Empiric antimicrobial therapy in the intensive care unit based on the risk of multidrug-resistant bacterial infection: a single-centre case‒control study of blood culture results in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Infections and sepsis are the leading causes of death in intensive care units (ICUs). Antimicrobial agent selection is challenging because the intervention is directly related to the outcome, and the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) must be considered. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to clarify the epidemiological data and examine whether the detection rate of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria differed depending on the presence or absence of the risk of MDR bacterial infections to establish guidance regarding the choice of antimicrobial therapy for ICU patients. METHODS: This retrospective case‒control study was performed in a single ICU in Japan. Patients admitted to the ICU who underwent blood culture (BC) analysis were considered for inclusion in this study; patients were at risk of MDR bacterial infections, and controls were not. The primary outcome measure was the detection rate of MDR bacteria in BCs collected from patients and controls. The secondary outcome measure was the selection rate of anti-Pseudomonas and anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) drugs for patients and controls. RESULTS: Among the 1,730 patients admitted to the ICU during the study period, BCs were obtained from 186 patients, and 173 samples were finally included in the analysis (n = 129 cases; n = 44 controls). No MDR bacteria or Pseudomonas aeruginosa were detected in the controls (14 (11%) vs. 0 (0%)) (P = 0.014) However, there was no difference in empiric antimicrobials, including anti-MRSA (30 (23%) vs. 12 (27%)) (P = 0.592) and anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa (61 (47%) vs. 16 (36%)) (P = 0.208) drugs, that were administered to the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Even in critically ill patients in the ICU, MDR bacteria are unlikely to be detected in patients without the risk of MDR bacterial infections. Therefore, for such patients, a strategy of starting empiric narrow-spectrum antimicrobial therapy rather than empiric broad-spectrum therapy should be considered. This strategy, in conjunction with daily updates of clinical and epidemiological data at each facility, will promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials and reduce the emergence of MDR bacteria in the ICU. TRIAL REGISTRATION: None.

Effect of Arginine Vasopressin on Intraoperative Hypotension Caused by Oral Administration of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is used for the photodynamic diagnosis of malignant tumors and has been effectively utilized to improve the complete resection rate and reduce the risk of tumor recurrence. However, intraoperative hypotension is a common adverse effect of oral 5-ALA, and it occasionally progresses to severe prolonged hypotension requiring high-dose catecholamine administration. We report a case of intraoperative hypotension due to oral 5-ALA in which arginine vasopressin (AVP) administration was effective for increasing the blood pressure. A 77-year-old man scheduled for a craniotomy for glioma was administered 5-ALA orally before surgery. After the induction of anesthesia, his blood pressure decreased substantially. Although we administered various vasopressor agents, hypotension was prolonged. However, after starting a continuous administration of AVP, the systolic blood pressure increased, and the hemodynamic parameters remained stable during the remainder of the operation. 5-ALA administration may lower blood pressure by inducing nitric oxide production, and AVP inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA expression and interleukin-1ß-stimulated nitric oxide production. In light of these mechanisms, AVP may be a reasonable treatment agent for hypotension induced by 5-ALA.

An infantile traumatic brain injury with a bright tree appearance detected before the late seizure.

INDRODUCTION: Infantile traumatic brain injury (TBI) rarely follows a biphasic clinical course and exhibits a bright tree appearance (BTA) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is termed infantile traumatic brain injury with a biphasic clinical course and late reduced diffusion (TBIRD). TBIRD has clinical features similar to those of acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD). It remains to be clarified which patients with infantile TBI will develop TBIRD and the prevention and treatment of TBIRD. CASE AND REVIEW: We report a case of TBIRD that exhibited BTA 1 day before the late seizure and review 12 cases of TBIRD. All patients developed a subdural hematoma (SDH), were younger than 2 years, and presented with a biphasic phase within 3-6 days. The median interval between BTA and TBI was 5 days. Of the 5 cases examined with MRI before the biphasic phase, only our case was detected with BTA 4 days after TBI. CONCLUSION: Predicting the biphasic clinical course may be possible by examining MRI after TBI in patients under 2 years of age who develop SDH with unconsciousness, seizure, or hemiplegia, and these patients should be strictly followed up for 1 week.

