A Multicenter Retrospective Study Evaluating Intravenous to Oral Antibiotic Stepdown for Uncomplicated Streptococcal Bacteremia.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous (IV) versus oral (PO) stepdown therapy for uncomplicated streptococcal bacteremia. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study included adult patients with uncomplicated streptococcal bacteremia between 1 July 2019 and 1 July 2022. Patients who received IV therapy for the full treatment course were compared to patients who transitioned to PO therapy after initial IV therapy. The primary outcome was clinical success, defined as absence of infection recurrence, infection-related readmission, and infection-related mortality at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included microbiological success, length of stay (LOS), and IV line-associated complications. Results: Of 238 patients included, 47.1% received PO stepdown therapy. Clinical success occurred in 94.4% and 94.6% in the IV only and PO stepdown groups, respectively (P = .946). Patients who transitioned to PO therapy received a median duration of IV therapy of 3.9 days (interquartile range, 2.9-7.3 days). Line complications were more frequent in the IV only group, primarily driven by catheter-related infections (7.2% vs 0%, P = .002). LOS was significantly shorter in the PO stepdown group (5.5 vs 9.2 days, P < .001). Conclusions: Patients transitioned to PO antibiotics for uncomplicated streptococcal bacteremia had similar rates of clinical success compared to patients who received only IV therapy. With consideration of infectious source, severity of illness, and comorbidities, PO stepdown following initial IV antibiotics for uncomplicated streptococcal bacteremia in select patients is a reasonable approach that may result in decreased LOS and line-related complications.

Diagnostic reliability in teledermatology: a systematic review and a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare teledermatology and face-to-face (F2F) agreement in primary diagnoses of dermatological conditions. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library (Wiley), CINAHL and medRxiv were searched between January 2010 and May 2022. Observational studies and randomised clinical trials that reported percentage agreement or kappa concordance for primary diagnoses between teledermatology and F2F physicians were included. Titles, abstracts and full-text articles were screened in duplicate. From 7173 citations, 44 articles were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to estimate pooled estimates. Primary outcome measures were mean percentage and kappa concordance for assessing diagnostic matches between teledermatology and F2F physicians. Secondary outcome measures included the agreement between teledermatologists, F2F dermatologists, and teledermatology and histopathology results. RESULTS: 44 studies were extracted and reviewed. The pooled agreement rate was 68.9%, and kappa concordance was 0.67. When dermatologists conducted F2F and teledermatology consults, the overall diagnostic agreement was significantly higher at 71% compared with 44% for non-specialists. Kappa concordance was 0.69 for teledermatologist versus specialist and 0.52 for non-specialists. Higher diagnostic agreements were also noted with image acquisition training and digital photography. The agreement rate was 76.4% between teledermatologists, 82.4% between F2F physicians and 55.7% between teledermatology and histopathology. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Teledermatology can be an attractive option particularly in resource-poor settings. Future efforts should be placed on incorporating image acquisition training and access to high-quality imaging technologies. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 10.17605/OSF.IO/FJDVG.

Local Insulin Improves Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Wounds are a significant health issue, and reliable and safe strategies to promote repair are needed. Clinical trials have demonstrated that local insulin promotes healing in acute and chronic wounds (ie, reductions of 7% to 40% versus placebo). However, the trials' sample sizes have prevented drawing solid conclusions. Furthermore, no analysis has focused on safety concerns (ie, hypoglycemia). Under the hypothesis that local insulin promotes healing through proangiogenic effects and cellular recruitment, the aim of this systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) was to assess its safety and relative effectiveness using a Bayesian approach. METHODS: Medline, CENTRAL, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and gray literature sources were searched for human studies assessing the local use of insulin versus any comparator since inception to October of 2020. Data on glucose changes and adverse events, wound and treatment characteristics, and healing outcomes were extracted, and an NMA was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 949 reports were found, of which 23 ( n = 1240 patients) were included in the NMA. The studies evaluated six different therapies, and most comparisons were against placebo. NMA showed -1.8 mg/dL blood glucose level change with insulin and a lack of reported adverse events. Statistically significant clinical outcomes identified include reduction in wound size (-27%), increased healing rate (23 mm/day), reduction in Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing scores (-2.7), -10 days to attain complete closure, and an odds ratio of 20 for complete wound closure with insulin use. Likewise, significantly increased neoangiogenesis (+30 vessels/mm 2 ) and granulation tissue (+25%) were also found. CONCLUSION: Local insulin promotes wound healing without significant adverse events.

