{"title":"The clinical outcomes and effectiveness of antiviral agents among underweight patients with COVID-19.","authors":"Jheng-Yan Wu, Mei-Yuan Liu, Mei-Chuan Lee, Kuo-Chuan Hung, Wan-Hsuan Hsu, Ya-Wen Tsai, Ting-Hui Liu, Po-Yu Huang, Min-Hsiang Chuang, Shu-Ching Tseng, Chih-Ying Lu, Chih-Cheng Lai","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2303017","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2303017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study investigated the outcomes of underweight patients with COVID-19 and the effectiveness of antiviral agents in this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective cohort study using theTriNetX research network was conducted. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to balance the first cohort involving COVID-19 patients with underweight and normal-weight. In the second cohort, underweight patients receiving antiviral agents and untreated individuals were matched using PSM. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause hospitalization and death during the 7-30-day follow-up period.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After PSM, the first cohort including each group of 13,502 patients with balanced baseline characteristics were identified for comparing the outcome of patients with underweight and normal weight. The underweight group had a higher risk of the composite primary outcome than those with normal weight (hazard ratio [HR], 1.251; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.132-1.382). The second cohort included each 884 underweight patients with and without receiving antivirals.Compared with untreated patients, those receiving antiviral treatment had a lower risk of composite primary outcomes (HR, 0.426; 95% CI, 0.278-0.653).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Underweight status may be associated with a higher risk of all-cause hospitalization and death in patients with COVID-19.Among underweight patients, antiviral agents demonstrated clinically beneficial effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139097679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A multifaceted strategy is needed to limit the over-the-counter sale of antimicrobials.","authors":"Carl Llor, Ana Moragas","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2322450","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2322450","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139912438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anan S Jarab, Shrouq R Abu Heshmeh, Ahmad Z Al Meslamani
{"title":"Biosimilars as antivirals: opportunities and challenges.","authors":"Anan S Jarab, Shrouq R Abu Heshmeh, Ahmad Z Al Meslamani","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2313064","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2313064","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139575348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Treatment of vaginitis caused by non-albicans Candida species.","authors":"Jack D Sobel","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2347953","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2347953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In the face of increased frequency of non-albicans Candida vulvovaginitis (VVC) reported worldwide, there is a paucity of effective oral and topical antifungal drugs available. Drug selection is further handicapped by an absence of data of clinical efficacy of available antifungal drugs for these infections.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>In this review, attention is directed at the cause of drug shortage as well as increased frequency of non-albicans Candida (NAC) vulvovaginitis. There is widespread recognition of reduced in vitro azole drug susceptibility in NAC species. Moreover, antifungal susceptibility tests have not been standardized or validated for NAC isolates, hence clinicians rely on an element of empiricism especially given the absence of randomized controlled comparative studies targeting NAC species. Clinical spectrum of NAC species isolates is highly variable with ongoing difficulty in determining a causal role in symptomatic patients.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>We have entered the era of demand for Candida species-specific therapy and although consensus treatment guidelines are emerging, new antifungal agents that target these multiple-azole resistant or relatively resistant vaginal NAC species are urgently needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140891702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lipin Lukose, Gursimran Kaur, Mohammed Asif M, Gail Ann Abraham, Kanav Khera, Viswam K Subeesh, Ronald L Castelino, Shubhada Karanth, Chandrashekar Udyavara Kudru, Muralidhar Varma, Sonal Sekhar Miraj
