ABSTRACT
Background: Vancomycin regimens are designed to achieve an area under the concentration-time curve/minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC) ratio ranging between 400 and 600 µg·h/mL in the steady state. However, in cases of critical infections such as bacteremia requiring an early treatment approach, the clinical course may be affected by the AUC/MIC before reaching the steady state, that is, the AUC/MIC values 24 h after the first dose (first 24-h AUC/MIC). This study evaluated the relationship between the first 24-h AUC/MIC and the clinical course of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with MRSA bacteremia in a university hospital between 2015 and 2022. The first 24-h AUC/MIC cutoff was set at 300 µg·h/mL based on the results of early response, and eligible patients were divided into groups with a first 24-h AUC/MIC either < 300 µg·h/mL (< 300 group, n = 32) or ≥ 300 µg·h/mL (≥ 300 group, n = 38). The primary endpoint was the rate of treatment efficacy, and the secondary endpoints were time to clinical and bacteriological improvement and 30-day survival rate. Results: Treatment efficacy and 30-day survival rates were not significantly different between the two groups (78.1% vs. 79.0%, P = 0.933 and 83.9% vs. 87.2%, P = 0.674, respectively). Among patients who showed treatment efficacy, the median time to clinical and bacteriological improvement was 11.5 days and 8.0 days in the < 300 and ≥ 300 groups, respectively; compared to the ≥ 300 group, the < 300 group had a significantly longer time to improvement (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The first 24-h AUC/MIC had no effect on the treatment efficacy and 30-day survival rates. However, the time to clinical and bacteriological improvement was significantly prolonged in the < 300 group, indicating that the first 24-h AUC/MIC does not affect the rate of therapeutic efficacy but may affect the treatment period.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Remdesivir (RDV) is the first antiviral agent approved in Japan for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of RDV treatment in mildly to moderately ill patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A single-center, retrospective study was performed in Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital. Patients admitted to our hospital from June to October 2021 for RDV treatment against COVID-19 were enrolled. The primary end point was clinical status on days 10 and 14, using a 6-point ordinal scale ranging from death (category 6) to discharge (category 1). Adverse events were assessed and graded using the Japanese version of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v5.0. Results: In total, 47 COVID-19 patients receiving RDV treatment were assessed during the study period. Thirty-four (72.3%) out of 47 patients required oxygen therapy. Out of these 34 patients, 30 (88.2%) showed a 2-point clinical improvement on day 14 after RDV was initiated. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels were elevated in three patients (6.4%) (CTCAE Grade 3) and neutropenia was detected in one patient (2.1%) out of the 47 patients. Conclusions: RDV may be highly effective, with good safety profiles, in patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen therapy.