Computer-Assisted Navigation Accurately Delivers Preoperative Targets for Acetabular Component Orientation During Direct Anterior Approach Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Despite its success, total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains associated with potentially significant complications associated with component malposition. Preoperative planning can mitigate some of these potential concerns; however, the accurate intraoperative delivery of preoperative targets can be challenging. Computer-assisted navigation may assist with intraoperative target delivery, although the integration of these two technologies is relatively uncommon. We retrospectively reviewed cases of THA planned with a computed tomography-based preoperative planning software and performed with the use of an imageless, computer-assisted navigation system. Postoperative acetabular component orientation from radiographs was compared with preoperative targets and intraoperative navigation measurements. A total of 76 patients were included in the analysis. The mean anteversion target (20.0°±3.1°) did not differ significantly from the mean intraoperative navigation measurement (20.5°±3.3°; P=.30; mean difference, 2.2°±2.3°). The mean radiographic measurement (26.6°±6.5°) differed from the target by a mean of 7.5°±6.1° (P<.001). The mean inclination target (38.4°±1.9°) did not differ significantly from the mean intra-operative measurement (38.0°±1.5°; P=.20; mean difference, 1.3°±1.7°) but differed from the radiographic measurement by a mean of 5.2°±4.2° (41.8°±5.6°; P<.001). No adverse events were reported in the 90-day period following the index procedure. Our study demonstrated that an imageless navigation system can accurately deliver computed tomography-derived preoperative targets for acetabular component orientation. Differences noted on radiographs may be due to the difference in patient positioning for the postoperative imaging (standing) as compared with preoperative imaging or surgery itself (supine). [Orthopedics. 2023;46(4):218-223.].

A 57-Year-Old Man with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and a Chronic Foot Ulcer Successfully Managed with a Remote Patient-Facing Wound Care Smartphone Application.

BACKGROUND Wounds affect millions of people world-wide, with care being costly and difficult to deliver remotely. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgent need for telehealth solutions to play a larger role as part of remote care strategies for patient monitoring and care. We describe our findings on the use of a patient-facing wound care app (Swift Patient Connect App, Swift Medical, Canada) as an innovative solution in remote wound assessment and management of a diabetic patient's wound. CASE REPORT In February 2020, a 57-year-old man with type I diabetes and peripheral arterial disease presented with osteomyelitis in the left foot at the fifth metatarsal, arising from a chronic ulcer. The wound was deep, with purulent discharge and polymicrobial growth. A 6-week course of intravenous antibiotics was administered, with slow improvement of the wound. At a follow-up appointment in June 2020, The Patient Connect app was recommended to the patient to securely share calibrated images of his wound as well to communicate with his doctor. Between June 2020 and January 2021, wound closure was accurately monitored as part of the management of this diabetic foot infection. The app was also used in the management of 2 subsequent wounds and infection episodes. CONCLUSIONS Use of the Swift Patient Connect App designed to monitor and manage wounds by a patient with diabetes and foot ulcer as part of a remote care strategy resulted in numerous benefits expressed by the patient. After initial adoption, 3 successive wounds were managed with a combination of in-person and telehealth visits complemented by the app. Incorporation of this technology as part of a novel telemedicine strategy promises to have an extensive impact on remote care delivery during the current COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on training of pharmacy residents and fellows: Results from a national survey of postgraduate pharmacy trainees.

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the activities of healthcare workers, including postgraduate pharmacy trainees. Quality training experiences must be maintained to produce competent pharmacy practitioners and maintain program standards. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of postgraduate pharmacy trainees in the United States was conducted to evaluate training experience changes and assess perceived impacts on residents and fellows following the COVID-19 pandemic's onset. RESULTS: From June 4 through June 22, 2020, 511 pharmacy trainees in 46 states completed the survey. Participants' median age was 26 (interquartile range [IQR], 25-28) years, with included responses from postgraduate year 1 residents (54% of sample), postgraduate year 2 residents (40%), and postgraduate fellows (6%). Compared to experiences prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer trainees conducted direct patient care (38.5% vs 91.4%, P < 0.001), more worked from home (31.7% vs 1.6%, P < 0.001), and less time was spent with preceptors per day (2 [IQR, 2-6] hours vs 4 [IQR, 1-4] hours, P < 0.001). Sixty-five percent of respondents reported experiencing changes in their training program, 39% reported being asked to work in areas outside of their routine training experience, and 89% stated their training shifted to focus on COVID-19 to some degree. Most respondents perceived either major (9.6%) or minor (52.0%) worsening in quality of experience, with major and minor improvement in quality of experience reported by 5.5% and 8.4% of respondents, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy resident/fellow experiences were perceived to have been extensively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in varying ways. Our findings describe shifts in postgraduate training and may aid in the development of best practices for optimizing trainee experiences in future crises.

