scholarly journals Effectiveness of Measures to Eradicate Staphylococcus aureus Carriage in Patients with Community-Associated Skin and Soft-Tissue Infections: A Randomized Trial

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 872-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie A. Fritz ◽  
Bernard C. Camins ◽  
Kimberly A. Eisenstein ◽  
Joseph M. Fritz ◽  
Emma K. Epplin ◽  
...  

Background.Despite a paucity of evidence, decolonization measures are prescribed for outpatients with recurrent Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft-tissue infection (SSTI).Objective.Compare the effectiveness of 4 regimens for eradicating S. aureus carriage.Design.Open-label, randomized controlled trial. Colonization status and recurrent SSTI were ascertained at 1 and 4 months.Setting.Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's Hospitals, St. Louis, Missouri, 2007–2009.Participants.Three hundred patients with community-onset SSTI and S. aureus colonization in the nares, axilla, or inguinal folds.Interventions.Participants were randomized to receive no therapeutic intervention (control subjects) or one of three 5-day regimens: 2% mupirocin ointment applied to the nares twice daily, intranasal mupirocin plus daily 4% chlorhexidine body washes, or intranasal mupirocin plus daily dilute bleach water baths.Results.Among 244 participants with 1-month colonization data, modified intention-to-treat analysis revealed S. aureus eradication in 38% of participants in the education only (control) group, 56% of those in the mupirocin group (P = .03 vs controls), 55% of those in the mupirocin and chlorhexidine group (P = .05), and 63% off those in the mupirocin and bleach group (P = .006). Of 229 participants with 4-month colonization data, eradication rates were 48% in the control group, 56% in the mupirocin only group (P = .40 vs controls), 54% in the mupirocin and chlorhexidine group (P = .51), and 71% in the mupirocin and bleach group (P = .02). At 1 and 4 months, recurrent SSTIs were reported by 20% and 36% of participants, respectively.Conclusions.An inexpensive regimen of dilute bleach baths, intranasal mupirocin, and hygiene education effectively eradicated S. aureus over a 4-month period. High rates of recurrent SSTI suggest that factors other than endogenous colonization are important determinants of infection.Trial Registration.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00513799.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S205-S205
Author(s):  
Suchitra Rao ◽  
Molly Lamb ◽  
Angela Moss ◽  
Rakesh Mistry ◽  
Samuel Dominguez

Abstract Background Respiratory illnesses represent one of the commonest reasons for pediatric visits to the ED, and over 50% of these children are prescribed antibiotics despite a viral etiology in most cases. Our objectives were to determine whether rapid respiratory pathogen (RRP) testing decreases antibiotic and health care utilization among children evaluated in the ED with a respiratory illness. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial among children 1 mo-18 yrs of age attending an ED with influenza like illness (ILI). All children received a nasopharyngeal swab for RRP testing, and were randomized to the intervention group (result given to providers and parents) or control group (result not given, routine clinical care). Families were interviewed on enrollment, 1 and 10 days later. The primary outcome was antibiotic use. Secondary outcomes included antiviral use, hospitalization and recurrent medical visits. Intention to treat (ITT) (assigned group) and pragmatic (provider knows test results) analyses were conducted using SAS v 9.4. Pragmatic analyses were adjusted using multivariable Poisson regression. Results Among 920 visits (890 children) with ILI, 795 (85%) were RRP positive. Sociodemographic characteristics between groups were similar; 37% of children in the intervention group were discharged before results were available and 12% of children in the control group underwent clinical testing. The median age was 2.1 yrs (IQR 0.88–5.6); 35% had high-risk comorbidities. In the ITT intervention group, children were more likely to receive antibiotics (RR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0–1.7) (Table 1). In adjusted pragmatic analyses, children with known results were more likely to receive antivirals (RR 2.6 95% CI 1.5–4.3) and be hospitalized (RR 2.0, 95% CI 1.5–2.7); antibiotic use was not significant (Table 2). Children testing negative for a virus were more likely to receive antibiotics than those with a virus (35% vs 23%, p = 0.01). Table 1. Clinical Outcomes by Study Arm, Intention to Treat Analyses Table 2. Clinical Outcomes by Study Arm, Pragmatic Analyses Conclusion Knowledge of testing led to a paradoxical increase in antibiotic prescribing, as well as an increase in appropriate antiviral prescribing, ED length of stay and hospitalization. Further studies are needed to assess whether RRP testing with faster turn around times or coupled with stewardship interventions may impact outcomes. Disclosures Suchitra Rao, MD, BioFire (Grant/Research Support) Molly Lamb, PhD, BioFire (Grant/Research Support) Rakesh Mistry, MD, MSCE, BioFire (Grant/Research Support) Samuel Dominguez, MD, PhD, BioFire (Consultant, Research Grant or Support)


