International journal of antimicrobial agents
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Sep 2015
Review Meta AnalysisVancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity: A meta-analysis of administration by continuous versus intermittent infusion.
Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic widely used in the management of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Guidelines currently recommend vancomycin be administered by intermittent infusion, despite recent research suggesting that continuous infusion (CI) may be associated with lower rates of vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity. In 2012, Cataldo et al. presented a meta-analysis supporting the use of CI. ⋯ Seven studies were included in the final analysis. Using a random-effects model, a non-significant trend of reduced nephrotoxicity in those who received vancomycin by CI (risk ratio=0.799, 95% confidence interval 0.523-1.220; P=0.299) was identified. A large, randomised controlled trial is necessary to confirm these results.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Dec 2014
Review Meta AnalysisColistin for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) has emerged as an important and intractable clinical problem. This review assessed the efficacy and safety of colistin for treatment of MDR GNB VAP. PubMed and Embase were searched for controlled studies of colistin for treatment of MDR GNB VAP. ⋯ Colistin appears as effective and safe as β-lactam antibiotics for the treatment of MDR GNB VAP. AS colistin may be a beneficial adjunct to IV colistin in the management of MDR GNB VAP. Colistin combined therapy does not appear to provide better outcomes compared with colistin monotherapy.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Aug 2014
Review Meta AnalysisEfficacy and safety of sofosbuvir-based therapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients.
Sofosbuvir, a hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B polymerase inhibitor, is a new direct-acting antiviral for chronic HCV infection. This systematic review and proportional meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir-based therapy for chronic HCV infection in treatment-naïve and -experienced patients. Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched. ⋯ Six treatment arms/cohorts met the criteria for analysis in treatment-naïve patients who were treated with sofosbuvir and RBV; the SVR12 was 72% (95% CI 60-81%), relapse was 27% and the SAE rate was 3%. Three treatment arms/cohorts met the criteria for analysis in treatment-experienced patients who were treated with sofosbuvir and RBV; the SVR12 was 51% (95% CI 27-75%), relapse was 46% and the SAE rate was 4%. In conclusion, sofosbuvir-based treatment is effective and safe in treating chronic HCV infection, although the SVR12 of its combination with RBV, especially in treatment-experienced patients, requires improvement.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · May 2014
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyProlonged infusion versus intermittent boluses of β-lactam antibiotics for treatment of acute infections: a meta-analysis.
The clinical advantages of prolonged (extended/continuous) infusion remain controversial. Previous studies and reviews have failed to show consistent clinical benefits of extending the infusion time. This meta-analysis sought to determine whether prolonged β-lactam infusions were associated with a reduction in mortality and improvement in clinical success. ⋯ Compared with intermittent boluses, use of prolonged infusion appeared to be associated with a significant reduction in mortality [pooled relative risk (RR) = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.83] and improvement in clinical success (RR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.21). Statistically significant benefit was supported by non-randomised studies (mortality, RR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.43-0.76; clinical success, RR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.02-1.76) but not by RCTs (mortality, RR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.57-1.21; clinical success, RR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.99-1.12). The positive results from observational studies, especially in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance, serve to justify the imperative need to conduct a large-scale, well-designed, multicentre RCT involving critically ill patients infected with high minimum inhibitory concentration pathogens to clearly substantiate this benefit.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Apr 2014
Review Meta AnalysisBaseline prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and subsequent infection following prostate biopsy using empirical or altered prophylaxis: A bias-adjusted meta-analysis.
Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB) is a commonly performed urological procedure. Recent studies suggest that pre-biopsy screening for fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) pathogens may be useful in reducing post-biopsy infections. We sought to determine the baseline prevalence of fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance in rectal flora and to investigate the relationship between pre-biopsy carriage of FQ-R pathogens and the risk of post-TRUSPB infection. ⋯ Prior FQ use and prior genitourinary infection were significant risk factors for FQ-R colonisation. FQ resistance in rectal flora is a significant predictor of post-TRUSPB infection and may require re-assessment of empirical antimicrobial prophylaxis methods. Altered prophylaxis based on rectal culturing prior to TRUSPB may reduce morbidity and potentially provide economic benefits to health services.