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Effective therapies to combat coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) are urgently needed. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has in vitro antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but the clinical benefit of HCQ in treating COVID-19 is unclear. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of HCQ for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

We conducted a multicenter, double-blind randomized clinical trial of HCQ among patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Subjects were randomized in a 11 ratio to HCQ or placebo for 5 days and followed for 30 days. The primary efficacy outcome was a severe disease progression composite end point (death, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and/or vasopressor use) at day 14.

A total of 128 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were similar betweerger randomized controlled trials or pooled analyses are needed.

(Hi) serotype b (Hib) vaccination was introduced in Germany in 1990. This study presents a comprehensive overview on the burden of invasive Hi infections for 2001-2016, including serotype distribution and ampicillin resistance.

Nationwide data from statutory disease surveillance (2001-2016) were linked with laboratory surveillance data (2009-2016). Besides descriptive epidemiology, statistical analyses included multiple imputation to estimate secular trends.

In 2001-2016, 4044 invasive Hi infections were reported. The mean incidence was 3.0 per million inhabitants, higher in males (3.2 vs 2.9 in females) and in the age groups <1 year (15.2) and ≥80 years (15.5). Nontypeable Hi (NTHi) caused 81% (n = 1545) of cases in 2009-2016. Of capsulated cases, 69% were serotype f and 17% serotype b. Of Hib cases eligible for vaccination, 10% (3/29) were fully vaccinated. For 2009-2016, significant increasing trends were observed for NTHi and Hif infections in the age groups <5 years and ≥60 years and for ampicillin resistance in NTHi.

This is one of the most comprehensive Hi data analyses since the introduction of Hib vaccines. NTHi and Hif cause an increasing disease burden among elderly patients and infants. Ampicillin resistance in NTHi must be considered in the treatment of invasive Hi infections.

This is one of the most comprehensive Hi data analyses since the introduction of Hib vaccines. NTHi and Hif cause an increasing disease burden among elderly patients and infants. Ampicillin resistance in NTHi must be considered in the treatment of invasive Hi infections.

People with HIV (HIV+) may have increased cardiovascular event rates compared with HIV-negative (HIV-) persons. Cross-sectional data from the United States and Switzerland, based on coronary artery calcium scan (CAC) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), suggest, respectively, increased and similar prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in HIV+ vs HIV- persons.

We repeated CAC/CCTA in 340 HIV+ and 90 HIV- study participants >2 years after baseline CAC/CCTA. We assessed the association of HIV infection, Framingham risk score (FRS), and HIV-related factors with the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis.

HIV+ were younger than HIV- participants (median age, 52 vs 56 years;

 < .01) but had similar median 10-year FRS (8.9% vs 9.0%;

 = .82); 94% had suppressed HIV viral load. INDY inhibitor In univariable and multivariable analyses, FRS was associated with the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of new subclinical atherosclerosis at the follow-up CAC/CCTA, but HIV infection was not any plaque (adjustosis, but HIV infection was not.

In this longitudinal CAC/CCTA study from Switzerland, Framingham risk score was associated with progression of subclinical atherosclerosis, but HIV infection was not.

Verigene Blood-Culture Gram-Negative is a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) that detects gram-negatives (GNs) and resistance within hours from gram stain. The majority of the data support the use of RDTs with antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) intervention in gram-positive bloodstream infection (BSI). Less is known about GN BSI.

This was a retrospective quasi-experimental (nonrandomized) study of adult patients with RDT-target GN BSI comparing patients pre-RDT/AMS vs post-RDT/pre-AMS vs post-RDT/AMS. Optimal therapy was defined as appropriate coverage with the narrowest spectrum, accounting for source and co-infecting organisms. Time to optimal therapy was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression.

Eight-hundred thirty-two patients were included; 237 pre-RDT/AMS vs 308 post-RDT/pre-AMS vs 237 post-RDT/AMS, respectively. The proportion of patients on optimal antibiotic therapy increased with each intervention (66.5% vs 78.9% vs 83.2%;

 < .0001). Time to optimal therapy (interquartile range) decreased with introduction of RDT 47 (7.9-67.7) hours vs 24.9 (12.4-55.2) hours vs 26.5 (10.3-66.5) hours (

 = .09). Using multivariable modeling, infectious diseases (ID) consult was an effect modifier. Within the ID consult stratum, controlling for source and ICU stay, compared with the pre-RDT/AMS group, both post-RDT/pre-AMS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.04-1.72) and post-RDT/AMS (aHR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01-1.64), improved time to optimal therapy. This effect was not seen in the stratum without ID consult.

With the introduction of RDT and AMS, both proportion and time to optimal antibiotic therapy improved, especially among those with an existing ID consult. This study highlights the beneficial role of RDTs in GN BSI.

With the introduction of RDT and AMS, both proportion and time to optimal antibiotic therapy improved, especially among those with an existing ID consult. This study highlights the beneficial role of RDTs in GN BSI.

We investigated the relationship of Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antigen (EBV VCA-IgA) serostatus with ambient and personal ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and vitamin D exposure.

Using data from a multicenter case-control study, we included 1026 controls subjects in 2014-2017 in Hong Kong, China. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the association between UVR exposure and EBV VCA-IgA (seropositivity vs seronegativity) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders.

We observed a large increase in seropositivity of EBV VCA-IgA in association with duration of sunlight exposures at both 10 years before recruitment and age 19-30 years (adjusted OR = 3.59, 95% CI = 1.46-8.77; and adjusted OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.04-5.73 for ≥8 vs <2 hours/day;

for trend = .005 and .048, respectively). However, no association of EBV VCA-IgA serostatus with other indicators of UVR exposure was found. In addition, both circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and genetic predicted 25OHD were not associated with EBV VCA-IgA serostatus.