bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Ultraviolet-C Room Disinfection on Preventing Healthcare-Associated Clostridioides difficile Infection
Authors: Goto Michihiko , Balkenende Erin , Clore Gosia , Nair Rajeshwari , Simbartl Loretta , Evans Martin , Safdar Nasia , Perencevich Eli 
Published: November 2020

Background: Enhanced terminal room cleaning with ultraviolet C (UVC) disinfection has become more commonly used as a strategy to reduce the transmission of important nosocomial pathogens, including Clostridioides difficile, but the real-world effectiveness remains unclear. Objectives: We aimed to assess the association of UVC disinfection during terminal cleaning with the incidence of healthcare-associated C. difficile infection and positive test results for C. difficile within the nationwide Veterans Health Administration (VHA) System. Methods: Using a nationwide survey of VHA system acute-care hospitals, information on UV-C system utilization and date of implementation was obtained. Hospital-level incidence rates of clinically confirmed hospital-onset C. difficile infection (HO-CDI) and positive test results with recent healthcare exposures (both hospital-onset [HO-LabID] and community-onset healthcare-associated [CO-HA-LabID]) at acute-care units between January 2010 and December 2018 were obtained through routine surveillance with bed days of care (BDOC) as the denominator. We analyzed the association of UVC disinfection with incidence rates of HO-CDI, HO-Lab-ID, and CO-HA-LabID using a nonrandomized, stepped-wedge design, using negative binomial regression model with hospital-specific random intercept, the presence or absence of UVC disinfection use for each month, with baseline trend and seasonality as explanatory variables. Results: Among 143 VHA acute-care hospitals, 129 hospitals (90.2%) responded to the survey and were included in the analysis. UVC use was reported from 42 hospitals with various implementation start dates (range, June 2010 through June 2017). We identified 23,021 positive C. difficile test results (HO-Lab ID: 5,014) with 16,213 HO-CDI and 24,083,252 BDOC from the 129 hospitals during the study period. There were declining baseline trends nationwide (mean, −0.6% per month) for HO-CDI. The use of UV-C had no statistically significant association with incidence rates of HO-CDI (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.032; 95% CI, 0.963–1.106; P = .65) or incidence rates of healthcare-associated positive C. difficile test results (HO-Lab). Conclusions: In this large quasi-experimental analysis within the VHA System, the enhanced terminal room cleaning with UVC disinfection was not associated with the change in incidence rates of clinically confirmed hospital-onset CDI or positive test results with recent healthcare exposure. Further research is needed to understand reasons for lack of effectiveness, such as understanding barriers to utilization.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Effects of Susceptibility Result Suppression on National Healthcare Safety Network Antibiotic Resistance Option Data
Authors: Estes Matthew , Ouedraogo Youssoufou , Evans Christopher David , Muleta Daniel , Adre Cullen , Keaton Amelia , Kainer Marion 
Published: November 2020

Background: The National Healthcare Safety Network’s (NHSN) Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Option offers hospitals a way to report antibiotic resistance data from their facility’s laboratory information system and create facility-specific antibiograms. Suppression of select antibiotic susceptibility results may be used by antibiotic stewardship teams to prevent unnecessary use of broad-spectrum therapies by not making those susceptibilities available to providers. To be of use, antibiograms should offer a complete picture of antibiotic resistance. We wanted to understand the impact of data suppression. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted including data from 2017 and 2018. The clinical susceptibility data for cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, ertapenem, imipenem, and meropenem against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), and extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL) were collected from commercial antimicrobial susceptibility testing instruments (cASTI) in 3 Tennessee healthcare networks that also report to the NHSN AR Option. These data were linked to the NHSN data using 4 keys: date of birth, isolate collection date, pathogen, and specimen source. An isolate was defined as suppressed when susceptibility results were observed from the cASTI but not in NHSN. The proportions of suppressed results were calculated and stratified by genus, facility, and antibiotic. Results: Overall, 1,009 