{"title":"Predictors and patterns of empirical antibiotic therapy and associated outcomes in COVID-19 patients: a retrospective study in a tertiary care facility in South India.","authors":"Lipin Lukose, Gursimran Kaur, Mohammed Asif M, Gail Ann Abraham, Kanav Khera, Viswam K Subeesh, Ronald L Castelino, Shubhada Karanth, Chandrashekar Udyavara Kudru, Muralidhar Varma, Sonal Sekhar Miraj","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2303019","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2303019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) led to a global health crisis. Inappropriate use of antibiotics in COVID-19 patients has been a concern, leading to antimicrobial resistance. This study evaluated the patterns and predictors of empirical antibiotic therapy in COVID-19 patients and associated outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A hospital-based retrospective study was conducted with 525 patients admitted to Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, India, with moderate and severe COVID-19 from 1 March to 1 August 2021. They were divided based on empirical therapy, and predictors of antibiotic usage were assessed by logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four hundred and eighty (91.4%) COVID-19 patients received at least one course of antibiotics, with 440 (83.8%) initiating empirical therapy. Patients with severe COVID-19 manifestations were more likely to be prescribed empirical antibiotics. Multivariable analysis showed that patients initiated on empirical antibiotics had significantly elevated levels of procalcitonin [OR: 3.91 (95% CI: 1.66-9.16) (<i>p</i> = 0.001)], invasive ventilation [OR: 3.93 (95% CI: 1.70-9.09) (<i>p</i> = 0.001)], shortness of breath [OR: 2.25 (95% CI: 1.30-3.89) (<i>p</i> = 0.003)] and higher CRP levels [OR: 1.01 (95% CI: 1.00-1.01) (<i>p</i> = 0.005)]. Most antibiotics (65.9%) were prescribed from the 'Watch' group, the highest being ceftriaxone. Only 23.8% of the patients had microbiologically confirmed infections.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study identified predictors for initiating empirical antibacterial therapy in our setting.</p>","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139377354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vasso Apostolopoulos, Jack Feehan, Vivek P. Chavda
{"title":"How do we change our approach to COVID with the changing face of disease?","authors":"Vasso Apostolopoulos, Jack Feehan, Vivek P. Chavda","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2345881","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14787210.2024.2345881","url":null,"abstract":"The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 triggered a global health emergency, causing > 7 million deaths thus far. Limited early knowledge spurred swift research, treatment, and vaccine developments. Implementa...","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140628333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Surveillance and prevention of healthcare-associated infections: best practices to prevent ventilator-associated events","authors":"Leonardo Lorente, Joan Sabater-Riera, Jordi Rello","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2345877","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14787210.2024.2345877","url":null,"abstract":"Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) leads to an increase in morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. In addition to increased evidence from the latest European and American guidelines (publishe...","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140628460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah M. Heston, Jillian H. Hurst, Matthew S. Kelly
{"title":"Understanding the influence of the microbiome on childhood infections","authors":"Sarah M. Heston, Jillian H. Hurst, Matthew S. Kelly","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2340664","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14787210.2024.2340664","url":null,"abstract":"The microbiome is known to have a substantial impact on human health and disease. However, the impacts of the microbiome on immune system development, susceptibility to infectious diseases, and vac...","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140584034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eric Kofi Ngyedu, Joseph Elikem Efui Acolatse, George Akafity, Robert Incoom, Audu Rauf, R Andrew Seaton, Jacqueline Sneddon, Elaine Cameron, Margaret Watson, Marta Wanat, Brian Godman, Amanj Kurdi
{"title":"Response to: ‘letter to the editor: “A multifaceted strategy is needed to limit the over-the-counter sale of antimicrobials “’","authors":"Eric Kofi Ngyedu, Joseph Elikem Efui Acolatse, George Akafity, Robert Incoom, Audu Rauf, R Andrew Seaton, Jacqueline Sneddon, Elaine Cameron, Margaret Watson, Marta Wanat, Brian Godman, Amanj Kurdi","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2337824","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14787210.2024.2337824","url":null,"abstract":"Published in Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy (Ahead of Print, 2024)","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140584024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effectiveness of novel oral antiviral treatment for non-hospitalized high-risk patients with COVID-19 during predominance of omicron XBB subvariants","authors":"Chi-Kuei Hsu, Wan-Hsuan Hsu, Bo-Wen Shiau, Ya-Wen Tsai, Jheng-Yan Wu, Ting-Hui Liu, Po-Yu Huang, Min-Hsiang Chuang, Chih-Cheng Lai","doi":"10.1080/14787210.2024.2339398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14787210.2024.2339398","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated the association between nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NMV-r) or molnupiravir and the outcomes of non-hospitalized high-risk patients with COVID-19 during Omicron XBB subvaria...","PeriodicalId":12213,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140584401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}