scholarly journals 10-Year Trends in Urine Testing and Treatment in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: An Opportunity for Targeted Stewardship

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s90-s90
Author(s):  
Alison Nelson ◽  
Kalpana Gupta ◽  
Judith Strymish ◽  
Maura Nee ◽  
Katherine Linsenmeyer
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Urine Culture ◽  
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria ◽  
Routine Screening ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Urine Testing ◽  
Over Time

Background: Guidelines regarding asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) have consistently recommended against screening and treatment in most circumstances. However, screening of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is common practice and in some cases is a formal protocol at the organizational level. A previous study found that more than one-third of patients with ASB detected on routine screening cultures performed at annual visits in 2012 received antibiotics. However, the role of antibiotic stewardship has become more prominent over the last decade. We hypothesized that diagnostic and therapeutic stewardship efforts may be impacting the practice of annual urine-culture screening for SCI patients. We evaluated urine culture screening and treatment rates over a 10-year period. Methods: Patients with SCI seen in the VA Boston HCS for an annual exam in 2018 were eligible for inclusion and formed the baseline cohort for this study. Annual visits for the cohort over a 10-year period (January 1, 2009–December 31, 2018) were included in the analysis. Electronic data collection and manual chart review were utilized to capture outcomes of interest including urine culture, antibiotic prescriptions and indication within 15 days, and documentation of urinary or infectious symptoms. The main outcomes were (1) rate of urine cultures performed ±3 days of the visit, (2) rate of antibiotic treatment in asymptomatic patients, and (3) trend over time of urine culturing and treating. The χ2 test for trend was used to compare rates over time. Results: In total, 1,962 annual visits were made by the 344 unique patients over the 10-year period and were available for analysis. Among these, 639 (32.6%) visits had a urine culture performed within 3 days. The proportion of visits with a collected culture decreased from (109 of 127) 85.8% of visits in 2009 to (65 of 338) 19.2% of visits in 2018, P ≤ .001 (Fig. 1). In the treatment analysis, 39 visits were excluded for active symptoms, concern for uncontrolled infection, or prophylaxis as antibiotic indication. Among 600 remaining screening cultures, 328 had a bacterial pathogen or >100,000 mixed colonies consistent with ASB. Overall, 51 patients (17%) received antimicrobials. The rate of antibiotic treatment for ASB did not significantly decrease over time pP = 0.79 (Fig. 2). Conclusions: Over a 10-year period of annual SCI visits, the proportion of visits with a urine culture performed as routine screening significantly and consistently decreased. However, the rate of treatment for positive urine cultures remained consistent. These data support targeted diagnostic stewardship in this population to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

scholarly journals 15. Leveraging Data to Explore the Consequences of Urine Testing and Antibiotic Use During the Spinal Cord Injury Annual Evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S8-S9
Author(s):  
Sarah B May ◽  
Annette Walder ◽  
S Ann Holmes ◽  
Ivy Poon ◽  
Charlesnika T Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Urine Culture ◽  
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria ◽  
Positive Culture ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Comorbidity Score ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Urine Testing

