decreased hospital stays, time to resolution and costs (36% lower) compared with usual care. Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen produced an incremental cost per QALY at year 1 of $US27 310 and $US2255 at year 12 (year 2001 values).Overall, preventive strategies were shown to be cost effective and potentially cost saving. Various antibacterial regimens are cost effective but empiric choices should be based on local resistance patterns. MRI was cost effective compared with three-phase bone scanning + In-111/Ga-67 but not against prolonged antibacterial therapy. Other innovations (becaplermin, bioengineered living-skin equivalents, filgrastim, cadexomer iodine ointment, hyperbaric oxygen, Promogran may be cost effective in this population but more studies are needed to confirm these findings.