Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Feb 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized double-blind controlled study of laninamivir compared with oseltamivir for the treatment of influenza in patients with chronic respiratory diseases.
Influenza infection tends to be severe in patients with chronic underlying diseases. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of laninamivir octanoate, an inhaled neuraminidase inhibitor, for the treatment of influenza patients with chronic respiratory diseases; we conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy and safety of laninamivir octanoate and oseltamivir for the treatment of influenza in these patients. A total of 203 patients aged ≥20 years were randomized to receive either laninamivir octanoate or oseltamivir. ⋯ The median time to illness alleviation was 64.7 h in the laninamivir group and 59.7 h in the oseltamivir group, with a difference of 5.0 h between the two groups (95 % confidence interval, -13.6 to 16.1 h). No adverse events specific to laninamivir octanoate were observed, and adverse events such as bronchospasm, which has been reported to be observed with other inhaled drugs related to laninamivir octanoate, did not occur. Laninamivir octanoate showed similar efficacy and safety to oseltamivir in the treatment of influenza, including that caused by influenza A(H1N1)2009, in patients with chronic respiratory diseases.
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Feb 2013
The use of ceftaroline fosamil in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis and deep-seated MRSA infections: a retrospective case series of 10 patients.
There are many limitations to the current antibiotics used for the treatment of severe methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Ceftaroline is a new fifth-generation cephalosporin approved for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections caused by MRSA and community-acquired pneumonia. We propose that ceftaroline can also be used successfully in more severe MRSA infections, including endocarditis. ⋯ In most patients, ceftaroline was effective for treatment of MRSA bacteremia and other severe MRSA infections. Adverse effects seen included rash, eosinophilia, pruritus, and Clostridium difficile infection. Ceftaroline can be a safe and effective drug for treatment of severe MRSA infections, and further comparative studies are warranted.
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Feb 2013
Comparative StudyThe definition of healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is insufficient for the medical environment in Japan: a comparison of HCAP and nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP).
Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is a new concept of pneumonia, which was proposed in the ATS/IDSA guidelines. The guidelines explain that HCAP patients should be treated with broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs directed at multidrug-resistant pathogens. However, in Japan, there are many elderly people who received in-home care service. ⋯ Although the in-hospital mortality of HCAP patients and NHCAP except HCAP patients was 9.1 % and 19.4 %, respectively, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). Our study suggested that, in the criteria of HCAP, some Japanese patients, who were consistent with the concept of HCAP, were classified as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Therefore, there is a need to change the definition of HCAP according to the medical environment in Japan.
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Feb 2013
Case ReportsDetection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 in blood cultures from a patient treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor.
A 65-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a temperature of 39.3 °C, cough, sputum, and pharyngeal discomfort that had persisted for 3 days. He had been treated with methotrexate and adalimumab (a tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] inhibitor) for rheumatoid arthritis for 2 years, and he had also been treated with S-1 (tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium) for pancreatic metastasis of gastric cancer for 2 months. Regardless of the underlying pathologies, his general condition was good and he had worked as an electrician until 2 days before admission. ⋯ Subsequent blood fluid culture in selective medium revealed L. pneumophila serogroup 1. Recently, TNF-α inhibitors have been described as a risk factor for Legionnaires' disease. In consideration of the increased frequency of TNF-α inhibitors, we may need to recognize anew that L. pneumophila might be a pathogen of severe community-acquired pneumonia.
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Feb 2013
Clinical and microbiological efficacy and toxicity of colistin in patients infected with multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens.
Polymyxins have recently again become important because of multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological efficacy and toxicity of different dosages of colistin in patients infected with MDR microorganisms that were sensitive only to colistin. The study was conducted in the 1,200-bed Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital. ⋯ Nephrotoxicity was revealed in 1 of 13 patients (7.7 %) for the 3 × 1 MU group and 2 of 11 patients (18.2 %) in the 3 × 2 MU group (p = 0.57). The nephrotoxicity rate was greater with higher dosages of colistin, but the difference was not statistically significant. Renal function of patients receiving higher dosages of colistin should be more closely monitored.