bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Three-day antibiotic duration in patients with pneumonia: A sixty-eight–hospital cohort
Authors: Vaughn Valerie , Petty Lindsay , Ratz David , McLaughlin Elizabeth , Czilok Tawny , Horowitz Jennifer , Malani Anurag , Osterholzer Danielle , Flanders Scott , Gandhi Tejal 
Published: September 2023

Background: Since 2019, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) guidelines have recommended hospitalized patients be treated until clinical “stability and for no less than 5 days.” However, randomized trials have reported that, in patients who stabilize by hospital day 3, very short antibiotic durations (eg, 3 days) are noninferior to longer durations. How these trial results relate to real-world practice is unknown. Methods: Using a 68-hospital cohort study of hospitalized, general-care adults with CAP, we aimed to (1) quantify the percentage of patients who—according to trial criteria—qualify for a 3-day antibiotic duration, (2) quantify the percentage who actually received a 3-day duration, and (3) assess 30-day outcomes. Patients were considered to have CAP if they had a pneumonia discharge diagnosis and met clinical criteria for CAP. Patients with concomitant infections (including COVID-19), admission to intensive care, or severe immunocompromise were not included. Results: Between February 23, 2017, and August 3, 2022, 36,064 patients with CAP were included. Of those, 48.2% (9,826 of 36,064) were excluded due to a condition or organism ineligible for the 3-day treatment (Fig. 1). Of the 18,690 patients remaining, 52.6% (9,826) were unstable on day 3 and thus were ineligible for the 3-day treatment. Therefore, of all 36,064 patients, only 8,864 (24.6%) would be eligible under trial criteria for a 3-day treatment. Notably, 5,493 (55.9%) of 9,826 patients unstable on day 3 would be eligible for 5 days of treatment under national guidelines. In practice, use of 3–4-day treatment was rare, occurring in 599 (6.8%) of 8,864 patients eligible for a 3-day treatment versus 660 (6.7%) of 9,826 patients unstable on day 3 (P = .945). Use of 3–4-day treatment increased over time and comorbidities that could mimic CAP or a negative procalcitonin were more common in patients who received a 3–4-day treatment whereas specific symptoms of CAP were less common (Fig. 2). After adjustments, patients eligible for a 3-day duration who received a 3–4 day treatment versus a ≥5-day treatment had higher 30-day mortality (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.32–2.64) and readmission (aOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.17–1.56). Conclusions: Across 68 hospitals, <25% of patients hospitalized with CAP would be eligible for a 3-day antibiotic treatment. Though increasing over time, there was little use of 3–4-day treatments and, when prescribed, outcomes were worse, potentially due to CAP misdiagnosis. Given the small number of patients eligible for 3-day treatment, and the potential harm with too-short durations, it may be prudent to focus on increasing the use of 5-day treatments.Disclosures: None
Antibiotic practice and stewardship in the management of neutropenic fever: A survey of US institutions
Authors: Arya Swarn , Wang Xiao , Patel Sonal , Saw Stephen , Decena Mary , Hirsh Rebecca , Pegues David , Ziegler Matthew 
Published: September 2023

Background: Neutropenic fever management decisions are complex and result in prolonged duration of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Strategies for antibiotic stewardship in this context have been studied, including de-escalation of antibiotics prior to resolution of neutropenia, with unclear implementation. Here, we present the first survey study to describe real-world neutropenic fever management practices in US healthcare institutions, with particular emphasis on de-escalation strategies after initiation of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Methods: Using REDCap, we conducted a survey of US healthcare institutions through the SHEA Research Network (SRN). Questions pertained to antimicrobial prophylaxis and supportive care in the management of oncology patients and neutropenic fever management (including specific antimicrobial choices and clinical scenarios). Hematologic malignancy hospitalization (2020) and bone-marrow transplantation (2016–2020) volumes were obtained from CMS and Health Resources & Services Administration databases, respectively. Results: Overall, 23 complete responses were recorded (response rate, 35.4%). Collectively, these entities account for ~11.0% of hematologic malignancy hospitalizations and 13.3% bone marrow transplantations nationwide. Of 23 facilities, 19 had institutional guidelines for neutropenic fever management and 18 had institutional guidelines for prophylaxis, with similar definitions for neutropenic fever. Firstline treatment universally utilized antipseudomonal broad-spectrum IV antibiotics (20 of 23 use cephalosporin, 3 of 23 use penicillin agent, and no respondents use carbapenem). Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis was common for leukemia induction patients (18 of 23) but was mixed for bone-marrow transplantation (10 of 23). We observed significant heterogeneity in treatment decisions. For stable neutropenic fever patients with no clinical source of infection identified, 13 of 23 respondents continued IV antibiotics until ANC (absolute neutrophil count) recovery. The remainder had criteria for de-escalation back to prophylaxis prior to this (eg, a fever-free period). Respondents were more willing to de-escalate prior to ANC recovery in patients with identified clinical sources (14 of 23 de-escalations in patients with pneumonia) or microbiological sources (15 of 23 de-escalations in patients with bacteremia) after dedicated treatment courses. In free-text responses, several respondents described opportunities for more systemic de-escalation for antimicrobial stewardship in these scenarios. Conclusions: Our results illustrate the real-world management of neutropenic fever in US hospitals, including initiation of therapy, prophylaxis, and treatment duration. We found significant heterogeneity in de-escalation of empiric antibiotics relative to ANC recovery, highlighting a need for more robust evidence for and adoption of this practice.Disclosures: None
Development of a multiyear pediatric antibiogram in Georgia identifies antibiotic resistance trends
Authors: Linam Matt , Goldstein Madeleine , Jerris Robert , Gonzalez Mark 
Published: September 2023

