Relevance of fluoroquinolone use in a French teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to assess the good use of fluoroquinolone (FQ) in a French teaching hospital by a two round relevance review before and after proposal for better use of FQ prescriptions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The relevance of FQ prescription according to regional guidelines was assessed using a standard card filled out retrospectively by physicians in the 3 previous months, in volunteer hospital wards. Then, two experts checked the relevance of prescriptions according to the regional antibiotherapy guidelines, a book called "Antibioguide", and determined a therapeutic index of adequacy for each card. The first survey (R1) took place in January 2008. The second survey (R2) took place in June 2009 to evaluate the impact of corrective measures, adopted at a meeting of the regional antibiotics commission in January 2009. RESULTS: Physicians in 18 wards completed 475 cards in R1 and physicians in 16 wards completed 263 in R2. The inappropriateness of FQ indication was significantly improved by 57% (P<0.001) between the two rounds and the rate of adequate cards was 33% in R1 and 55% in R2, giving an improvement of 66% (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The improvement of FQ prescriptions and observance of guidelines demonstrate the importance of assessing the state of things before introducing corrective actions. "Antibioguide" was updated at the end of this study.

[Impact of corrective measures on fluoroquinolones prescriptions for urinary tract infections during a 2-round relevance study]. / Amélioration de la prescription des fluoroquinolones dans les infections urinaires. Revue de pertinence à deux tours.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluating the impact of corrective measures on fluoroquinolones (FQ) prescriptions for urinary tract infections (UTI) during a 2-round relevance study on a regional scale. METHODS: FQ prescriptions of voluntary hospitals were checked by an infectious diseases physician and a pharmacist according to regional guidelines. A first round (R1) took place in January 2008, with feedback and proposal for personalized corrective measures in January 2009. A second round (R2) was organized in June 2009. UTI data were extracted and the results of the two rounds were compared. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty-five and 302 FQ prescriptions for UTI, coming from 28 and 24 different hospitals, were analyzed at R1 and R2, respectively. Thirty-six percent and 55% of these prescriptions were entirely in accordance with regional guidelines, at respectively R1 and R2 (P<0.001). All the analyzed criteria (choice of the molecule, dosage, duration of the treatment) significantly improved between R1 and R2. The route of administration non-significantly deteriorated. The rate of FQ prescriptions for non conform indications decreased from 24% to 12% between R1 and R2 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Most hospitals of Lorraine took part in this study, confirming its feasibility on a regional scale. The regional guidelines were reviewed at the end of R2, taking into account the last national guidelines. There was a significant improvement of FQ prescriptions for UTI through better adhesion to the regional guidelines between the two rounds. This is probably due to first turn results feedback, and corrective measures suggestion.

[Study of new HIV infection between 2000 and 2007 in the north and east of France]. / Étude des infections à VIH nouvellement découvertes entre 2000 et 2007 dans le Nord et l'Est de la France.

UNLABELLED: In France, since 2003, all new HIV infection must be reported. Data collected with the declaration system is not exhaustive and only concerns epidemiological data. OBJECTIVE: The authors' aim was to study the epidemiologic evolution of new HIV cases between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2007 in North and East of France, to compare them with national and local data, to complete them, and to identify local specificities. METHOD: A retrospective observational study was made, with a standardized questionnaire completed by any volunteer HIV care center in the North and the East of France. RESULTS: Three thousand and thirty questionnaires were analyzed. The main trends over these eight years were similar to those observed in the rest of France: a decreasing number of women and patients of foreign origin, a decreasing number of patients with a late diagnosis, an increasing number of primary infections, and a higher CD4 count on initiation of antiretroviral treatment. However, local specificities appeared, such as: increasing proportion of men having sex with men and a less important proportion of co-infected patients with hepatitis B and/or C than on the national level. The therapeutic regimen is adequate according to expert recommendations, with, however, a marked "center effect" concerning prescription habits. DISCUSSION: Such a local epidemiological study, even if it confirms observed trends in the rest of France, allows detailing them and suggesting prevention measures more specifically adapted to local settings.

Occult hepatitis B infection in patients infected with HIV: report of two cases of hepatitis B reactivation and prevalence in a hospital cohort.

Patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are particularly at risk of hepatitis B reactivation. Two cases of patients infected with HIV with isolated anti-HBc antibodies who had experienced an HBV reactivation are described. In the two cases HBV reactivation occurred after withdrawal of anti-retroviral treatment with anti-HBV activity from the patients' highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), in accordance with HIV genotypic resistance profiles. Consequently, plasma samples from 383 patients infected with HIV were tested to assess the prevalence of occult HBV infection in the Infectious Diseases Department Unit of Nancy Hospital by investigating serological patterns and HBV replication. Forty-five percent (172/383) of patients had had previous contact with HBV. Isolated anti-HBc antibodies were observed in 48 patients (48/383, 12%) and, among these, 2 were HBV-DNA positive. Since 75% (288/383) of the patients were treated with HAART, including at least one drug active against HBV, occult HBV infection was perhaps unrecognized. In cases of HIV infection, all patients should be screened for HBV infection and the knowledge of HBV status as well as the monitoring of HBV viral load are essential in preventing HBV reactivation. Consideration should be given to the continuation of drugs with anti-HBV activity in co-infected patients receiving HAART, as cessation of therapy is associated with a risk of HBV reactivation. At least, close monitoring of the HBV viral load is warranted in such situations.

[Relevance of fluoroquinolone use in Lorraine: results of the first survey]. / Revue de pertinence des fluoroquinolones en Lorraine: résultats de la première évaluation.

OBJECTIVES: The Antibiolor network assessed the good use of fluoroquinolones (FQ) in the French Lorraine region by a relevance review. METHODS: At the beginning of 2008, the experts in voluntary hospitals filled out a standard card mentioning the indication, FQ name, route, and duration according to prescriptions in the last 3 months. Two experts checked the relevance of prescriptions according to the local Antibioguide, and determined a score of therapeutic adequacy index for each card. Each establishment was given its results. Corrective measures were adopted at a meeting of the regional antibiotics commission in January 2009. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four units (61 medical, 33 surgical, 17 ICU, 2 ER, 11 long-stay hospital) in 28 hospitals filled 1538 cards. The most frequent indications were: pulmonary (632), urinary (445), digestive (130). The FQ indication was non-conform for 36% of the cards (n=554). When the FQ indication was justified (984 cards), the chosen molecule was non-conform in 222 cases (23%), dose in 115 cases (12%), duration in 250 cases (25%), and route of administration in 83 cases (8%). The prescriptions were entirely conform for 425 cards (28%). CONCLUSION: The Lorraine hospitals massively took part in this study. The second survey will use the same methodology. The objective will be to reduce the number of unjustified FQ prescriptions and to increase the number of conform cards.

[Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and endocarditis]. / Bactériémies et endocardites àStaphylococcus aureus.

The prevalence of Stapylococcus bacteriaemia is increasing worldwide, because of the increasing use of invasive procedures leading to nosocomial infections, but also of a changing way of life (increasing fashion for tattoos or piercing, use of intravenous drugs). Infective endocarditis develops in 10-30% of the cases of staphylococcus bacteriaemia. Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis must be suspected when it develops in the year following heart surgery or implantation of permanent devices. In drug users, it usually involves the tricuspid valve. According to the resistance of the germ to meticillin, antibiotic therapy uses a combination of intravenous penicillin or glycopeptide and an aminoside. Other antibiotics such as fosfomycin, rifampicin, fusidic acid, or clindamycin can be used when aminosides are contra-indicated. The role of newer antibiotic agents, such as daptomycin or linezolide, remains to be established.

[Non infectious endocarditis: retrospective study (6 cases)]. / Endocardites non infectieuses: étude rétrospective (6 cas).

PURPOSE: If there is cardiac valve vegetation and the blood cultures are negatives we need to look for slow growing bacteria, fungi, Legionella pneumophilia, Bartonella henselae and quintana, Brucella melitensis and abortus, Coxiella burneti, Chlamydiae pneumoniae by serologic tests. The diagnosis of non- infectious endocarditis could be considered only if these results were negative. The main purpose of this study was to describe the clinical and echocardiographic signs of non-infectious endocarditis cases observed in two different wards. METHODS: This study was done retrospectively during a five-year period in a cardiology and an internal medicine wards. The selection criteria are: the proof of at least one cardiac valve vegetation, observed on echocardiography, negative blood cultures and negative serologic tests as described above. RESULTS: Six non-bacterial endocarditis were described. Four Libman-Sacks endocarditis, two associated with a primary antiphospholipid syndrome revealed by an acute ischemia of leg for one patient and by an eclampsia for another and the other two associated with a systemic lupus erythematous revealed by fever for one patient and by neurologic symptoms for the other. One fibroblastic endocarditis associated to an essential hypereosinophilia and one marastic endocarditis associated to a metastatic mucin-producing cancer. CONCLUSIONS: For these six cases, a complete physical examination, a CBC for hypereosinophylia, a dosage of antiphospholipid antibodies and a thoraco-abdominal CT-scan allowed the etiologic diagnosis of non infectious endocarditis. Libman Sacks endocarditis associated with an antiphospholipid syndrome is the main etiology for which a long-term anticoagulation treatment was not followed.