A Concise Review on Effect of PEGylation on the Properties of Lipid-Based Nanoparticles.

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as promising platforms for enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. Among various strategies employed to optimize these systems, polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification, known as PEGylation-the covalent attachment of PEG to nanoparticles, has gained considerable attention for its ability to impart stealth properties to nanoparticles while also extending circulation time and improving biocompatibility. PEGylation extends to different drug delivery systems, in specific, nanoparticles for targeting cancer cells, where the concentration of drug in the cancer cells is improved by virtue of PEGylation. The primary challenge linked to PEGylation lies in its confirmation. Numerous research findings provide comprehensive insights into selecting PEG for various PEGylation methods. In this review, we have endeavored to consolidate the outcomes concerning the choice of PEG and diverse PEGylation techniques.

Impact of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention on Usage of Antibiotics in Coronavirus Disease-2019 at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in India.

Background: There was evidence that antibiotic usage increased in hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the early days of the pandemic. Objective: We assessed the impact of stewardship interventions on antibiotic usage in these patients. Methods: We designed a quasi-experimental study using an interrupted time series. Patients were stratified according to the severity category of the illness - mild and moderate-to-severe (O2 saturation ≥94% and <93% respectively). Baseline antibiotic usage data was collected in the pre-intervention phase. Intervention was given in the form of focus group discussion (FGD) and followed up with feedback-audit during the post-intervention phase. Primary outcome was the change in days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 patient-days. Results: 361 adult patients were recruited in both phases during July to December, 2020. In the post-intervention phase, DOT per 1000 patient-days reduced from 589 to 523 (P=0.013) and from 843 to 585 (P <0.0001) in mild and moderate-to-severe categories, respectively. De-escalations at 48 hours increased significantly from 21% to 41% (P=0.0079) and from 31% to 62% (P=0.0006), respectively. No difference in mortality was observed. Conclusion: We found high usage of empirical antibiotics in adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19. FGD and feedback audits can successfully reduce antibiotic overuse in these patients.