Abstract Background The Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA), currently mandates that every spinal cord injury and disorder (SCI/D) patient receives a screening urinalysis and urine culture (UC) during the annual evaluation (AE). Our pilot study at a single VHA center showed that 87% of the UCs obtained during the AE represented asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), and that 35% of those UC were treated with antibiotics unnecessarily. The objective of the current study is to determine the association between UC and antibiotic use using a national VHA sample of SCI/D patients. Methods Retrospective cohort of Veterans who presented to a VHA SCI/D clinic for their AE in FY18 or FY19. Demographic and clinical characteristics as well as information on primary outcomes (receipt of urine culture and antibiotics) were extracted from the VHA Corporate Data Warehouse. Associations between covariates and outcomes were assessed using logistic regression. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results 9447 veterans with SCI/D were included, of whom 5088 (54%) had a UC obtained. Of those with a UC, 2910 (57%) were classified as positive (Figure 1). 1054 (11%) veterans were prescribed antibiotics within 7 days of their AE. Of these, 515 had a positive UC, 202 had a negative UC, and 2878 did not have a UC obtained during the AE. Age, ethnicity, neurologic level of injury (NLI), comorbidity score, frequently identified organism on positive culture, and receipt of antibiotics within 7 days of AE were significantly associated with obtaining a UC during the AE. Race, NLI, bladder management strategy, comorbidity score, frequently identified organism on positive culture, and having a UC obtained during the AE were significantly associated with receipt of antibiotics within 7 days of AE. Flowchart of SCI/D Veterans who had a urine culture and/or received antibiotics during their FY18/19 AE Conclusion Over half of Veterans with SCI/D presenting for their AE receive a screening UC, contrary to other national guidelines recommending against this practice. Age and type or organism identified on UC drive antibiotic use, which was similar to our previous findings and reflect themes identified during our qualitative interviews with SCI/D providers. The knowledge gained from this national VA study will assist the development of interventions to reduce unnecessary urine testing and antibiotic use in the SCI/D population. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

scholarly journals Determining Best Practices for Management of Bacteriuria in Spinal Cord Injury: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicia Skelton ◽  
Lindsey Ann Martin ◽  
Charlesnika T Evans ◽  
Jennifer Kramer ◽  
Larissa Grigoryan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Urine Culture ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Urine Testing

BACKGROUND Bacteriuria, either asymptomatic (ASB) or symptomatic, urinary tract infection (UTI), is common in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Current Veterans Health Administration (VHA) guidelines recommend a screening urinalysis and urine culture for every veteran with SCI during annual evaluation, even when asymptomatic, which is contrary to other national guidelines. Our preliminary data suggest that a positive urine culture (even without signs or symptoms of infection) drives antibiotic use. OBJECTIVE Through a series of innovative studies utilizing mixed methods, administrative databases, and focus groups, we will gain further knowledge about the attitudes driving current urine testing practices during the annual exam, as well as quantitative data on the clinical outcomes of these practices. METHODS Aim 1 will identify patient, provider, and facility factors driving bacteriuria testing and subsequent antibiotic use after the SCI annual evaluation through qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys. Aim 2 will use national VHA databases to identify the predictors of urine testing and subsequent antibiotic use during the annual examination and compare the clinical outcomes of those who received antibiotics with those who did not. Aim 3 will use the information gathered from the previous 2 aims to develop the Test Smart, Treat Smart intervention, a combination of patient and provider education and resources that will help stakeholders have informed conversations about urine testing and antibiotic use; feasibility will be tested at a single site. RESULTS This protocol received institutional review board and VHA Research and Development approval in July 2017, and Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development funding started on November 2017. As of submission of this manuscript, 10/15 (67%) of the target goal of provider interviews were complete, and 77/100 (77%) of the goal of surveys. With regard to patients, 5/15 (33%) of the target goal of interviews were complete, and 20/100 (20%) of the target goal of surveys had been completed. Preliminary analyses are ongoing; the study team plans to present these results in April 2019. Database analyses for aim 2 will begin in January 2019. CONCLUSIONS The negative consequences of antibiotic overuse and antibiotic resistance are well-documented and have national and even global implications. This study will develop an intervention aimed to educate stakeholders on evidence-based management of ASB and UTI and guide antibiotic stewardship in this high-risk population. The next step will be to refine the intervention and test its feasibility and effectiveness at multiple sites as well as reform policy for management of this common but burdensome condition. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR DERR1-10.2196/12272

scholarly journals Long term outcome of functional independence and quality of life after traumatic SCI in Germany