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 1049-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Kline ◽  
James D. Neaton ◽  
Ruth Lynfield ◽  
Patricia Ferrieri ◽  
Shalini Kulasingam ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the efficacy in eradicating Staphylococcus aureus (SA) carriage of a 5-day preoperative decolonization bundle compared to 2 disinfectant soap showers, with both regimens self-administered at home.DesignOpen label, single-center, randomized clinical trial.SettingAmbulatory orthopedic, urologic, neurologic, colorectal, cardiovascular, and general surgery clinics at a tertiary-care referral center in the United States.ParticipantsPatients at the University of Minnesota Medical Center planning to have elective surgery and not on antibiotics.MethodsConsenting participants were screened for SA colonization using nasal, throat, axillary, and perianal swab cultures. Carriers of SA were randomized, stratified by methicillin resistance status, to a decolonization bundle group (5 days of nasal mupirocin, chlorhexidine gluconate [CHG] bathing, and CHG mouthwash) or control group (2 preoperative showers with antiseptic soap). Colonization status was reassessed preoperatively. The primary endpoint was absence of SA at all 4 screened body sites.ResultsOf 427 participants screened between August 31, 2011, and August 9, 2016, 127 participants (29.7%) were SA carriers. Of these, 121 were randomized and 110 were eligible for efficacy analysis (57 decolonization bundle group, 53 control group). Overall, 90% of evaluable participants had methicillin-susceptible SA strains. Eradication of SA at all body sites was achieved for 41 of 57 participants (71.9%) in the decolonization bundle group and for 13 of 53 participants (24.5%) in the control group, a difference of 47.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29.1%–65.7%; P<.0001).ConclusionAn outpatient preoperative antiseptic decolonization bundle aimed at 4 body sites was significantly more effective in eradicating SA than the usual disinfectant showers (ie, the control).Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02182115


Author(s):  
Luis Corral-Gudino ◽  
Alberto Bahamonde ◽  
Francisco Arnaiz-Revillas ◽  
Julia Gómez-Barquero ◽  
Jesica Abadía-Otero ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackgroundWe aimed to determine whether a 6-day course of intravenous methylprednisolone (MP) improves outcome in patients with SARS CoV-2 infection at risk of developing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).MethodsMulticentric, partially randomized, preference, open-label trial, including adults with COVID-19 pneumonia, impaired gas exchange and biochemical evidence of hyper-inflammation. Patients were assigned to standard of care (SOC), or SOC plus intravenous MP [40mg/12h 3 days, then 20mg/12h 3 days]. The primary endpoint was a composite of death, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) or requirement of non-invasive ventilation (NIV).ResultsWe analyzed 85 patients (34, randomized to MP; 22, assigned to MP by clinician’s preference; 29, control group). Patients’ age (mean 68±12 yr) was related to outcome. The use of MP was associated with a reduced risk of the composite endpoint in the intention-to-treat, age-stratified analysis (combined risk ratio -RR-0.55 [95% CI 0.33-0.91]; p=0.024). In the per-protocol analysis, RR was 0.11 (0.01-0.83) in patients aged 72 yr or less, 0.61 (0.32-1.17) in those over 72 yr, and 0.37 (0.19-0.74, p=0.0037) in the whole group after age-adjustment by stratification. The decrease in C-reactive protein levels was more pronounced in the MP group (p=0.0003). Hyperglycemia was more frequent in the MP group.ConclusionsA short course of MP had a beneficial effect on the clinical outcome of severe COVID-19 pneumonia, decreasing the risk of the composite end point of admission to ICU, NIV or death.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 117-127
Author(s):  
Yasaman Mansouri ◽  
Yasmin Amir ◽  
Michelle Min ◽  
Raveena Khanna ◽  
Ruiqi Huang ◽  
...  

Background: Adherence to subcutaneous biologic agents for the treatment of psoriasis can be negatively influenced by injection pain.Objective: To explore the differences in injection site pain when patients are pre-treated with heat or cold, versus no pre-treatment prior to administration of a subcutaneous biologic agent.Methods: In an observational cohort study, patients receiving subcutaneous injections of ustekinumab were randomly assigned to receive pretreatment with ice, heat, or no intervention over three visits. Post-dose, patients rated pain on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS).Results: There was an increase in the VAS score for both heat (2.51, P=0.30) and ice (3.33, P=0.16), compared to no intervention. No differences were found between the two intervention groups (-0.83, P=0.73). On average, females had the same VAS scores with ice compared to that of no intervention (-0.12, P=0.97) and a non–significant decrease of 3.29 points (P=0.38) with heat. Males had increased pain scores by 5.65 points (P=0.07) with ice and by 6.39 points (P=0.04) with heat.Limitations: Pain is a subjective measurement and objective quantification is difficult.Conclusions: On average, neither heat nor cold application reliably reduced pain. Our results do not support the application of heat or cold prior to ustekinumab injection.