The Promise of Smartphone Applications in the Remote Monitoring of Postsurgical Wounds: A Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical and scientific literature on remote monitoring and management of postsurgical wounds using smartphone applications (apps). DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane libraries were searched for relevant articles on patients who received surgery and were monitored postdischarge via an app. STUDY SELECTION: Articles were selected with the terms "mobile phones," "smartphones," "wounds," "monitor," and "patient preference." DATA EXTRACTION: The authors found 276 review articles related to telemedicine in wound care. Investigators reviewed the titles and abstracts of the search results and selected 83 articles that were relevant to the remote monitoring of wounds using smartphone apps. DATA SYNTHESIS: The topics explored in selected literature included smartphone app importance to telemedicine, benefits (medical and financial), app examples, and challenges in the context of wound monitoring and management. The authors identified several challenges and limitations that future studies in the field need to address. CONCLUSIONS: Remote monitoring and management of wounds using smartphone apps is a valuable technique to enhance the quality of and access to healthcare. However, although some patients may prefer this technology, some lack technological competence, limiting telemedicine's applicability. In addition, issues remain with the reliable interpretation of data collected through apps.

Treatment Considerations for CNS Infections Caused by Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium: A Focused Review of Linezolid and Daptomycin.

OBJECTIVE: To review the current literature describing pharmacology, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), efficacy, and safety of linezolid and daptomycin for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) infections caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) faecium. DATA SOURCES: A literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE databases was conducted (from 1950 to April 2020) utilizing the following key terms: vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, VRE, meningitis, ventriculitis, CNS infection, daptomycin, and linezolid. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All relevant studies and case reports describing the treatment of VRE faecium from the CNS with linezolid or daptomycin were included. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 17 reports describing 22 cases were identified. There were 15 of 19 cases involving linezolid that reported clinical cure, of which 53.3% were monotherapy. Only 5 of 9 cases involving intravenous (IV) daptomycin resulted in cure; all 4 cases reporting daptomycin administration via the intrathecal or intraventricular route achieved clearance from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: The preferred treatment option for VRE faecium infections involving the CNS remains unclear. Supporting evidence through observational case reports have described varying outcomes with linezolid and daptomycin. This review compares reported outcomes between the 2 agents and provides a thorough discussion on drug- and patient-specific variables to consider. CONCLUSIONS: Linezolid monotherapy appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of susceptible-VRE faecium CNS infections, with consideration of therapeutic drug monitoring in special populations and with prolonged treatment duration. Daptomycin is an effective treatment option via intrathecal or intraventricular administration when neurosurgical access is available. The role of IV daptomycin remains inconclusive.

An Elective Course to Train Student Pharmacists to Provide Culturally Sensitive Health Care.

Objective. To design and implement an elective course that prepares student pharmacists to provide culturally sensitive health care by developing their knowledge, self-confidence, and clinical and communication skills for working with patients from various cultural backgrounds during community health screenings. Methods. In this one-credit-hour elective course, second- and third-year pharmacy students were taught about chronic disease states affecting various minorities, approaches to improve their communication with patients from various cultural backgrounds, and proper use of cardiometabolic equipment during health screening events. After a health screening event at the end of the course, knowledge scores, self-confidence, clinical skills, and communication skills were compared between students who took the elective course and those in a control group. A pre-post elective survey was administered to second- and third-year students enrolled in the elective course to assess differences in understanding, self-confidence, clinical skills, and communication skills. Results. The 31 students who completed the elective course performed better on the knowledge quiz questions than did the 31 students in the control group (response rate 100%). Self-confidence, and communication and clinical skills scores were higher among those who completed the elective course than those who did not. There was an increase in knowledge scores for all students enrolled in the course. Second-year students were just as confident in their abilities as third-year students by the end of course. Conclusion. An elective course focused on better preparing students to provide culturally sensitive health awareness through community health screenings improved students' overall knowledge, clinical skills, communication skills, and self-confidence.

Financial and Clinical Risk Evaluation of Pressure Injuries in US Hospitals: A Business Case for Initiating Quality Improvement.