Additional medical costs associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia in an intensive care unit in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Additional health care costs associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) vary widely per country; none of which have been explored in Japan. Thus, we aimed to examine the economic and clinical effects of VAP in Japan. METHODS: This was a retrospective matched case-control study of 22 patients with VAP who were treated in the intensive care unit of Yokohama Rosai Hospital between January 2012 and December 2018. Twenty-two matched controls were selected based on 5 variables (ie, sex, age, diagnosis and surgical procedure, underlying disease with or without advanced malignant tumor, and best motor response). The additional health care costs incurred owing to VAP were calculated from the difference between the mean costs of VAP and control cases. RESULTS: VAP incurred an additional cost of approximately United States Dollars (USD) 34,884 per case. The length of hospitalization itself was the major factor contributing to additional medical costs, generating a difference of 9,824 USD. DISCUSSION: VAP not only worsens patient outcomes but also generates significant additional medical costs. Patients who had developed VAP required more medical resources such as the performance of a tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS: VAP incurs a higher mean total hospital medical cost. Thus, appropriate infection control strategies should be implemented.

A case of complete atrioventricular block in secondary hemophagocytic syndrome/hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis recovered by plasma exchange and cytokine absorbing therapy with AN69ST continuous hemodiafiltration.

We report a case of incipient systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that rapidly progressed to complete atrioventricular block (cAVB). A 20-year-old man was admitted with facial erythema, painless oral aphtha, polyarthritis, and myalgia of each extremity. On admission, he developed first-degree atrioventricular block, pericarditis, pleuritis, renal failure, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, neurophychiatric SLE (left cerebellar infarction), and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. He was subsequently diagnosed with SLE based on several positive findings on immunological tests (including positive for antinuclear antibody). Despite immediate glucocorticoid pulse therapy and plasma exchange (PE) along with antibiotic, he developed cAVB that required temporary pacing on day 2. Because it was thought that hypercytokinemia exacerbated pericarditis, which progressed to myocarditis and cAVB, we decided to PE and cytokine-adsorbing therapy with AN69ST-continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF). Other than renal failure, his organ dysfunctions improved with the multidisciplinary therapy. CAVB improved and temporary pacing was no longer required on day 11. Even a first-degree atrioventricular block can rapidly progress to cAVB; therefore, strict attention to electrocardiogram is necessary in severe SLE cases. When presenting with organ dysfunctions caused by hypercytokinemia such as severe SLE cases or SLE with severe infection cases, use of the combination of PE and AN69ST-CHDF might be beneficial.

Cardiogenic shock due to takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with serotonin syndrome.

A 65-year-old woman, with valvular heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and depression, presented to the emergency room due to dyspnea with shock state accompanied by agitation. An electrocardiogram showed ST segment elevation in leads II, III, aVF, I, aVL, and V4-6. An echocardiography revealed extensive akinesis in the apex, but hyperkinesis in the base, with apical ballooning appearance. An emergent coronary angiography showed no obstructive disease. The patient required intubation under mechanical ventilator, and an intra-aortic balloon pump to recover from shock state. She had been taking maprotiline, a tetracyclic antidepressant, and had added dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant, just before admission. The patient was diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with serotonin syndrome due to serotonergic drug interactions. After discontinuation of these drugs and administration of serotonin antagonist under mechanical supportive care, she became hemodynamically stable. Apical ballooning was completely resolved 2 weeks later, and she was discharged well. We diagnosed serotonin syndrome manifesting as excessive serotonin toxicity that resulted in a hyperserotonergic and hyperadrenergic state, causing takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Here, we report a case of takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with serotonin syndrome. This case suggests that serotonin syndrome should be recognized promptly and complications, including takotsubo cardiomyopathy, need to be treated appropriately. .

Behavior of pesticides in coffee beans during the roasting process.

In Japan, maximum residue limits for pesticides (MRL) in coffee are set on green coffee beans, but not roasted coffee beans, although roasted beans are actually used to prepare coffee for drinking. Little is known about the behavior of pesticides during the roasting process. In the present study, we examined the changes in the concentration of pesticide (organochlorine: γ-BHC, chlordane and heptachlor) residues in coffee beans during the roasting process. We prepared green coffee beans spiked with these pesticides (0.2 and 1.0 µg/g), and the residue levels in the beans were measured before and after the roasting process. We determined the residual rate after the roasting process. γ-BHC was not detectable at all, and more than 90% of chlordane was lost after the roasting (3.1 and 5.1% of chlordane remained in the beans spiked with 0.2 and 1.0 µg/g of chlordane, respectively). A low level of heptachlor (0.72%) was left in the coffee beans spiked with 1 µg/g of heptachlor. Disappearance of γ-BHC during the roasting process may be due to the high vapor pressure of γ-BHC, while chlordane has a lower vapor pressure. We also examined the behavior of piperonyl butoxide and atrazine during the roasting process. Piperonyl butoxide behaved similarly to chlordane, but atrazine disappeared after the roasting process, because it is unstable to heat.