2021 ◽  
pp. 019459982199474
Author(s):  
Maggie Xing ◽  
Dorina Kallogjeri ◽  
Jay F. Piccirillo

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive training in improving tinnitus bother and to identify predictors of patient response. Study Design Prospective open-label randomized controlled trial. Setting Online. Methods Participants were adults with subjective idiopathic nonpulsatile tinnitus causing significant tinnitus-related distress. The intervention group trained by using auditory-intensive exercises for 20 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for 8 weeks. The active control group trained on the same schedule with non–auditory intensive games. Surveys were completed at baseline, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. Results A total of 64 participants completed the study. The median age was 63 years (range, 25-69) in the intervention group and 61 years (34-68) in the control group. Mixed model analysis revealed that within-subject change in Tinnitus Functional Index in the intervention group was not different than the control group, with marginal mean differences (95% CI): 0.24 (–11.20 to 10.7) and 2.17 (–8.50 to 12.83) at 8 weeks and 2.33 (–8.6 to 13.3) and 3.36 (–7.91 to 14.6) at 12 weeks, respectively. When the 2 study groups were compared, the control group had higher Tinnitus Functional Index scores than the intervention group by 10.5 points at baseline (95% CI, –0.92 to 29.89), 8.1 at 8 weeks (95% CI, –3.27 to 19.42), and 9.4 at 12 weeks (95% CI, –2.45 to 21.34). Conclusion Auditory-intensive cognitive training was not associated with changes in self-reported tinnitus bother. Given the potential for neuroplasticity to affect tinnitus, we believe that future studies on cognitive training for tinnitus remain relevant.


Author(s):  
Shibili Nuhmani

AbstractObjectivesObjective of the study is to investigate whether Soft tissue mobilization (STM) can assist with static stretching to improve hamstring flexibly.MethodsThe design of the study was repeated measure design. The study was conducted at the physical therapy laboratory of Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi. Participants included 78 healthy males with hamstring tightness, randomly assigned to either the control group (static stretching) or the experimental group (STM and static stretching). The experimental group received five sets of four different STM techniques, followed by two sets of 30-s static stretches 3 days per week over the course of 12 weeks. The control group received 5 min of sham ultrasound with an inactive probe prior to static stretching. Active knee extension test (AKE) was the outcome measure.ResultsBoth groups showed significant improvement in AKE compared with the baseline measurements. With ingroup analysis showed a significant difference in AKE across all measured time periods (weeks 4, 8, and 12) with pre-test in both groups (p<0.05). No significant difference in AKE improvement was found between groups (p>0.05).ConclusionThe results of this study show that STM prior to static stretching does not significantly improve hamstring flexibility among healthy individuals. Although this study cannot be generalized, the results may be useful for evidence-based practice in the management of hamstring tightness.


Author(s):  
Robert Provenzano ◽  
Evgeny Shutov ◽  
Liubov Eremeeva ◽  
Svitlana Korneyeva ◽  
Lona Poole ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We evaluated the efficacy and safety of roxadustat vs. epoetin alfa for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) related anemia in patients new to dialysis. Methods This was a phase 3, open-label, epoetin alfa-controlled trial. Eligible adults were on hemodialysis/peritoneal dialysis for ≥2 weeks and ≤4 months before randomization and had mean hemoglobin ≤10.0 g/dL. Primary endpoints were mean hemoglobin (g/dL) change from baseline averaged over weeks 28–52 regardless of rescue therapy (non-inferiority criterion: lower limit of 95% CI for treatment difference &gt; −0.75) and percentage of patients achieving a hemoglobin response between weeks 1–24 censored for rescue therapy (non-inferiority margin for between-group difference: −15%). Adverse events were monitored. Results The intention-to-treat population included patients randomized to roxadustat (n = 522) or epoetin alfa (n = 521). Mean (SD) hemoglobin changes from baseline averaged over weeks 28–52 were 2.57 (1.27) and 2.36 (1.21) in the roxadustat and epoetin alfa groups. Roxadustat was non-inferior (least-squares mean difference: 0.18 [95% CI: 0.08, 0.29]) to epoetin alfa. Percentages of patients with a hemoglobin response were 88.2% and 84.4% in the roxadustat and epoetin alfa groups. Roxadustat was non-inferior to epoetin alfa (treatment-group difference: 3.5% [95% CI: −0.7%, 7.7%]). Adverse event rates were comparable between treatment groups. Conclusions Roxadustat was efficacious for correcting and maintaining hemoglobin levels compared to epoetin alfa. Roxadustat had an acceptable safety profile.