Spinal Cord ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Möller ◽  
Rüdiger Rupp ◽  
Norbert Weidner ◽  
Christoph Gutenbrunner ◽  
Yorck B. Kalke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Functional Independence ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Study design Multicenter observational study. Objective To describe the long-term outcome of functional independence and quality of life (QoL) for individuals with traumatic and ischemic SCI beyond the first year after injury. Setting A multicenter study in Germany. Methods Participants of the European multicenter study about spinal cord injury (EMSCI) of three German SCI centers were included and followed over time by the German spinal cord injury cohort study (GerSCI). Individuals’ most recent spinal cord independence measure (SCIM) scores assessed by a clinician were followed up by a self-report (SCIM-SR) and correlated to selected items of the WHO short survey of quality of life (WHO-QoL-BREF). Results Data for 359 individuals were obtained. The average time passed the last clinical SCIM examination was 81.47 (SD 51.70) months. In total, 187 of the 359 received questionnaires contained a completely evaluable SCIM-SR. SCIM scores remained stable with the exception of reported management of bladder and bowel resulting in a slight decrease of SCIM-SR of −2.45 points (SD 16.81). SCIM-SR scores showed a significant correlation with the selected items of the WHO-QoL-BREF (p < 0.01) with moderate to strong influence. Conclusion SCIM score stability over time suggests a successful transfer of acquired independence skills obtained during primary rehabilitation into the community setting paralleled by positively related QoL measurements but bladder and bowel management may need special attention.

scholarly journals Spinal Cord Injury due to Tumour or Metastasis in Aragón, Northeastern Spain (1991–2008): Incidence, Time Trends, and Neurological Function

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Maayken Elizabeth Louise van den Berg ◽  
Juan M. Castellote ◽  
Jose Ignacio Mayordomo ◽  
Ignacio Mahillo-Fernandez ◽  
Jesus de Pedro-Cuesta
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
Primary Tumour ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Over Time

Purpose. Understanding the presentation of spinal cord injury (SCI) due to tumours considering population distribution and temporal trends is key to managing SCI health services. This study quantified incidence rates, function scores, and trends of SCI due to tumour or metastasis over an 18-year time period in a defined region in Spain. Methods. A retrospective cohort study included in-and outpatients with nontraumatic SCI due to tumour or metastasis admitted to a metropolitan hospital in Spain between 1991 and 2008. Main outcome measures were crude and age- and sex-adjusted incidence rates, tumour location and type, distribution by spinal level, neurological level of injury, and impairment ASIA scores. Results. Primary tumour or metastasis accounted for 32.5% of nontraumatic SCI with an incidence rate of 4.1 per million population. Increasing rates with age and over time were observed. Major pathology groups were intradural-extramedullary masses from which meningiomas and neurinomas accounted for 40%. Lesions were mostly incomplete with predominant ASIA Grade D. Conclusions. Increasing incidence rates of tumour-related SCI over time in the middle-aged and the elderly suggest a growing need for neurooncology health resources in the future.

scholarly journals Fatal Septicaemia Following Suprapubic Cystostomy in a Paraplegic Patient: Never Do a Cystostomy without Prior Urine Culture and Appropriate Antibiogram!

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Subramanian Vaidyanathan ◽  
Bakul M. Soni ◽  
Tun Oo ◽  
Peter L. Hughes ◽  
Gurpreet Singh
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Urine Culture ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury Patient ◽  
Full Blood Count ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Contributory Factor ◽  
Suprapubic Cystostomy ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Injury Patient

Neuropathic urinary bladder is often colonised by multidrug-resistant bacteria. We report a 64-year-old male spinal cord injury patient with paraplegia, who received gentamicin on empirical basis before undergoing suprapubic cystostomy, as antibiotic sensitivity report of urine was not available. This patient developed fulminate septicaemia. Although appropriate antibiotic therapy (meropenem) was started when this patient manifested features of sepsis, acute renal failure occurred and he expired. Inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy was the major contributory factor for this patient's mortality. Learning points from this case are (1) never do a cystostomy without prior urine culture and appropriate antibiogram; (2) in a chronic spinal cord injury patient, full blood count, liver function tests, albumin level, and albumin to globulin ratio should be performed before any surgical procedure.

scholarly journals Finger somatotopy is preserved after tetraplegia but deteriorates over time

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanne Kikkert ◽  
Dario Pfyffer ◽  
Michaela Verling ◽  
Patrick Freund ◽  
Nicole Wenderoth
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Sensorimotor Cortex ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Finger Movement ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Primary Sensorimotor Cortex ◽  
Over Time

