Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases
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Scand. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2012
Factors associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infections and the effects of other concomitant nosocomial infections in intensive care units.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the most common nosocomial infections in intensive care units (ICUs). The objectives of this study were to describe the incidence, aetiology, and risk factors of CAUTIs in ICUs and to determine whether concomitant nosocomial infections alter risk factors. ⋯ Our results showed that the presence of nosocomial infections at another site was an independent risk factor for the acquisition of a CAUTI and that their presence alters risk factors.
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Scand. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2012
Lopinavir/ritonavir trough concentrations with the tablet formulation in HIV-1-infected women during the third trimester of pregnancy.
An observational, open-label study was performed to assess changes of lopinavir/ritonavir plasma concentrations during pregnancy. ⋯ In this study, a slight but not significant decrease in the plasma lopinavir C(trough) was found during the third trimester of pregnancy, suggesting that standard dosing of the tablet formulation is also appropriate during the later stages of pregnancy.
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Scand. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2012
What should be the optimal cut-off of serum 1,3-β-D-glucan for the detection of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with haematological malignancies?
The detection of 1,3-β-d-glucan (BDG), a cell wall component of several medically important fungi, is a promising tool for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the BDG test in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) by focusing on the optimal cut-off value. ⋯ Although higher cut-off levels increased the specificity of the BDG test, sensitivity decreased to an unacceptable level; the commercially recommended cut-off value appears to be appropriate for screening purposes.
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To describe the treatment and outcomes of patients with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and evaluate whether these cases represented active infection requiring antibiotic therapy or colonization. ⋯ Nearly half of cases represented colonization, yet the majority were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Determining infection versus colonization is a critical first step in managing patients with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The risk of not treating apparent colonization appears low.