isolates were matched between the NHSN AR data and the laboratory test results. Of these, 4.1% were CRAB, 23.3% were CRPA, and 72.6% were Enterobacteriaceae. In total, 4,948 susceptibility results were available from cASTIs. Suppressed results in NHSN data were observed in 918 isolates (91.0%) and accounted for 2,797 results (56.6%). Of the 817 isolates tested against imipenem, 18.7% were found to be suppressed. Moreover, 100%, 57.9%, and 8.6% of imipenem tests against CRAB, CRPA, and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively, were suppressed. Of the suppressed results, 38.3%, 3.6%, and 58.1% were susceptible, intermediate, and resistant respectively. Of the 363 isolates tested against meropenem, 48.2% were found to be suppressed. In addition, 12.2%, 53.0%, and 52.2% of meropenem tests against CRAB, CRPA, and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively, were suppressed. Of the suppressed results, 47.4%, 11.4%, and 41.1% were susceptible, intermediate, and resistant, respectively. Conclusions: A large proportion of isolates had at least 1 analyzed antibiotic suppressed within the NHSN AR Option. It will be important to develop and implement strategies to ensure that nonsuppressed data are available to be reported to the NHSN AR module.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Escherichia coli Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns for Infants Admitted to NICUs Across the United States from 2009 to 2017
Authors: Flannery Dustin , Akinboyo Ibukun , Mukhopadhyay Sagori , Tribble Alison , Song Lihai , Chen Feiyan , Gerber Jeffrey , Puopolo Karen 
Published: November 2020

Background:Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a leading cause of infections among term and preterm newborn infants. Continued surveillance of neonatal E. coli antibiotic susceptibility patterns is important to optimize empiric antibiotic prescription for infants at risk for infection, in light of evolving reports of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria in all settings. Our objective was to determine E. coli epidemiology and antibiotic susceptibility patterns among a large sample of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the United States from 2009 to 2017. Methods: Retrospective observational study using the Premier Database, including infants born from 2009 to 2017 and admitted to academic or community NICUs contributing microbiology data during the study period. We analyzed antibiotic susceptibilities for E. coli isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine. We focused on clinically relevant and priority susceptibility categories: (1) ampicillin nonsusceptible; (2) aminoglycoside nonsusceptible; (3) carbapenem nonsusceptible; and (4) extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL; phenotypic definition). We determined the proportion of infants with nonsusceptible organisms in each category by year and tested for changes over time. Lastly, we assessed susceptibility patterns by specimen source, birthweight, and timing of infection. Results: Of the 117,484 included infants, 733 (0.6%) had at least 1 E. coli episode, of which 721 (98.4%) had available susceptibility results, from 69 centers. Patient and center characteristics of infants with E. coli are shown in Table 1. Most organisms were tested against ampicillin (99.9%), gentamicin (99.6%), and ceftriaxone (91.5%). Figure 1 shows nonsusceptibility rates for the categories of interest. Overall, ampicillin nonsusceptibility ranged from 63.3% to 68.6% per year (mean, 66.8%±1.5%); aminoglycoside nonsusceptibility ranged from 10.7% to 23.2% (mean, 16.8%±4.5%); carbapenem nonsusceptibility was 0% for all years; and ESBL ranged from 1.2% to 11.3% (mean, 5.1%±3.4%). We detected no statistically significant trends for any of the categories of interest over time (all P > .05), and susceptibility trends were consistent when repeated by specimen source, birthweight, and timing of infection. Conclusions: We found stable, yet concerning, patterns of E. coli antibiotic nonsusceptibility among infants admitted to NICUs across the United States from 2009 to 2017. Rates of ampicillin nonsusceptibility and aminoglycoside nonsusceptibility were higher than previous reports. ESBL E. coli rates were low but present among neonatal patients. No carbapenem nonsusceptible E. coli was identified. These findings can inform empiric antibiotic prescription for infants admitted to NICUs across the United States.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Group Electronic Monitoring of Hand Hygiene on Inpatient Units: A Multicenter Cluster Randomized Quality Improvement Study
