Baseline procalcitonin as a predictor of bacterial infection and clinical outcomes in COVID-19: A case-control study

Purpose Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms including acute respiratory failure. Biomarkers that can predict outcomes in patients with COVID-19 can assist with patient management. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether procalcitonin (PCT) can predict clinical outcome and bacterial superinfection in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods Adult patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 by nasopharyngeal PCR who were admitted to a tertiary care center in Boston, MA with SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 17 and April 30, 2020 with a baseline PCT value were studied. Patients who were presumed positive for SARS-CoV-2, who lacked PCT levels, or who had a positive urinalysis with negative cultures were excluded. Demographics, clinical and laboratory data were extracted from the electronic medical records. Results 324 patient charts were reviewed and grouped by clinical and microbiologic outcomes by day 28. Baseline PCT levels were significantly higher for patients who were treated for true bacteremia (p = 0.0005) and bacterial pneumonia (p = 0.00077) compared with the non-bacterial infection group. Baseline PCT positively correlated with the NIAID ordinal scale and survival over time. When compared to other inflammatory biomarkers, PCT showed superiority in predicting bacteremia. Conclusions Baseline PCT levels are associated with outcome and bacterial superinfection in patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2.

Interim-analysis of the COSA (COVID-19 patients treated with the Seraph® 100 Microbind® Affinity filter) registry

Background The Seraph®100 Microbind Affinity Blood Filter® is a hemoperfusion device that is licensed for the reduction of pathogens, including several viruses, in the blood. It received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the treatment of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the FDA. Several studies have shown that the blood viral load of SARS-CoV-2 correlates with adverse outcomes and removal of the nucleocapsid of the SARS-CoV-2 virus by the Seraph®100 has been recently demonstrated. The aim of this registry was to evaluate safety and efficacy of Seraph®100 treatment for COVID-19 patients. Methods Twelve hospitals from six countries representing two continents documented patient and treatment characteristics as well as outcome parameters without reimbursement. Additionally, mortality and safety results of the device were reported. One hundred-and-two treatment sessions in 82 patients were documented in the registry. Four patients were excluded from mortality analysis due to incomplete outcome data, which were available in the other 78 patients. Results Overall, a 30-day mortality rate of 46.2% in the 78 patients with complete follow up was reported. Median treatment time was 5.00 [4.00–13.42] h. and 43.1% of the treatments were performed as hemoperfusion only. Adverse events of the Seraph®100 treatment were reported in 8.8% of the 102 treatments and represented premature end of treatment due to circuit failure. Patients that died were treated later in their ICU stay and onset of COVID symptoms. They also had higher ferritin levels. Multivariate Cox regression revealed that delayed Seraph®100 treatment after ICU admission (>60 hours) as well as bacterial superinfection were associated with mortality. While average predicted mortality rate according to SOFA score in ICU patients was 56.7% the observed mortality was 50.7%. In non-ICU patients 4C-Score average predicted a mortality rate of 38.0% while the observed mortality rate was 11.1% Conclusions The treatment of COVID-19 patients with Seraph®100 is well tolerated and the circuit failure rate was lower than previously reported for KRT in COVID-19 patients. Mortality corelated with late initiation of Seraph treatment after ICU admission and bacterial superinfection infection. Compared to predicted mortality according to 4C-Score and SOFA Score, mortality of Seraph®100 treated patients reported in the registry was lower.

Extracorporeal Cytokine Removal in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Case Series

Introduction: Extracorporeal hemoadsorption (HA) is a potential adjunctive therapy in severe cases of COVID-19 associated pneumonia. In this retrospective study we report data from critically ill patients treated with HA during the first and second wave of the pandemic.Patients and Methods: All patients, who received HA therapy with CytoSorb within the first 96 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission without hospital-acquired bacterial superinfection, were included. Clinical and laboratory data were collected: on admission, before (TB) and after (TA) HA therapy.Results: Out of the 367 COVID-19 cases, 13 patients were treated with CytoSorb, also requiring mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy. All patients were alive at the end of HA, but only 3 survived hospital stay. From TB-TA there was a tendency of decreasing norepinephrine requirement: 193.7 [IQR: 34.8–270.4] to 50.2 [6.5–243.5] ug/kg/day and increasing PaO2/FiO2 ratio 127.8 (95% CI: 96.0–159.6) to 155.0 (115.3–194.6) mmHg but they did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.14 and 0.58, respectively). Treatment related adverse events were not reported.Conclusion: The treatment was well-tolerated, and there was a tendency toward an improvement in vasopressor need and oxygenation during the course of HA. These observations render the need for prospective randomized trials.

