Inhaled corticosteroids and the increased risk of pneumonia.

Recently it has been suggested that there is a causal association between the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) and the risk of developing pneumonia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An increased risk of pneumonia associated with ICS use has been seen in trials with different design, different study populations and with evidence of a dose-response relationship. However, as none of these clinical trials were originally designed to assess pneumonia risk, radiographic confirmation of pneumonia was not always obtained. The extent to which pneumonia events have been confounded with acute exacerbations of COPD is unclear. As increased pneumonia events were not associated with increased mortality it remains unclear what the clinical significance of these findings are. Further complicating the association between ICSs and pneumonia is that meta-analyses restricted to budesonide trials have not shown an increased risk of pneumonia, and no association has been seen in patients with asthma. A number of mechanisms by which ICSs could increase the risk of pneumonia have been proposed, principally related to their immunosuppressive effect. Well-designed clinical trials with predefined endpoints and objective pneumonia definitions are needed before the real risk of pneumonia conferred by ICSs can be established. In the meantime, it seems reasonable to reduce ICSs given to COPD patients to the lowest effective doses, reduce the risk in individual patients by ensuring appropriate vaccination and to be vigilant for the possibility of pneumonia in patients with COPD on ICSs as they largely overlap with those of an acute exacerbation.

Recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of influenza pneumonia.

A potentially fatal complication of influenza infection is the development of pneumonia, caused either directly by the influenza virus, or by secondary bacterial infection. Pneumonia related to the 2009 influenza A pandemic was found to be underestimated by commonly used pneumonia severity scores in many cases, and to be rapidly progressive, leading to respiratory failure. Confirmation of etiology by laboratory testing is warranted in such cases. Rapid antigen and immunofluorescence testing are useful screening tests, but have limited sensitivity. Confirmation of pandemic H1N1 influenza A infection can only be made by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) or viral culture. The most effective preventive measure is annual influenza vaccination in selected individuals. Decisions to administer antiviral medications for influenza treatment or chemoprophylaxis should be based upon clinical and epidemiological factors, and should not be delayed by confirmatory laboratory testing results. Neuraminidase inhibitors (NI) are the agents of choice.

Neumonía aguda grave de la comunidad en menores de 65 años sin comorbilidades conocidas previamente: estudio multicéntrico retrospectivo / Severe community acquired pneumonia in healthy adults: a multicenter retrospective study

Objetivo: analizar las características epidemiológicas, clínicas y de estudios complementarios en pacientes jóvenes y sanos con neumonía aguda grave de la comunidad (NACG). Material y Método: evaluación retrospectiva de historias clínicas de adultos menores de 65 años, sin comorbilidades, internados con NACG entre 1998 y 2008. Resultados: se identificaron 40 pacientes (M/F = 0.48), edad promedio 37.8 ± 14.1años (16-61). El 42.5% requirió ventilación mecánica y el 57.5% inotrópicos. La PaO2/FiO2 inicial fue 203.6 ± 91.4 mmHg (50-366.7) y las anomalías de laboratorio más frecuentesincluyeron anemia, leucocitosis, hipoalbuminemia y urea y creatinina elevadas. El tratamiento antibiótico empírico consistió en ceftriaxona o ß-lactámico/inhibidor de ß-lactamasas (BL) + macrólido en el 70% de los casos. La etiología se reveló en el 50%,los patógenos y su frecuencia fueron: Streptococcus Pneumoniae, 35%; Leptospira, 15%; Hantavirus y Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 10% y Legionella pneumophila, Pneumocystisjirovecii, Histoplasma capsulatum, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae BL (-) y Staphylococcus aureus sensible a meticilina, 5%. El 77.5% de los pacientes presentócomplicaciones, las más frecuentes fueron shock, insuficiencia respiratoria, insuficiencia renal aguda y derrame pleural. Ocho pacientes presentaron comorbilidades desconocidas,incluyendo HIV positivo, diabetes mellitus, asma, insuficiencia cardíaca e hipotiroidismo. La mortalidad fue 12.5%. Hipotensión arterial diastólica, taquicardia, requerimiento dehemodiálisis y tratamiento inadecuado se asociaron independientemente a mortalidad. Conclusiones: el 20% de los menores de 65 años con NACG, presumiblemente sanos, tenían comorbilidades. El patógeno más frecuente fue neumococo y la mortalidad se asoció a la gravedad de la sepsis e inadecuación del tratamiento.

Aims: to analyze epidemiologic, clinical and other abnormalities in healthy young adults with severe community acquired pneumonia (SCAP). Methods: retrospective analysis of clinical records of adults younger than 65 years, with SCAP and without previously known comorbidities, admitted from 1998 to 2008. Results: forty patients were included (M/F = 0.48), age 37.8 ± 14.1 years (range 16 - 61). Mechanical ventilation was used in 42.5% and vasopressors in 57.5% of patients. Initial PaO2/FIO2 ratio was 203.6 ± 91.4 mmHg (50 - 366.7); frequent laboratory abnormalities included: anemia, leukocytosis, hypoalbuminemia and high urea and creatinine levels.The empiric antimicrobial therapy was ceftriaxone or ß-lactam/ß - lactamases (BL) inhibitor plus macrolide in 70% of cases. The etiology was established in 50%; the specific pathogens were: Streptococcus pneumoniae, 35%; Leptospira, 15%; Hantavirus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 10%; and Legionella pneumophila, Pneumocystisjirovecii, Histoplasma capsulatum, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae BL (-) and methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, 5%. Complications were present in 77.5% including shock, respiratory failure, acute renal failure and pleural effusion.Eight patients presented previously unknown comorbidities including HIV infection, diabetes mellitus, asthma, congestive cardiac failure and hypothyroidism. Mortality was 12.5 %. Diastolic arterial hypotension, taquichycardia, requirement of hemodialysis and inadequate therapy were significantly associated to mortality. Conclusions: 20% of young and presumably healthy adults with SCAP had comorbidities. S. pneumoniae was the commonest pathogen; mortality was associated with severity of sepsis and inadequate therapy.