Authors: Leis Jerome , Powis Jeff , McGeer Allison , Ricciuto Daniel , Agnihotri Tanya , Coyle Natalie , Williams Victoria , Moore Christine , Salt Natasha , Wong Louis , McCreight Liz , Sivaramakrishna Sajeetha , Junaid Shara , Cao Xingshan , Muller Matthew 
Published: November 2020

Background: The current approach to measuring hand hygiene (HH) relies on human auditors who capture <1% of HH opportunities and rapidly become recognized by staff, resulting in inflation in performance. Our goal was to assess the impact of group electronic monitoring coupled with unit-led quality improvement on HH performance and prevention of healthcare-associated transmission and infection. Methods: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized quality improvement study was undertaken across 5 acute-care hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Overall, 746 inpatient beds were electronically monitored across 26 inpatient medical and surgical units. Daily HH performance as measured by group electronic monitoring was reported to inpatient units who discussed results to guide unit-led improvement strategies. The primary outcome was monthly HH adherence (%) between baseline and intervention. Secondary outcomes included transmission of antibiotic resistant organisms such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other healthcare-associated infections. Results: After adjusting for the correlation within inpatient units, there was a significant overall improvement in HH adherence associated with the intervention (IRR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.47–1.99; P < .0001). Monthly HH adherence relative to the intervention increased from 29% (1,395,450 of 4,544,144) to 37% (598,035 of 1,536,643) within 1 month, followed by consecutive incremental increases up to 53% (804,108 of 1,515,537) by 10 months (P < .0001). We identified a trend toward reduced healthcare-associated transmission of MRSA (0.74; 95% CI, 0.53–1.04; P = .08). Conclusions: The introduction of a system for group electronic monitoring led to rapid, significant, and sustained improvements in HH performance within a 2-year period.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Hospital Microbiologic Culture Results to Predict the Use of Anti–methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Authors: Wu Hsiu , Kratzer Tyler , Zhou Liang , Soe Minn , Edwards Jonathan , Neuhauser Melinda , Benin Andrea , Hicks Lauri , Srinivasan Arjun , Pollock Daniel 
Published: November 2020

Background: To provide a standardized, risk-adjusted method for summarizing antimicrobial use (AU), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the standardized antimicrobial administration ratio, an observed-to-predicted use ratio in which predicted use is estimated from a statistical model accounting for patient locations and hospital characteristics. The infection burden, which could drive AU, was not available for assessment. To inform AU risk adjustment, we evaluated the relationship between the burden of drug-resistant gram-positive infections and the use of anti-MRSA agents. Methods: We analyzed data from acute-care hospitals that reported ≥10 months of hospital-wide AU and microbiologic data to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) from January 2018 through June 2019. Hospital infection burden was estimated using the prevalence of deduplicated positive cultures per 1,000 admissions. Eligible cultures included blood and lower respiratory specimens that yielded oxacillin/cefoxitin–resistant Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and ampicillin-nonsusceptible enterococci, and cerebrospinal fluid that yielded SA. The anti-MRSA use rate is the total antimicrobial days of ceftaroline, dalbavancin, daptomycin, linezolid, oritavancin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, tedizolid, telavancin, and intravenous vancomycin per 1,000 days patients were present. AU rates were modeled using negative binomial regression assessing its association with infection burden and hospital characteristics. Results: Among 182 hospitals, the median (interquartile range, IQR) of anti-MRSA use rate was 86.3 (59.9–105.0), and the median (IQR) prevalence of drug-resistant gram-positive infections was 3.4 (2.1–4.8). Higher prevalence of drug-resistant gram-positive infections was associated with higher use of anti-MRSA agents after adjusting for facility type and percentage of beds in intensive care units (Table 1). Number of hospital beds, average length of stay, and medical school affiliation were nonsignificant. Conclusions: Prevalence of drug-resistant gram-positive infections was independently associated with the use of anti-MRSA agents. Infection burden should be used for risk adjustment in predicting the use of anti-MRSA agents. To make this possible, we recommend that hospitals reporting to NHSN’s AU Option also report microbiologic culture results.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Reduction in Abdominal Hysterectomy Surgical Site Infection Rates After the Addition of Anaerobic Antimicrobial Prophylaxis