Background: Antibiograms are used to monitor antibiotic resistance trends and help guide empiric antibiotic treatment. Community pediatricians may not have access to or be comfortable using children’s hospital antibiograms. Creating and disseminating a statewide pediatric antibiogram can help inform antibiotic stewardship efforts.Objective: To develop a pediatric-specific antibiogram for the state of Georgia. Methods: Annual pediatric antibiograms for the 5 children’s hospitals in Georgia from 2014 through 2021 were collected. All sites complied with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines for antibiomicrobic breakpoints and antibiogram development. Antibiogram data were combined, and the most common bacteria were selected to incorporate into the statewide antibiogram: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae complex, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiogram data were reported as percentage susceptible and total number of isolates. Interhospital susceptibility differences were compared for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), E. coli, and K. pneumoniae from 2018 through 2021. P < .05 was considered significant. The combined antibiogram data from 2014 through 2021 were used to show antibiotic susceptibility trends over time. Results: The 2021 antibiogram is shown in the Table. For MSSA and MRSA, clindamycin susceptibility was 80% and 85%, respectively. K. pneumoniae susceptibility to amoxicillin-clavulanate was 91%. For E. coli, using urine-specific breakpoints, susceptibility to cefazolin was 89%. A few statistically significant differences in antibiotic susceptibility were detected between hospitals, but most were unlikely to be clinically relevant (all susceptibilities ≥90% or < 80%). A notable exception was trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole susceptibility for K. pneumoniae, which ranged from 74% to 98% in 2020 and from 74% to 86% in 2021. From 2014 to 2021, the percentage of MRSA decreased from 49% to 34%. Over the 8 years, susceptibility to ceftriaxone for E. coli ranged from 93% to 95% and from 90% to 95% for K. pneumoniae. Susceptibility to meropenem for E. coli and K. pneumoniae ranged from 99% to 100%. Conclusions: Antibiotic susceptibility for pediatric bacterial isolates in Georgia remained stable over time and supported the narrow-spectrum empiric antibiotic treatment recommended in national evidence-based guidelines for skin and soft-tissue infections, community-acquired pneumonia, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. MRSA rates decreased over time and multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli were uncommon and remained stable.Disclosures: None
Creating an electronic antibiogram using visualization software: Easily updatable and removes the need for yearly manual review
Authors: Dauphin Ashley , McCoy Christopher , Bowden Robert , Lee Matthew , Gold Howard , Chapin Ryan 
Published: September 2023

Background: Previously, our hospital manually built a static antibiogram from a surveillance system (VigiLanz) culture report. In 2019, a collaboration between the antimicrobial stewardship team (AST) and the infection control (IC) team set out to leverage data automation to create a dynamic antibiogram. The goal for the antibiogram was the ability to easily distribute and update for hospital staff, with the added ability to perform advanced tracking and surveillance of organism and drug susceptibilities for AST and IC. By having a readily available, accurate, and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)–compliant antibiogram, clinicians have the best available data on which to base their empiric antibiotic decisions. Methods: First, assessment of required access to hospital databases and selection of a visualization software (MS Power BI) was performed. Connecting SQL database feeds to Power BI enabled creation of a data model using DAX and M code to comply with the CLSI, generating the first isolate per patient per year. Once a visual antibiogram was created, it was validated against compiled antibiograms using data from the microbiology laboratory middleware (bioMerieux, Observa Integrated Data Management Software). This validation process uncovered some discrepancies between the 2 reference reports due to cascade reporting of susceptibilities. The Observa-derived data were used as the source of truth. The antibiogram prototype was presented to AST/IC members, microbiology laboratory leadership, and other stakeholders to assess functionality. Results: Following feedback and revisions by stakeholders, the new antibiogram was published on a hospital-wide digital platform (Fig. 1). Clinicians may view the antibiogram at any time on desktops from a firewall (or password)–protected intranet. The antibiogram view defaults to the current calendar year and users may interact with the antibiogram rows and columns without disrupting the integrity of the background databases or codes. Each year, simple refreshing of the Power BI antibiogram and changing of the calendar year allows us to easily and accurately update the antibiogram on the hospital-wide digital platform. Conclusions: This interdisciplinary collaboration resulted in a new dynamic, CLSI-compliant antibiogram with improved usability, increased visibility, and straightforward updating. In the future, a mobile version of the antibiogram may further enhance accessibility, bring more useful information to providers, and optimize AST/IC guidelines and education.Disclosures: None
Impact of early identification of patients meeting testing criteria for Clostridioides difficile on standard infection ratios
Authors: Krier Brad , Gomez-Urena Eric , Schultz Kristin , Brooks Ashley 
Published: September 2023