INTRODUCTION: Pressure injuries (PIs) are a serious, avoidable condition that affect many patients during hospital stays. Yet, to date, there is no comprehensive assessment of the financial and clinical risks of PIs. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the cost of treatment, impact of reimbursement policies, and clinical consequences of PIs for US hospitals. METHODS: A financial and clinical calculator was created to estimate the impact of PI prevention using a traditional literature review to drive assumptions. RESULTS: Two drivers of hospital revenue loss resulting from PIs were identified: nonpayment for PI treatment by health insurance providers and personal injury litigation. Increased hospital length of stay (LOS) and patient mortality associated with PIs further contributed to negative consequences. For an average 160-bed hospital, the authors estimated an annual total financial risk of $5.97 million, 911 days added to LOS, and 16.4 deaths related to avoidable PIs. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this analysis will be useful for health care organizations implementing quality improvement initiatives and new technologies, such as digital wound care management systems, to reduce the prevalence of PIs, thereby protecting patients and mitigating financial and clinical risks.

Assessing wellness in the well-child check: What about social and emotional development?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Canadian children aged 4 to 6 received well-child checks; to explore the nature of these checkups in a large family practice; and to examine the merit of using parent questionnaires about child resilience as a means of introducing a discussion about social and emotional development into this checkup. DESIGN: Three-part mixed-methods study, using data derived from the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN), chart reviews of a family practice, and semistructured interviews with parents. SETTING: Primary care practices associated with CPCSSN, and a large primary care practice in Kingston, Ont. PARTICIPANTS: Patients who were born between 2008 and 2011, and a sample of parents whose children were between the ages of 6 and 9. METHODS: International Classification of Diseases, version 9, codes from CPCSSN records were used to identify the prevalence of well-child checks in the 4-to-6 age group. Then 110 randomly selected charts from a large family practice were audited for inclusion of behavioural and social assessments of those aged 4 to 6. Finally, randomly selected parents from the same practice were invited to pilot-test the PERIK (Positive development and resilience in kindergarten) resilience questionnaire, interviewed about its merit, and asked to recall whether the identified areas of child development had been included in previous well-child checkups. MAIN FINDINGS: Data from CPCSSN indicated that 11% of Canadian children aged 4 to 6 had had an explicit well-child check by their family physician. Among the reviewed charts from the one practice, social context was documented for 45% of them, but social and behavioural development was usually not recorded. The 42 parents interviewed found the PERIK questionnaire useful, but not perfect, for opening discussions about aspects of child development that they had not realized were central to the child's future health. CONCLUSION: This study offers an initial approach to exploring resilience in children and therefore addressing recognized and alterable predictors of adult well-being. Early social and emotional development predicts resilience that, in turn, foreshadows future health. The PERIK questionnaire facilitated discussions that could add tremendous value to the well-child checks of children aged 4 to 6.

Improving the quality of pressure ulcer management in a skilled nursing facility.

Pressure ulcers (PUs) are a serious health care problem for nursing home residents and a key quality metric for regulators. Three initiatives were introduced at a 128-bed facility to improve PU prevention. First, a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement project and a Root Cause Analysis were conducted to improve the facility's wound care programme. Second, a digital wound care management solution was adopted to track wound management. Third, the role of skin integrity coordinator was created as a central point of accountability for wound care-related activities and related performance metrics. Improvements in PU prevention were tracked using Centers of Medicare and Medicaid data, specifically (a) the percentage of long-stay high-risk residents with PUs and (b) the percentage of short-stay residents with PUs that are new or have worsened. PU prevalence for long-stay high-risk residents was 12.99% (Q4 2016), and upon implementation of these initiatives, the facility saw continued reductions in PU prevalence to 2.9% (Q4 2017), while PUs for short-stay residents were maintained at zero throughout this period. This study highlights the power of effective management combined with real-time data analytics, as enabled by digital wound care management, to make significant improvements in health care delivery.

Cefazolin vs. anti-staphylococcal penicillins for treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections in acutely ill adult patients: Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the comparative efficacy and tolerability of cefazolin vs. anti-staphylococcal penicillins (ASPs) for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bloodstream infections (BSI). Utilizing published regression models, included studies were stratified into subgroups of high and low pre-probability of mortality. Cefazolin was associated with significantly lower rates of treatment failure (odds ratio [OR]: 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61-0.82; P<0.001; I2 = 14%) and crude, all-cause mortality (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.59-0.81; P<0.001; I2 = 18%) compared with ASP therapy. Overall risk of treatment-related adverse drug reactions was numerically lower with cefazolin (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.15-1.00; P = 0.05). Subgroup sensitivity analyses of studies conducted in less severely ill patients were similar to the combined analysis. The role of cefazolin in the most severely ill patients with MSSA BSI should be prospectively evaluated.