2021 ◽  
pp. 037957212110254
Author(s):  
Sylvester O. Ojwang ◽  
David J. Otieno ◽  
Julius J. Okello ◽  
Penina Muoki ◽  
Rose A. Nyikal

Background: Biofortified staples have been promoted widely in sub-Saharan Africa to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Contemporary projects are increasingly using elementary schools to target households with these foods. Objective: This study assessed the effects of integrated nutrition education approaches, targeting preschoolers and their caregivers, on retention of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) on farms in the second season after lapse of free vine dissemination initiatives. Methods: Rural farming households, with preschoolers and no prior engagement with OFSP, were targeted. A multistage sample of 431 preschooler–caregiver pairs was recruited for a cluster-randomized controlled trial. After issuing routine OFSP promotion activities, 15 village-level clusters of the pairs were randomized into 1 control group (3 villages) and 3 treatment arms (4 villages each) for the interventions. Baseline and follow-up household-level survey data were collected from the caregivers. The interventions included: (1) OFSP-branded exercise books, posters, and a poem to preschoolers only; (2) OFSP-oriented mobile phone-mediated text messages to caregivers only; and (3) both 1 and 2 provided to individual households concurrently. Interventions 1 and 2 were single-channeled, while 3 was multichanneled. We estimated the intention-to-treat (ITT) and treatment-on-the-treated (TOT) effects using a binary logit model and a special regressor method, respectively. Results: Only the multichanneled nutrition education approach had significant effects (ITT = 0.167, P = .001; TOT = .243, P = .007) on the caregivers’ likelihood to retain OFSP on their farms. Conclusions: The finding implies that multichanneled agriculture-nutrition education interventions through Early Childhood Development institutions can be effective in ensuring sustainable adoption of OFSP.


Author(s):  
Tzofnat Zadok-Gurman ◽  
Ronit Jakobovich ◽  
Eti Dvash ◽  
Keren Zafrani ◽  
Benjamin Rolnik ◽  
...  

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on teachers professional and personal lives. Our primary aim was to assess the effect of a blended Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), an emerging mindfulness and cognitive reframing intervention on teacher’s well-being. Our secondary aims were to assess the effect of IBSR on resilience, burnout, mindfulness, and stress among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study was a prospective controlled trial with an intervention group (N = 35) and a comparison control group (N = 32). The intervention took place in the Jerusalem District throughout the school year from November 2019 to May 2020. The sessions were conducted in blended learning that included traditional learning (face-to-face) and online learning. Data was analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: IBSR blended intervention enhanced the resilience and improved the subjective and psychological well-being of teachers in spite of the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic and the first lockdown in Israel. Simultaneously the control group suffered from enhanced burnout levels and a decline in psychological and subjective well-being. Conclusions: Implementation of IBSR blended intervention during the school year may benefit teachers’ well-being and ability to flourish, even during stressful events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.


Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Violetta Krämer ◽  
Nadine Eschrig ◽  
Lena Keinhorst ◽  
Luisa Schöchlin ◽  
Lisa Stephan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Many students in Germany do not meet recommended amounts of physical activity. In order to promote physical activity in students, web-based interventions are increasingly implemented. Yet, data on effectiveness of web-based interventions in university students is low. Our study aims at investigating a web-based intervention for students. The intervention is based on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), which discriminates between processes of intention formation (motivational processes) and processes of intention implementation (volitional processes). Primary outcome is change in physical activity; secondary outcomes are motivational and volitional variables as proposed by the HAPA as well as quality of life and depressive symptoms. Methods A two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) of parallel design is conducted. Participants are recruited via the internet platform StudiCare (www.studicare.com). After the baseline assessment (t1), participants are randomized to either intervention group (immediate access to web-based intervention) or control group (access only after follow-up assessment). Four weeks later, post-assessment (t2) is performed in both groups followed by a follow-up assessment (t3) 3 months later. Assessments take place online. Main outcome analyses will follow an intention-to-treat principle by including all randomized participants into the analyses. Outcomes will be analysed using a linear mixed model, assuming data are missing at random. The mixed model will include group, time, and the interaction of group and time as fixed effects and participant and university as random effect. Discussion This study is a high-quality RCT with three assessment points and intention-to-treat analysis meeting the state-of-the-art of effectiveness studies. Recruitment covers almost 20 universities in three countries, leading to high external validity. The results of this study will be of great relevance for student health campaigns, as they reflect the effectiveness of self-help interventions for young adults with regard to behaviour change as well as motivational and volitional determinants. From a lifespan perspective, it is important to help students find their way into regular physical activity. Trial registration The German clinical trials register (DRKS) DRKS00016889. Registered on 28 February 2019


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