Retrospective Analysis of Clostridioides difficile Infection Rates and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Unicenter Study in Reus, Spain.

Background:Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) vary in severity from mild diarrhea to life-threatening conditions like pseudomembranous colitis or toxic megacolon, often leading to sepsis and death. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted changes in healthcare practices, potentially affecting CDI incidence, though reported data are inconclusive. We studied factors influencing CDI incidence and outcomes at a university hospital throughout the COVID-19 pandemic years. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on all adult hospitalized CDI cases from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022 in Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan in Reus. We collected demographic information, comorbid conditions, and concurrent infections. Results: While overall CDI and COVID-19 rates decreased in 2022, a notable increase in CDI infections was observed among oncological patients and those undergoing some aggressive treatments, such as colonoscopies or gastroscopies. The prevalence of comorbidities remained unmodified, and there were declines in prior gastrointestinal surgeries and proton pump inhibitor prescriptions. Factors associated with patient fatality or prolonged hospitalization included older age, cancer, chronic kidney disease, higher Charlson and McCabe indices, elevated C-reactive protein, and low albumin concentrations. Conclusions: Our study shows the evolving landscape of CDI during the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizes the impact of delayed diagnoses and treatments exacerbated by telemedicine adoption. Identified risk factors for CDI-related mortality or prolonged hospital stays underscore the importance of targeted interventions in high-risk populations.

Hypotension at heart failure discharge: Should it be a limiting factor for drug titration?

BACKGROUND: Medical treatment in Heart Failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; LVEF ≤40%) has shifted towards quadruple therapy. Maximum tolerated dose is the goal, yet no hypotension's cut-off point has been specified. In this work, we analyze the impact of intensive drug titration in clinical events, focusing on low blood pressure (BP) patients at hospital discharge. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective analysis of 713 patients with HFrEF discharged after an acute HF event (mean LVEF 30 ± 5%). Mean SBP was 112.4 ± 16.5 mmHg and 50.6% were discharged on triple therapy. We considered hypotension as a Systolic blood pressure (SBP) <100 mmHg (21.7% of patients, mean SBP was 112.4 ± 16.5 mmHg) and codified the intensity of drug therapy in 5 stages from untreated to very high therapy intensity. The impact of the intensity of treatment was analysed with a propensity score and increasing the intensity was associated in the whole cohort with a reduction of the composite outcome of all-cause mortality and HF readmission, (HR 0.69; CI95% 0.57-0.85, p < 0.001) and benefit in mortality was maintained for SBP < 100 mmHg (HR 0.42; CI95% 0.22-0.82; p = 0.011). Moreover, therapy intensity was clearly associated with lower risk of HF-hospitalization and death after the additional regression, considering SBP as a covariate, in the whole cohort (HR 0.70; CI95% 0.57-0.85; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective cohort analysis, patients with HFrEF and an acute-HF admission, intensive drug dose titration was related to better outcomes, even in patients with low blood pressure at hospital discharge. Therefore, hypotension is not a contraindication for NHB uptitration.

Does COVID-19 infection increase the risk of pressure injury in critically ill patients?: A narrative review.

ABSTRACT: Patients with severe COVID-19 may have endothelial dysfunction and a hypercoagulable state that can cause skin damage. In the presence of external pressure on the tissues, the local inflammatory process regulated by inflammatory cytokines can increase and prolong itself, contributing to the formation of pressure injury (PI). PI is defined as localized damage to the skin or underlying tissues. It usually occurs as a result of intense and/or prolonged pressure in combination with shear. The aim of the study is to perform a narrative review on the physiological evidence of increased risk in the development of PI in critically ill patients with COVID-19.In patients with severe COVID-19 a pattern of tissue damage consistent with complement-mediated microvascular injury was found in the lungs and skin of critically ill COVID-19 patients, suggesting sustained systemic activation of complement pathways. Theoretically, the same thrombogenic vascular changes related to COVID-19 that occur in the skin also occur in the underlying tissues, making patients less tolerant to the harmful effects of pressure and shear. Unlike the syndromes typical of acute respiratory illnesses and other pathologies that commonly lead to intensive care unit admission, COVID-19 and systemic viral spread show that local and systemic factors overlap. This fact may be justified by current epidemiological data showing that the prevalence of PI among intensive care unit patients with COVID-19 was 3 times higher than in those without COVID-19. This narrative review presents physiological evidence to suggesting an increased risk of developing PI in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

The Quality of Mobile Apps Used for the Identification of Pressure Ulcers in Adults: Systematic Survey and Review of Apps in App Stores.

BACKGROUND: The increasing global use of smartphones has contributed to the growing use of apps for various health conditions, showing promising results. Through mobile apps, it is possible to perform chronological and iconographic follow-up of wounds, such as pressure ulcers, using a simple and practical tool. However, numerous surveys have pointed out issues related to the functionality, design, safety, and veracity of app information. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of published studies regarding mobile apps and a systematic survey in app stores looking for apps developed to identify, evaluate, treat, and/or prevent pressure ulcers in adults, and to evaluate those apps based on software quality characteristics. METHODS: This review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The main bibliographic databases were searched between January 1, 2007 and October 15, 2018, and an app survey was performed in app stores. The selected studies were evaluated according to software quality characteristics by the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ie, ISO/IEC 25010:2011) that involve functionality, efficiency, compatibility, usability, reliability, safety, maintenance, and portability. RESULTS: The search in databases and web-based app stores returned a total of 2075 studies. After removal of duplicates and screening of titles and abstracts, 48 complete articles were evaluated for eligibility, and among these, six were included for qualitative synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: In this review, it was observed that all studies involved the initial phase of app development or improvement, and therefore, the apps still need to be evaluated using different software quality characteristics, so that in the future, a gold standard can be approached. Therefore, the prescription of an app for the identification, evaluation, treatment, and/or prevention of pressure ulcers in adults is currently limited. However, the evaluated studies provided important insights for future research. It is of utmost importance that future surveys develop apps jointly with users, using collaborative and cocreative processes and assess patients in real-world situations across different service settings, and they should consider different ethnicities, so that apps are useful to end users, such as patients, family members, health professionals, and students, in the health area. In addition, it is necessary for studies to describe the methodological course of app development in a clear and objective way in order to ensure reproducibility of the study and to offer inputs to allow future research to approach the development of ideal apps that are geared to positively impact the health of end users. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018114137; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=114137.