Benefits vs Risks: Fecal Microbiota Transplant for Recurrent C difficile Infection
July 3rd 2023FMT is a promising intervention for immunocompetent patients with recurrent C difficile infection. However, the safety of FMT remains inconclusive due to limited data on serious adverse events and mortality.
Updated Guidelines Look to Reduce Hospital-Acquired MRSA
July 1st 2023Five organizations have updated the 2014 compendium, "Strategies to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission and Infection in Acute Care Hospitals." In doing so, they have elevated antimicrobial stewardship from an “additional practice” to an “essential practice.”
Disparities in HIV Prevention: New Data Reveal Racial and Regional Gaps in PrEP Usage
June 28th 2023New data from AIDSVu show significant disparities in the usage of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Black and Hispanic/Latinx Americans are underrepresented among PrEP users, despite accounting for a significant portion of new HIV diagnoses.
Free, Open Source Tool Harnesses EHR Data to Assess, Improve Antibiotic Prescribing
June 28th 2023The Outpatient Automated Stewardship Information System (OASIS) is a platform that allows clinicians the ability to improve their prescribing practices in hopes of delivering a more judicious approach and moving towards stewardship.
Continuous, Intermittent Administration of Meropenem for Sepsis Yield Similar Outcomes
June 28th 2023The strategy for administering beta-lactam antibiotics for treating critically ill patients with sepsis showed no clinical difference in a study of continuous versus intermittent administration of meropenem.
Using Comorbidities and Demographics to Predict COVID-19 Outcomes in the Midwest
June 27th 2023In Indiana, COVID-19 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes had significantly higher mortality rates than COVID-19 patients without these comorbidities.
As the Adenovirus-Induced Hepatitis Mystery Continues, an Understanding of Testing is Vital
June 25th 2023Clinicians should consider adenovirus testing in pediatric patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology. Here is an update on the incidence rates and lab diagnostics associated with identifying the virus.
Unraveling the Connection: How Air Pollution Aggravates COVID-19 and Prolongs Hospital Stays
June 23rd 2023Even low levels of air pollution make COVID-19 worse, this study found. Air pollution exposure was associated with more severe disease, longer hospitalization periods, and an increased likelihood of intensive care admission.