Authors: Jenn Kyle , Bowdler Noelle , Holley Stephanie , Kukla Mary , Abosi Oluchi , Dains Angie , Meacham Holly , Diekema Daniel , Edmond Michael , Salinas Jorge 
Published: November 2020

Background: Antimicrobial prophylaxis is one of the strongest surgical site infection (SSI) prevention measures. Current guidelines recommend the use of cefazolin as antimicrobial prophylaxis for abdominal hysterectomy procedures. However, there is growing evidence that anaerobes play a role in abdominal hysterectomy SSIs. We assessed the impact of adding anaerobic coverage on abdominal hysterectomy SSI rates in our institution. Methods: The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is an 811-bed academic medical center that serves as a referral center for Iowa and neighboring states. Each year, ~33,000 major surgical operations are performed here, and on average, 600 are abdominal hysterectomies. Historically, patients have received cefazolin only, but beginning November 2017, patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy received cefazolin + metronidazole for antimicrobial prophylaxis. Order sets within the electronic medical record were modified, and education was provided to surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other ordering providers. Procedures and subsequent SSIs were monitored and reported using National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions. Infection rates are calculated using all depths (superficial, deep and organ space) and by deep and organ space only, as this is how they are publicly reported. We used numerator (SSIs) and denominator (number of abdominal hysterectomy procedures) data from the NHSN from January 2015 through September 2019. We performed an interrupted time-series analysis to determine how the addition of metronidazole was associated with abdominal hysterectomy SSIs (all depths, and deep and organ space). Results: From January 2015 through October 2017, the hysterectomy SSI rates were 3.2% (all depths) and 1.5% (deep and organ space). After the adjustment was made to antimicrobial prophylaxis in November 2017, the rates decreased to 1.6% (all depths) and 0.6% (deep and organ space). Of the SSIs with pathogens identified, the proportion of anaerobes decreased from 59% to 25% among all depths and from 82% to 50% among deep and organ-space SSIs. The rate of SSI decline after the intervention was statistically significant (P = .01) for deep and organ-space infections but not for all depths (P = .73). Conclusions: The addition of anaerobic coverage with metronidazole was associated with a decrease in deep and organ-space abdominal hysterectomy SSI rates at our institution. Hospitals should assess the microbiology of abdominal hysterectomy SSIs and should consider adding metronidazole to their antimicrobial prophylaxis.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
VA Antibiotic Stewardship Intervention to Improve Outpatient Antibiotic Use for ARIs: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Authors: Yoo Minkyoung , Nelson Richard , Nevers McKenna , Madaras-Kelly Karl , Fleming-Dutra Katherine , Hersh Adam , Ying Jian , Haaland Benjamin , Samore Matthew 
Published: November 2020

Background: The Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship provide a framework to improve antibiotic use, but cost-effectiveness data on interventions to improve antibiotic use are limited. Beginning in September 2017, an antibiotic stewardship intervention was launched in within 10 outpatient Veterans Healthcare Administration clinics. The intervention was based on the Core Elements and used an academic detailing (AD) and an audit and feedback (AF) approach to encourage appropriate use of antibiotics. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the intervention among patients with uncomplicated acute respiratory tract infections (ARI). Methods: We developed an economic simulation model from the VA’s perspective for patients presenting for an index outpatient clinic visit with an ARI (Fig. 1). Effectiveness was measured as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Cost and utility parameters for antibiotic treatment, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and healthcare utilization were obtained from the published literature. Probability parameters for antibiotic treatment, appropriateness of treatment, antibiotic ADRs, hospitalization, and return ARI visits were estimated using VA Corporate Data Warehouse data from a total of 22,137 patients in the 10 