1243. Eravacycline in Bacteremia: A Case Series

Background Eravacycline (ERV) is FDA-approved for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections, but there is limited experience for non-FDA approved indications. Methods We present five cases that utilized ERV for treatment of bacteremia. Results Patient 1 in septic shock (SS) started on vancomycin (VAN) and ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA). Blood culture (BC) finalized to E. coli and regimen narrowed to CZA. On day 9, gram-positive cocci in chains in BC grew and VAN was added. BC finalized to VRE faecium and regimen was modified to ERV on day 12. Repeat BC on day 15 finalized to no growth with no recurrence of bacteremia until discharged (day 78). Patient 2 treated for MSSA bacteremia with cefazolin and subsequent K. pneumoniae VAP treated with ceftriaxone (CRO) (day 18-26). On day 27, meropenem (MEM) was initiated for gram-negative bacteremia and started on IV trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) the following day for pneumonia caused by TMP/SMX-susceptible S. maltophila. BC finalized on day 29 to S. maltophila resistant to TMP/SMX, regimen modified to ERV. Repeat BC on day 30 finalized to no growth and ERV was continued until day 42 with no recurrence of bacteremia; however, patient died on day 45. Patient 3 with renal failure and on day 11, CRO started for SBP prophylaxis. On day 13, switched to daptomycin and cefepime (FEP) as patient was febrile and BC repeated. BC finalized to VRE faecium and was started on ERV on day 17 and completed a 7-day course with no recurrence of bacteremia; however, patient died on day 34. Patient 4 initially treated for bacterial superinfection with CRO and azithromycin, and subsequent worsening pneumonia treated with VAN and MEM (day 10-17). On day 19, patient was febrile and treated with VAN and FEP until day 27. Repeat BC on day 29 finalized to VRE species and modified to ERV on day 32. ERV continued for a 7-day course and was discharged with no repeat BC obtained to confirm clearance. Patient 5 in SS started on VAN and MEM. On day 3, BC on admission finalized to VRE faecium and therapy switched to ERV. Repeat BC taken on day 3 after ERV initiation were negative. Discharged to complete two-week course of ERV. Conclusion ERV may be an option for bacteremia as demonstrated by clearance in four of five cases. More studies must be conducted as these reports show variable clinical outcomes. Disclosures Joshua R. Rosenberg, MD, Allergan/Abbvie (Consultant)La Jolla/Tetraphase (Consultant)Melinta (Consultant)Merck (Consultant)Paratek (Consultant)Sanofi (Consultant)Shionogi (Consultant)

Antibiotic Overuse for COVID-19: Are We Adding Insult to Injury?

In this study, we described the proportion of COVID-19 patients started on antibiotics empirically and the work-ups performed to diagnose bacterial superinfection. We used a retrospective cohort study design involving medical records of symptomatic, hospitalized COVID-19 patients who were admitted to these centers. A total of 481 patients were included, with a median age of 41.0 years (interquartile range, 28-58.5 years). A total of 72.1% (N = 347) of COVID-19 patients received antibiotics, either before or during admission. This is troublesome because none of the patients’ bacterial culture or inflammatory markers, such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein, were evaluated, and only 73 (15.2%) underwent radiological investigations. Therefore, national COVID-19 guidelines should emphasize the rational use of antibiotics for the treatment of COVID-19, a primarily viral disease. Integrating antimicrobial stewardship into the COVID-19 response and expanding microbiological capacities in low-income countries are indispensable. Otherwise, we risk one pandemic aggravating another.

Beneficial effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in solving a nosocomial COVID-19 infection. Case report and short literature review

The infection with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was declared a global health emergency in early 2020 and, two months later, became recognized as a pandemic, affecting the world’s population regardless of age, ethnicity, geographical area. COVID-19 generally presents with altered general condition (fever, chills, marked fatigue, muscle aches, headache), respiratory manifestations from cough to dyspnea, acute respiratory distress, and multiorgan damage in critical forms. Manifestations can occur between 2 days and two weeks after exposure, the disease evolving from mildly symptomatic to moderate, severe, and even fatal forms. Our reported clinical case of COVID-19 is that of a 59-year-old nurse with diabetes and hypertension as risk factors. Accidental occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred due to non-compliance with the existing dressing-undressing protective equipment protocols in facilities with treatment beds. We diagnosed a moderate-severe COVID-19, displaying bilateral lung damage and mild desaturation, complicated by bacterial superinfection with Klebsiella spp. The patient underwent antiviral, antibiotic, anticoagulant, cortisone treatment during hospitalization. In the first two months after discharge, we recommended seven hyperbaric therapy sessions to relieve respiratory symptoms and enhance regression of fibrotic lung lesions.

Controversial Use of Antibiotics in Patient with Sars-Cov-2

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is a new type of coronavirus that can affect people and the disease it causes is called COVID-19. Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses that cause respiratory illnesses of varying severity, from the common cold to deadly pneumonia. The WHO first learned of the existence of this new virus on December 31, 2019, when it was informed of a group of cases of "viral pneumonia" that had been declared in Wuhan. Methodology: A narrative review was carried out through various databases from January 2020 to June 2021; the search and selection of articles was carried out in journals indexed in English. The following keywords were used: Coronavirus, Sars-Cov 2, Covid 19, ARDS in Covid 19, Antibiotics Associated with Sars-Cov 2 Results: There are no controlled clinical trials evaluating the use of empirical antimicrobials in patients with COVID-19 or other coronaviruses. Therefore, the recommendations are based on extrapolation of data from other viral pneumonias that may suffer from bacterial superinfection, particularly viral pneumonias due to influenza. Conclusions: The present review seeks to clarify the functional role that antimicrobials have with respect to infection by sars-cov 2 (COVID-19), in which circumstances they are necessary to use them and which do not merit it.