Prevalence of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions among dental visits, 2019.

OBJECTIVE: The US National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria established a goal to decrease unnecessary outpatient antibiotic use by 50%. However, data to inform this goal have been limited to medical settings and have not included dental prescribing. Thus, we sought to identify the proportion of antibiotics prescribed inappropriately by dentists to inform outpatient stewardship efforts. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of 2019 Veterans' Affairs (VA) national electronic health record data. Antibiotics prescribed by dentists were evaluated for appropriateness based on 2 definitions: one derived from current guidelines (consensus-based recommendations) and the other based on relevant clinical literature (nonconsensus). A clustered binomial logistic regression model determined factors associated with discordant prescribing. RESULTS: In total, 92,224 antibiotic prescriptions (63% amoxicillin; mean supply, 8.0 days) were associated with 88,539 dental visits. Prophylaxis for complications in medically compromised patients was associated with the most (30.9%) antibiotic prescriptions, followed by prevention of postsurgical complications (20.1%) and infective endocarditis (18.0%). At the visit level, 15,476 (17.5%) met the consensus-based definition for appropriate antibiotic usage and 56,946 (64.3%) met the nonconsensus definition. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of antibiotics prescribed by dentists do not have guidelines supporting their use. Regardless of definition applied, antibiotics prescribed by dentists were commonly unnecessary. Improving prescribing by dentists is critical to reach the national goal to decrease unnecessary antibiotic use.

Veteran influenza vaccination acceptance rates after completion of the COVID-19 vaccination series among historical influenza vaccine refusers.

BACKGROUND: Vaccine hesitancy remains an obstacle in disease prevention. The recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighted this issue and may influence acceptance of other recommended immunizations. The objective of this study was to determine the association between receiving the COVID-19 vaccination and the subsequent acceptance of the influenza vaccination in a Veteran population that historically declined influenza vaccination. METHODS: Influenza vaccination acceptance rates for the 2021-2022 influenza season were compared in patients who historically declined the influenza vaccine and either received or declined COVID-19 vaccinations. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze factors associated with receiving influenza vaccination among vaccine hesitant individuals. RESULTS: A higher proportion of patients who had received the COVID-19 vaccination(s) subsequently accepted the influenza vaccination compared to the control group (37% vs. 11%, OR = 5.03; CI 3.15-8.26; p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Among previous influenza vaccine decliners, those who received COVID-19 vaccination had significantly higher odds of receiving subsequent influenza vaccination.

Evaluating the Impact of a Urinalysis to Reflex Culture Process Change in the Emergency Department at a Veterans Affairs Hospital.

Background: Although automated urine cultures (UCs) following urinalysis (UA) are often used in emergency departments (EDs) to identify urinary tract infections (UTIs), results are often reported as no organism growth or the growth of clinically insignificant organisms, leading to the overdetection and overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB). Methods: A process change was implemented at a US Department of Veterans Affairs medical center ED that automatically cancelled UCs if UAs had < 5 white blood cells per high-power field (WBC/HPF). An option for do not cancel (DNC) UC was available. Data were prospectively collected for 3 months postimplementation and included UA/UC results, presence of UTI symptoms, antibiotics prescribed, and health care utilization. Results: Postintervention, 684 UAs (37.2%) were evaluated from ED visits. Postintervention, of 255 UAs, 95 (37.3%) were negative with UC cancelled, 95 (37.3%) were positive with UC processed, 43 (16.9%) were ordered as DNC, and 22 (8.6%) were ordered without a UC. UC processing despite a negative UA significantly decreased from 100% preintervention to 38.6% postintervention (P < .001). Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics for ASB was reduced from 10.2% preintervention to 1.9% postintervention (odds ratio = 0.17; P = .01). In patients with negative UA specimens, antibiotic prescribing decreased by 25.3% postintervention. No reports of outpatient, ED, or hospital visits for symptomatic UTI were found within 7 days of the initial UA postintervention. Conclusions: The UA to reflex culture process change resulted in a significant reduction in processing of inappropriate UCs and unnecessary antibiotic use for ASB. There were no missed UTIs or other adverse patient outcomes.

Long-term prescribing of nitrofurantoin for urinary tract infections (UTI) in veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI).

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of long-term nitrofurantoin for UTI prophylaxis in veterans with SCI. DESIGN: Matched pairs study. SETTING: Veterans cared for at VA facilities from 10/1/2012-9/30/2013. PARTICIPANTS: Veterans. INTERVENTIONS: n/a. OUTCOMES MEASURES: UTI, positive urine cultures, resistant cultures. METHODS: Cases receiving long-term nitrofurantoin (≥90 days supply) were matched to controls by facility. Controls were patients who did not receive long-term nitrofurantoin with a history of ≥3 positive urine cultures and at least one diagnosis of UTI or asymptomatic bacteriuria in the previous year. RESULTS: 122 SCI cases were identified and matched to 196 controls. After adjusting for differences in baseline demographic characteristics, UTIs were less frequent in cases (OR = 0.60 [95% CI 0.44-0.72]). Cases had a greater mean number of days between positive urine cultures as compared to controls (<0.0001). Cases were more likely to have isolates resistant to nitrofurantoin (P ≤ 0.0001); however, the frequency of multi-drug resistant organisms isolated from the urine was not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term prescription of nitrofurantoin may reduce UTIs in veterans with SCI and there is no evidence that it promotes multi-drug resistance. Future prospective studies should be conducted prior to incorporating routine use of long-term nitrofurantoin into clinical care.