Background:Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) poses a health burden to patients and a financial burden to hospital systems. Timely identification of CDI patients can reduce the impacts by allowing for prompt treatment and ensuring that proper isolation precautions are in place to prevent spread. It also ensures correct CDI event categorization according to the NHSN. Community-onset (CO) CDI cases are tested on or prior to hospital day 3, and hospital-onset (HO) CDI are tested on or after hospital day 4. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of utilizing an electronic health record (EHR) report to reduce CDI standard infection ratios (SIRs) by identifying potential CDI cases prior to hospital day 4. Methods: From August of 2021 to September 2022, an EHR report was implemented in a 5-hospital healthcare system in the Midwest to identify patients with 3 or more type 6 or 7 stools in a 24-hour period based on Bristol stool chart classification. All inpatients with 3 or more type 6 or 7 stools in 24 hours without an active order for a Clostridioides difficile test were listed. Patients with a laxative in the previous 48 hours, tube feedings without fever or leukocytosis, or a known cause of diarrhea were excluded. The attending provider of the patients meeting criteria were notified with a recommendation to test for C. difficile or provide alternative reason for symptoms. Results: In total, 26 patients were tested for C. difficile using polymerase chain reaction testing. Of those tested, 5 (19.2%) tested positive for C. difficile. There were 13 HO-CDI cases for the healthcare system during this period, for an SIR of 0.351. If the early identified cases were not identified until after hospital day 3, the SIR had the potential to have been 35.6% greater at 0.476. Conclusions: We were able to identify 5 CDI cases prior to hospital day 4 using an early identification report during this 13-month period. Although these cases may have been identified without the use of the EHR report, we were able to obtain a timely CDI diagnosis, potentially limiting the spread of C. difficile and preventing an increase in the CDI SIR by 35.6%. An EHR report to identify patients meeting C. difficile testing criteria may be an effective way to identify CO-CDI prior to HD 4 and thus reduce CDI SIRDisclosures: None
End-of-life care and hospital-acquired bloodstream infection
Authors: Zarnoski Melanie , Burke Patrick , Gordon Steven , Sitaras Joanne , Fraser Thomas 
Published: September 2023

Background: All critically ill patients are at risk for hospital-acquired bloodstream infection (HABSI). At any time, however, there is heterogeneity among patients in the ICU; some patients have the added complexity of end-of-life discussions. We sought to better understand the patients in our medical intensive care unit (MICU) with HABSIs that do and do not meet the NHSN definition for a central-line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) event by evaluating for the presence of a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. Methods: The study was conducted at our 66-bed MICU at the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus between January 2021 and September 2022. Surveillance for HABSI to include determination of CLABSI is performed prospectively according to the NSHN definition. The electronic health record was queried for each patient with a HABSI for the presence of a DNR order. DNR orders were categorized as follows: prevalent (DNR orders present at the time of admission to the MICU), incident (orders entered after admission to the MICU), or no DNR (for patients without an order at any time during their MICU stay). For incident orders, time from order to HABSI was recorded. Time to event was calculated as days between ICU admission to HABSI. Results: During the observation period there were 36,477 MICU patient days and 4,815 admissions. There were 112 HABSIs, of which 48 (43%) were CLABSIs. Overall, 65 patients were categorized as incident DNR, 7 were categorized as prevalent DNR, and 40 were categorized as no DNR. For patients with an incident DNR order, 50 HABSIs occurred on the date of or before the order and 15 occurred after the order. In patients in whom HABSI occurred after the incident DNR order, the median number of days between DNR order and HABSI was 11 days (range, 1–69). Discussion: In our MICU, >50% of HABSIs and 60% of CLABSIs occurred in patients with a DNR order incident to their MICU stay. Interventions to prevent hospital-acquired bloodstream infection and the analysis of the events are inextricably linked to issues of end-of-life care for critically ill patients. Further exploration of patient characteristics easily obtainable from the EHR, such as DNR orders, is necessary to inform best practices for prevention and risk adjustment of bloodstream infection rates.Disclosures: None
Universal COVID-19 screening at hospitals in a large Canadian health region
Authors: Garrod Matthew , Short Katy 
Published: September 2023