Prevalence of a Cefazolin Inoculum Effect Associated with blaZ Gene Types among Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Four Major Medical Centers in Chicago.

The efficacy of cefazolin with high-inoculum methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infections remains in question due to therapeutic failure inferred as being due to an inoculum effect (InE). This study investigated the local prevalence of a cefazolin InE (CInE) and its association with staphylococcal blaZ gene types among MSSA isolates in the Chicago area. Four medical centers in Chicago, IL, contributed MSSA isolates. Cefazolin MICs (C-MIC) were determined at 24 h by the broth microdilution method using a standard inoculum (SI; 5 × 105 CFU/ml) and a high inoculum (HI; 5 × 107 CFU/ml). The CInE was defined as (i) a ≥4-fold increase in C-MIC between SI and HI and/or (ii) a pronounced CInE, i.e., a nonsusceptible C-MIC of ≥16 µg/ml at HI. PCR was used to amplify the blaZ gene, followed by agarose gel electrophoresis and sequencing to determine the gene type. Approximately 269 MSSA isolates were included. All but one isolate were susceptible to cefazolin at SI, and 97% remained susceptible at HI. A total of 196 isolates (73%) were blaZ positive, with the blaZ types led by gene type C (40%). CInE was seen in 45 blaZ-positive isolates (23%), with 44 (22%) presenting a ≥4-fold increase in C-MIC (SI to HI) and 5 (3%) a pronounced CInE. Four of the five met both definitions of CInE, two of which expressed the type A gene. The prevalence of a pronounced CInE associated with the type A blaZ gene from MSSA isolates in Chicago is low. Our predilection for cefazolin use, even early in the management of hospitalized MSSA infections, is tenable.

Successful Treatment of Cerebral Toxoplasmosis Using Pyrimethamine Oral Solution Compounded From Inexpensive Bulk Powder.

A price increase of pyrimethamine tablets in the United States has made the life-saving drug difficult to acquire for hospitalized patients who need it most. We report the successful use of a pyrimethamine oral suspension compounded from an economical bulk powder in a patient with acute toxoplasmic encephalitis.

Point-of-care wound visioning technology: Reproducibility and accuracy of a wound measurement app.

BACKGROUND: Current wound assessment practices are lacking on several measures. For example, the most common method for measuring wound size is using a ruler, which has been demonstrated to be crude and inaccurate. An increase in periwound temperature is a classic sign of infection but skin temperature is not always measured during wound assessments. To address this, we have developed a smartphone application that enables non-contact wound surface area and temperature measurements. Here we evaluate the inter-rater reliability and accuracy of this novel point-of-care wound assessment tool. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The wounds of 87 patients were measured using the Swift Wound app and a ruler. The skin surface temperature of 37 patients was also measured using an infrared FLIR™ camera integrated with the Swift Wound app and using the clinically accepted reference thermometer Exergen DermaTemp 1001. Accuracy measurements were determined by assessing differences in surface area measurements of 15 plastic wounds between a digital planimeter of known accuracy and the Swift Wound app. To evaluate the impact of training on the reproducibility of the Swift Wound app measurements, three novice raters with no wound care training, measured the length, width and area of 12 plastic model wounds using the app. High inter-rater reliabilities (ICC = 0.97-1.00) and high accuracies were obtained using the Swift Wound app across raters of different levels of training in wound care. The ruler method also yielded reliable wound measurements (ICC = 0.92-0.97), albeit lower than that of the Swift Wound app. Furthermore, there was no statistical difference between the temperature differences measured using the infrared camera and the clinically tested reference thermometer. CONCLUSIONS: The Swift Wound app provides highly reliable and accurate wound measurements. The FLIR™ infrared camera integrated into the Swift Wound app provides skin temperature readings equivalent to the clinically tested reference thermometer. Thus, the Swift Wound app has the advantage of being a non-contact, easy-to-use wound measurement tool that allows clinicians to image, measure, and track wound size and temperature from one visit to the next. In addition, this tool may also be used by patients and their caregivers for home monitoring.