COVID-19 pneumonia in Galicia (Spain): Impact of prognostic factors and therapies on mortality and need for mechanical ventilation.

INTRODUCTION: This study was aimed to identify risk factors associated with unfavorable outcomes (composite outcome variable: mortality and need for mechanical ventilation) in patients hospitalized in Galicia with COVID-19 pneumonia. METHODS: Retrospective, multicenter, observational study carried out in the 8 Galician tertiary hospitals. All Patients admitted with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia from 1st of March to April 24th, 2020 were included. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed in order to identify the relationship between risk factors, therapeutic interventions and the composite outcome variable. RESULTS: A total of 1292 patients (56.1% male) were included. Two hundred and twenty-five (17.4%) died and 327 (25.3%) reached the main outcome variable. Age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.04)], CRP quartiles 3 and 4 [OR = 2.24 (95% CI: 1.39-3.63)] and [OR = 3.04 (95% CI: 1.88-4.92)], respectively, Charlson index [OR = 1.16 (95%CI: 1.06-1.26)], SaO2 upon admission [OR = 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91-0.95)], hydroxychloroquine prescription [OR = 0.22 (95%CI: 0.12-0.37)], systemic corticosteroids prescription [OR = 1.99 (95%CI: 1.45-2.75)], and tocilizumab prescription [OR = 3.39 (95%CI: 2.15-5.36)], significantly impacted the outcome. Sensitivity analysis using different alternative logistic regression models identified consistently the ratio admissions/hospital beds as a predictor of the outcome [OR = 1.06 (95% CI: 1.02-1.11)]. CONCLUSION: These findings may help to identify patients at hospital admission with a higher risk of death and may urge healthcare authorities to implement policies aimed at reducing deaths by increasing the availability of hospital beds.

Long-Term Carbapenems Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical and antibiotic resistance impact of carbapenems stewardship programs. METHODS: descriptive study, pre-post-intervention, between January 2012 and December 2019; 350-bed teaching hospital. Prospective audit and feedback to prescribers was carried out between January 2015 and December 2019. We evaluate adequacy of carbapenems prescription to local guidelines and compare results between cases with accepted or rejected intervention. Analysis of antibiotic-consumption and hospital-acquired multidrug-resistant (MDR) bloodstream infections (BSIs) was performed. RESULTS: 1432 patients were followed. Adequacy of carbapenems prescription improved from 49.7% in 2015 to 80.9% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Interventions on prescription were performed in 448 (31.3%) patients without carbapenem-justified treatment, in 371 intervention was accepted, in 77 it was not. Intervention acceptance was associated with shorter duration of all antibiotic treatment and inpatient days (p < 0.05), without differences in outcome. During the period 2015-2019, compared with 2012-2014, decreased meropenem consumption (Rate Ratio 0.58; 95%CI: 0.55-0.63), candidemia and hospital-acquired MDR BSIs rate (RR 0.62; 95%CI: 0.41-0.92, p = 0.02), and increased cefepime (RR 2; 95%CI: 1.77-2.26) and piperacillin-tazobactam consumption (RR 1.17; 95%CI: 1.11-1.24), p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: the decrease and better use of carbapenems achieved could have clinical and ecological impact over five years, reduce inpatient days, hospital-acquired MDR BSIs, and candidemia, despite the increase in other antibiotic-consumption.

Epidemiology and impact of a multifaceted approach in controlling central venous catheter associated blood stream infections outside the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Outside ICUs, CVC-ABSIs epidemiology and the results of strategies for their prevention are not well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology and the impact of a multifaceted "bundle" approach in controlling CVC-ABSIs outside ICU. METHODS: From 1991 we performed prevalence studies of device and parenteral nutrition use, and prospective surveillance of all episodes of CVC-ABSIs in a 350-bed teaching hospital. CVC-ABSIs incidence/1,000 inpatient-days was calculated. An estimated CVC-ABSIs incidence/1,000 catheter-days was calculated based on the prevalence rates of catheter use and the total number of inpatient-days in each year. On november 2008, an education programme was instituted for care of catheter lines: reinforcing instructions in aseptic insertion technique, after care and hand-washing; in order to assess the adherence to these measures the quantity of alcohol-based hand-rub consumption/1,000 patient-days was quoted in litres. From January 2009, a checklist intervention for CVC insertion in ICU was started: hand hygiene, using full barrier precautions, cleaning the skin with alcoholic chlorhexidine, avoiding femoral access and removing unnecessary catheters. Compliance with the central line insertion checklist was measured by real-time audits and was achieved in 80% of cases. RESULTS: Prevalence of use of CVC and parenteral nutrition was similar throughout the study. We followed-up 309 CVC-ABSIs cases. Estimated CVC-ABSIs rate progressively increased to 15.1/1,000 catheter-days in 2008 (0.36/1,000 inpatient-days). After the intervention, the alcohol-based hand-rub consumption increased slightly and estimated CVC-ABSIs rate fell to 10.1 /1,000 catheter-days in last three years (0.19/1,000 inpatient-days), showing a 32.9% decrease. The infection rates achieved were lower in Internal Medicine wards: decreased from 14.1/1,000 catheter-days (0.17/patient-days) in 2008 to 5.2/1,000 catheter-days (0.05/1,000 inpatient-days) in last three years, showing a 63.1% decrease. In 2009, the estimated CVC-ABSIs incidence rate was significantly lower in the Internal Medicine ward compared to the Surgery ward: rate ratio (RR) = 0.14, 95%CI: 0.03-0.60), and within the Internal Medicine ward, the estimated CVC-ABSIs incidence rate was significantly lower in 2009 compared to 2008 (RR = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.04-0.91). CONCLUSION: The rate of CVC-ABSIs increased outside-ICU, and the implementation of multifaceted infection control programme decreased their clinical impact.