Previous studies showed reorganised and/or altered activity in the primary sensorimotor cortex after a spinal cord injury (SCI), suggested to reflect abnormal processing. However, little is known about whether somatotopically-specific representations can be activated despite reduced or absent afferent hand inputs. In this observational study we used functional MRI and an (attempted) finger movement task in tetraplegic patients to characterise the somatotopic hand layout in primary somatosensory cortex. We further used structural MRI to assess spared spinal tissue bridges. We found that somatotopic hand representations can be activated through attempted finger movements in absence of sensory and motor hand functioning, and no spared spinal tissue bridges. Such preserved hand somatotopy could be exploited by rehabilitation approaches that aim to establish new hand-brain functional connections after SCI (e.g., neuroprosthetics). However, over years since SCI the hand representation somatotopy deteriorated, suggesting that somatotopic hand representations are more easily targeted within the first years after SCI.

scholarly journals Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria after Implementation of an Inpatient Urine Culture Algorithm in the Electronic Medical Record

Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 138
Author(s):  
Dianne Osiemo ◽  
Danny K. Schroeder ◽  
Donald G. Klepser ◽  
Trevor C. Van Schooneveld ◽  
Andrew B. Watkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Urine Culture ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria ◽  
Provider Education ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Culture Algorithm ◽  
Over Time

Ordering urine cultures in patients without pyuria is associated with the inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB). In 2015, our institution implemented recommendations based on practice guidelines for the management of ASB and revised the urine culture ordering process to limit cultures in immunocompetent patients without pyuria. The purpose of this study was to determine how the treatment of ASB has changed over time since altering the urine culture ordering process to reduce unnecessary cultures at an academic medical center. A quasi-experimental study was conducted for inpatients with urine cultures from January to March of 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020. The primary outcome was the antibiotic treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria for over 24 h. The secondary outcomes were the total days of antibiotic therapy, type of antibiotic prescribed and overall urine culture rates at the hospital. A total of 200 inpatients with ASB were included, 50 at random from each year. In both 2014 and 2015, 70% of the patients with ASB received antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics were prescribed to 68% and 54% of patients with ASB in 2016 and 2020, respectively. The average duration of therapy decreased from 5.12 days in 2014 to 3.46 days in 2020. Although the urine cultures were reduced, there was no immediate impact in the prescribing rates for patients with ASB after implementing this institutional guidance and an altered urine culture ordering process. Over time, there was an observed improvement in prescribing and the total days of antibiotic therapy. This could be attributed to increased familiarity with the guidelines, culture ordering practices or improved documentation. Based on these findings, additional provider education is needed to reinforce the guideline recommendations on the management of ASB.

scholarly journals Cranberry for Bacteriuria in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Anna Raguzzini ◽  
Elisabetta Toti ◽  
Tommaso Sciarra ◽  
Anna Lucia Fedullo ◽  
Ilaria Peluso
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria ◽  
Model Analysis ◽  
Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Effect Model ◽  
Cord Injury

Background. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) and in veterans with SCI who use antibiotics improperly for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Cranberry (CB) has been suggested for UTI prevention. Methods. We performed a systematic search up to May 2020 in the following databases: AccessMedicine, BioMed Central, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and PubMed. Quality assessment was performed using a specifically designed quality score. Risk ratio was calculated with both random effect model analysis (DerSimonian-Laird method) and quality effect model analysis (Doi Thalib method). Results. Six studies on bacteriuria and SCI were reviewed. From the four studies available for meta-analysis, two of which with individuals taking both CB and control, 477 data from 415 participants were analysed (241 CB and 236 control). No significant differences were detected with meta-analysis. However, bias, limitations, and incompleteness were observed in the reviewed studies. Conclusion. Although further studies are needed, we suggest an accurate monitoring of diet and fluid intake, the evaluation of risk for potential food or nutraceutical interactions with drugs, and the inclusion of inflammatory markers among the outcomes in addition to UTI.

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