Background: Hospitals were affected by COVID-19, with significant concern regarding transmission from unidentified cases. Fraser Health, a Canadian regional health authority, implemented universal testing along with screening questions for emergency department (ED) admissions. We sought to determine which factors were associated with SARS-CoV-2–positive test on admission as well as patient outcome, stratified by screening question responses. Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients aged ≥6 years admitted through 12 hospital EDs between November 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022. Admission, laboratory, and screening data were extracted from electronic health records. Patients who had a first SARS-CoV-2 PCR–positive test in the prior 60 days collected within 48 hours of admission were classified as positive. Covariates included age, geographical region, and SARS-CoV-2 variant era. All questions were modeled using multinomial logistic regression, with components informed through crude analysis in R Studio software. Results: There were 88,511 unique eligible admissions, with 7,642 positive tests (8.6%). The positivity rate over the study period ranged from 0.6% to 21.8%, with a mean of 6.5%. Patients meeting screening criteria were 4.7 times (95% CI, 4.43–4.92) as likely to test positive as those who did not. Patients in the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant era were 3.2 times (95% CI, 2.98–3.47) as likely to test positive as those in the earlier era of the pandemic. Patients later in the pandemic were less likely to be identified by screening questions than those in earlier eras, with patients in the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant era only 14% (95% CI, 12%–17%) as likely as in the earlier stages of the pandemic to be identified by screening questions. Patients who tested positive were 1.5 (95% CI, 1.37–1.64) times as likely to die as patients who tested negative, whereas patients in later stages of the pandemic were less likely to die overall. Discussion: Patients who tested positive on admission were more likely to meet screening criteria; however, screening missed half of all positive cases. It is not known whether patients who tested positive without meeting screening criteria would have resulted in transmission. Conclusions: Due to changes in COVID-19 epidemiology, Fraser Health has discontinued universal admission screening. Although universal testing increased resource needs, more than half of patients who tested positive during the study period would not have been identified based on screening criteria alone, allowing for implementation of precaution measures to prevent possible transmission. Ultimately, the decision to conduct universal testing must be a balance of the resources required, community prevalence, and patient population.Disclosures: None
Whether or not the weather matters: A retrospective review assessing the influence of weather on SARS-CoV-2 transmission
Authors: Colaluca Melissa , Harford Sean , Palmer Ann , Wu Ulysses , Wu Kaelin , Kulowski Matthew 
Published: September 2023

Background: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many variables have contributed to surges in cases such as the presence of variants, vaccination status, and comorbid medical conditions. However, other factors can be considered including temperature, precipitation, and periods in large congregations. The spike in SARS-CoV-2 infections during the winter has made it seem plausible that transmission may be affected by meteorological factors. A study by Birukov et al demonstrated that a 1°C increase in temperature was associated with a 3.08% reduction in daily new cases and a 1.19% decrease in daily new deaths. We propose that SARS-CoV-2 transmission will decline more rapidly when either precipitation or temperature is higher; thus, in warmer regions with less precipitation daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths will be lower. Methods: This is a retrospective study of statewide data in Hartford County, Connecticut, collected from May 2020 to June 2022 assessing percent positivity reported in daily case count, hospitalizations for COVID-19, and deaths from COVID-19 collected from the Connecticut Department of Public Health COVID-19 database. Information on weather conditions, including temperature and precipitation, were collected from the National Weather Service pertaining to Hartford County. Trends in variables related to patient outcomes were compared to weather conditions within the county of Hartford. Moreover, certain periods within the various seasons that typically involve large gatherings and public holidays (eg, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day) were further analyzed. Results: There appears to be an inverse correlation coefficient of −0.422, between confirmed daily cases and mean temperature in Hartford County, indicating that as temperature increases, confirmed cases decrease. This phenomenon is also observed with confirmed daily deaths and mean temperature, with a correlation coefficient of −0.463. Moreover, there is an even more significant relationship between hospitalization cases and mean temperature, with a correlation coefficient of −0.667. Furthermore, the year-end holidays (Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) were associated with a significant spike in confirmed daily cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.However, the relationship between confirmed daily cases, hospitalized cases, and confirmed deaths against mean precipitation in Hartford County demonstrated no significant relationship, reporting correlation coefficients of −0.042, −0.044, and −0.044, respectively. Conclusions: Our available COVID-19 and weather data show that temperature is inversely correlated with daily cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. However, with regard to precipitation, there was no discernable relationship between the variables.Disclosures: None