Cumplimiento con las guías nacionales en pacientes hospitalizados con neumonía adquirida en la comunidad: Resultados del estudio capo en Argentina / Adherence with National Guidelines in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia: Results of CAPO study in Argentina

Un comité de seis sociedades científicas en Argentina desarrolló guías para la atención de pacientes con neumonía adquirida en la comunidad (NAC). El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el nivel de cumplimiento con el cuidado recomendado en las guías nacionales en pacientes hospitalizados con NAC en Argentina. Usando indicadores de calidad, la atención de 436 pacientes hospitalizados en 12 centros de Argentina fue evaluada en las áreas de hospitalización, oxigenoterapia, terapia antibiótica empírica, terapia switch, alta hospitalaria y prevención. El nivel de cumplimiento fue clasificado como óptimo (>90%), intermedio (60% a 90%), y bajo (<60%). La selección de antibióticos empíricos y la administración dentro de las primeras ocho horas de admisión tuvieron una adherencia superior al 80%. Se identificó un nivel de cumplimiento bajo en las áreas del pasaje de antibióticos de la vía endovenosa a la vía oral (53%), la prevención con vacunación antineumocóccica (51%) y el ofrecimiento para dejar de fumar (29%). Usando indicadores de calidad se pueden identificar áreas específicas de atención en pacientes con NAC con un bajo nivel de cumplimiento con las guías nacionales. En Argentina se deben desarrollar inicialmente intervenciones enfocadas a mejorar el manejo del pasaje de antibióticos de la vía endovenosa a la vía oral y prevención de la NAC.

A committee of six scientific organizations from Argentina developed guidelines for the management of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of adherence with the recommended care suggested by the guidelines in patients hospitalized with CAP in Argentina. Using quality indicators the management of 436 patients who were hospitalized in 12 Argentinean institutions was evaluated. The care given among the following areas was reviewed: need for hospitalization, need for oxygen therapy, empiric antibiotic therapy, switch therapy, hospital discharge, and prevention. The level of adherence was classified as optimal (>90%), intermediate (60% to 90%), and low (<60%).The selection of the empiric antibiotic therapy and the administration of antibiotics between the first 8 hours after arrival had an adherence greater to 80%. A low level of adherence was found in the areas of switch therapy (53%), prevention of CAP with pneumococcal vaccine (51%) and smoking cessation offered (29%). Using quality indicators it is possible to identify specific areas of management in patients with CAP to a low level of adherence with national guidelines. In Argentina interventions to improve switch therapy and prevention of CAP should be developed.

A worldwide perspective of atypical pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia.

RATIONALE: Controversy still exists in the international literature regarding the need to use antimicrobials covering atypical pathogens when initially treating hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In different regions of the world, monotherapy with a beta-lactam antimicrobial is common. OBJECTIVES: We sought to correlate the incidence of CAP due to atypical pathogens in different regions of the world with the proportion of patients treated with an atypical regimen in those same regions. In addition, we sought to compare clinical outcomes of patients with CAP treated with and without atypical coverage. METHODS: A secondary analysis was performed using two comprehensive international databases. World regions were defined as North America (I), Europe (II), Latin America (III), and Asia and Africa (IV). Time to reach clinical stability, length of hospital stay, and mortality were compared between patients treated with and without atypical coverage. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The incidence of CAP due to atypical pathogens from 4,337 patients was 22, 28, 21, and 20% in regions I-IV, respectively. The proportion of patients treated with atypical coverage from 2,208 patients was 91, 74, 53, and 10% in regions I-IV, respectively. Patients treated with atypical coverage had decreased time to clinical stability (3.7 vs. 3.2 d, p < 0.001), decreased length of stay (7.1 vs. 6.1 d, p < 0.01), decreased total mortality (11.1 vs. 7%, p < 0.01), and decreased CAP-related mortality (6.4 vs. 3.8%, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The significant global presence of atypical pathogens and the better outcomes associated with antimicrobial regimens with atypical coverage support empiric therapy for all hospitalized patients with CAP with a regimen that covers atypical pathogens.

[Adherence with national guidelines in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Results of CAPO study in Argentina]. / Cumplimiento con las guías nacionales en pacientes hospitalizados con neumonía adquirida en la comunidad. Resultados del estudio CAPO en Argentina.

A committee of six scientific organizations from Argentina developed guidelines for the management of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of adherence with the recommended care suggested by the guidelines in patients hospitalized with CAP in Argentina. Using quality indicators the management of 436 patients who were hospitalized in 12 Argentinean institutions was evaluated. The care given among the following areas was reviewed: need for hospitalization, need for oxygen therapy, empiric antibiotic therapy, switch therapy, hospital discharge, and prevention. The level of adherence was classified as optimal (>90%), intermediate (60% to 90%), and low (<60%).The selection of the empiric antibiotic therapy and the administration of antibiotics between the first 8 hours after arrival had an adherence greater to 80%. A low level of adherence was found in the areas of switch therapy (53%), prevention of CAP with pneumococcal vaccine (51%) and smoking cessation offered (29%). Using quality indicators it is possible to identify specific areas of management in patients with CAP to a low level of adherence with national guidelines. In Argentina interventions to improve switch therapy and prevention of CAP should be developed.