clinics during 2014–2019 before and after the intervention. Detailed cost data on the development of the AD and AF materials and electronically captured time and effort for the National AD Service activities by specific providers from a national ARI campaign were used as a proxy for the cost estimate of similar activities conducted in this intervention. We performed 1-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSAs) using 10,000 second-order Monte Carlo simulations on costs and utility values using their means and standard deviations. Results: The proportion of uncomplicated ARI visits with antibiotics prescribed (59% vs 40%) was lower and appropriate treatment was higher (24% vs 32%) after the intervention. The intervention was estimated to cost $110,846 (2018 USD) over a 2-year period. Compared to no intervention, the intervention had lower mean costs ($880 vs $517) and higher mean QALYs (0.837 vs 0.863) per patient because of reduced inappropriate treatment, ADRs, and subsequent healthcare utilization, including hospitalization. In threshold analyses, the antibiotic stewardship strategy was no longer dominant if intervention cost was >$64,415,000 or the number of patients cared for was <3,672. In the PSA, the antibiotic stewardship intervention was dominant in 100% of the 10,000 Monte Carlo iterations (Fig. 2). Conclusions: In every scenario, the VA outpatient AD and AF antibiotic stewardship intervention was a dominant strategy compared to no intervention.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Assessing the Efficacy and Unintended Consequences of Utilizing a Behavioral Approach to Reduce Inappropriate Clostridioides difficile Testing
Authors: Dbeibo Lana , Brinkman Allison , Beeler Cole , Kelley Kristen , Fadel William , Wang Yun , Snyderman William , Hatfield Nicole , Sadowski Josh , Kara Areeba 
Published: November 2020

Background: Effective strategies to improve diagnostic stewardship around C. difficile infection (CDI) remain elusive. Electronic medical record-based solutions, such as ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ stops, have been associated with reductions in testing, but may not be sustainable due to alert fatigue. Additionally, data on the potential for undertesting, missed diagnoses, and the implications regarding patient harm or clusters of transmission are limited. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of a behavioral approach to diagnostic stewardship, while monitoring for unintended consequences. Methods: This quality improvement study was conducted January 2018–May 2019; baseline period: January–April 2018, implementation period: May–December 2018, sustainment period: January 2019–May 2019. First, we conducted an internal analysis and identified 3 barriers to appropriate testing: clinician’s perceived risk of CDI, inconsistent definition of diarrhea, and lack of involvement of nurses in diagnostic stewardship. A multidisciplinary team to address these barriers was then convened. The team utilized the Bristol stool scale to improve the reliability of diarrhea description, and created a guideline-concordant testing algorithm with clinicians and nurses. The primary outcome was the number of tests ordered. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of inappropriate tests and the proportion of delayed tests. Delayed tests were defined as CDI-compatible diarrhea based on the algorithm where the test was sent >24 hours after symptom onset. Results: During the baseline period, we detected no significant change in number of tests ordered month to month, with 194.2 tests ordered per month on average. During the postimplementation period, the number of tests ordered decreased by ~4.5 each month between January 2018 and May 2019 (P < .0001). The proportion of inappropriate tests steadily decreased from 54% to 30% across the 3 study periods, and the number of delayed testing changed from 11% to 1% then increased to 20% in the sustainment period. There were no cases of toxic megacolon associated with delayed testing. Conclusions: The decision to test for CDI is complex. Interventions that address this issue as a simple ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ fail to address the root cause of CDI overdiagnosis, and they have no embedded mechanism to detect unintended consequences. Our study demonstrates that by taking a behavioral approach and addressing clinicians’ safety concerns, we were able to sustain a significant reduction in testing. We could not determine the significance of the increase in delayed testing given the low numbers; however, further studies are needed to evaluate the safety of CDI reduction strategies through diagnostic stewardship only.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None