Ertapenem-associated neurotoxicity in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population: A case series.

Context Ertapenem, a broad spectrum carbapenem antibiotic, is used often in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) patients due to increased risk factors for multi-drug resistant (MDR) infections in this population. Neurotoxicity, specifically seizures, due to ertapenem is a known adverse effect and has been described previously. Other manifestations such as delirium and visual hallucinations have rarely been reported, and no literature, to the best of our knowledge, specifically describes these effects solely in the SCI population. Findings Four cases of mental status changes and hallucinations in SCI patients attributed to ertapenem therapy are described. Onset of symptoms began between one and six days following initiation of ertapenem and resolved between two to 42 days following discontinuation. Based on the Naranjo probability scale, a probable relationship exists between the adverse events and ertapenem for three out of the four cases. Possible overestimation of renal function and hypoalbuminemia may be contributing factors to the noted adverse reactions. Conclusion/Clinical Relevance The cases described highlight the importance of recognizing ertapenem-associated hallucinations in SCI patients. The population is particularly vulnerable due to risk factors for MDR infections necessitating ertapenem use, possible overestimation of renal function, and a high prevalence of hypoalbuminemia.

Successful Treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteremia with the Recommended Renally Adjusted Ceftolozane/Tazobactam Regimen.

INTRODUCTION: Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) is a novel antibiotic approved for complicated intra-abdominal and urinary tract infections caused by Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, including some MDR strains. Little is known about the use of this agent for treatment of bacteremia and even less so about the appropriateness of the renally defined regimens. We describe a case of a 66-year-old man with a history of chronic kidney disease (baseline Cr = 3-4 mg/dl) and recurrent nephrolithiasis with bilateral stents who had positive concurrent urine and blood cultures for MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSA), susceptible only to amikacin and colistin. Due to the MDR phenotype and his underlying kidney disease, the 375 mg (250 mg/125 mg) dose of C/T was given as monotherapy every 8 h for his bloodstream infection. METHODS: Once steady state was anticipated, blood was obtained at the end of infusion (1 h), and at 3, 5 and 8 h for drug concentration determination using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method at the Center for Anti-Infective Research and Development, Hartford Hospital, Hartford. RESULTS: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the PSA was 2/4 for C/T, indicating susceptibility. Concentration of ceftolozane of 21.87 µg/ml at 8 h indicated that serum concentrations were maintained above the MIC throughout the dosing interval. The patient was given 25 days of C/T and experienced a successful clinical outcome. Blood cultures obtained at 1 and 3 weeks after completion of treatment remained sterile. No adverse events were attributed to C/T. CONCLUSION: In this patient, the renally adjusted dose of C/T was safe and provided sufficiently high drug concentrations that exceeded the MIC of the infecting organism over the course of therapy. More data are required to determine the clinical utility of C/T in the setting of MDR PSA bacteremia.

Outcomes of ceftriaxone use compared to standard of therapy in methicillin susceptible staphylococcal aureus (MSSA) bloodstream infections.

BACKGROUND: Standard of care therapy (SOCT) for the treatment of methicillin susceptible staphylococcal aureus (MSSA) infections requires multiple daily infusions. Despite questionable efficacy due to high protein binding, ceftriaxone (CTX) is frequently used for treatment of MSSA at Hines VA Hospital. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine clinical and microbiological outcomes in patients with MSSA bacteremia treated with CTX compared to SOCT. SETTING: This retrospective study was conducted at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital which is a comprehensive health care center serving the veteran population of the greater metropolitan Chicago and northwest Indiana regions and is institutionally affiliated with the Loyola University Medical Center. The Hines VA provides medical care to over 56,000 veterans and operates approximately 500 hospital beds, including acute care and nursing home beds. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with MSSA bacteremia treated at Hines VA Hospital between January 2000 and September 2009. Patients who received either SOCT or CTX for >50% of the treatment course and for the appropriate duration were included. Patients who were on multiple antibiotics concurrently or who received <14 days of therapy were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome of this study is to compare clinical outcomes of patients with MSSA bacteremia who were treated with CTX compared to those who received standard of care agents. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients with MSSA bacteremia were included in the analysis. Fifty-one were treated with SOCT and 42 with CTX. There were no differences in microbiological cure between SOCT (94.1%) and CTX (95.2%) (p = 0.812). Clinical cure was similar between groups (74.5% for SOCT, 83.3% for CTX) (p = 0.303). CTX was used more often to treat Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia associated with osteomyelitis whereas endocarditis and central line associated infections were treated more frequently with SOCT (p = 0.01). More patients treated with CTX were managed in the ambulatory setting (64 vs. 24%; p = <0.001). There was a trend toward a longer hospital stay with SOCT. CONCLUSION: Clinical outcomes for MSSA bacteremia did not differ significantly between patients treated with CTX and SOCT. Findings suggest that CTX may be an alternative for outpatient management of MSSA bacteremia.