Francisco Alvarez-Lerma

..3%) in the ceftazidime/amikacin group. The results of this study confirm that monotherapy with meropenem is well tolerated and provides superior efficacy to the conventional combination of ceftazidime and amikacin in combating VAP...

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..In conclusion, in critically ill patients admitted to the ICU, the use of voriconazole was affective in 50% of cases. The drug was well tolerated and discontinuation of voriconazole treatment due to adverse events was not necessary...

..The availability of the oral formulation allows sequential therapy, switching from the intravenous route to the oral route. Levofloxacin is well tolerated by critically ill patients, with few adverse events of mild to moderate severity...

..The use of liposomal amphotericin B both as first line and rescue treatment and mainly for proven invasive fungal infection was associated with a high rate of satisfactory clinical response...

..We describe the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of the first 32 persons reported to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to influenza A (H1N1)v infection in Spain...

..To determine risk and prognostic factors in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in which an episode of bacteremia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been diagnosed...

..Their use in community-acquired infections has been widely documented, while it is less frequent and known in nosocomial infections (NI)...

..There is little information on the use of levofloxacin, a new quinolone, in ICU patients...

..The selection of combined therapy was associated with a worse prognosis...

..This study investigates the indications for antifungal treatment in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in Spain and determines the frequency at which each individual drug is prescribed...

..The objective of this study was to identify the risk intervals for the spread of MRSA in ICU patients and to assess the relationship between these periods and the development of new cases of MRSA acquired in the ICU...

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..07; 95% CI 1.23-7.65), septic shock (OR 3.49; 95% CI 1.30-9.39), or therapeutic failure (OR 32.6; 95% CI 13.5-78.9). A total of 15% of the patients experienced adverse effects possibly or probably related the antibiotic given...

..To determine the frequency of infections caused by Acinetobacter spp. in critically ill patients admitted to Spanish intensive care units (ICUs) and to assess the clinical features and outcome...

..Monitoring of plasma aminoglycoside and vancomycin concentrations is a measure of good clinical practice in critically ill patients. However, the frequency and application of this practice in Spanish hospitals is unknown...

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..To determine the frequency of infections caused by Enterococcus spp. in critically ill patients admitted to ICUs in Spain and to describe the clinical features and outcome of those patients in whom this pathogen was isolated...

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..An outbreak of severe nosocomial Burkholderia cepacia infections in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU), including investigation of the reservoir, is described...

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..v. formulation) and history of azoles use should be considered, although none of these circumstances is an absolute contraindication for the prescription of voriconazole in critically ill patients...

..The European Medicines Agency has approved the use of doripenem for the same indications in addition to nosocomial pneumonia regardless of whether it is ventilator-associated or not...

..infections. Among other results, clinical scenarios in which early prescription of antifungal agents is indicated were identified...

..This article analyzes the evolution of the rates, etiologies and markers of multiresistance of the most common pathogens in the BVC (including the primary bacteriemias) in the Spanish Intensive Medicine Departments (ICU)...

..Tigecycline is a new broad spectrum antibiotic that is predominantly used for the treatment of severe infections both in critically ill patients admitted to the ICU and in non-ICU patients with less severe clinical conditions...

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..Describe the national rates of acquired invasive device-related infections in the ICU during 2003, 2004 and 2005, their etiology and evolution of the multiresistance markers...

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..albicans. Risk factors for candidaemia identified included Candida colonisation, elective surgery, total parenteral nutrition and haemodialysis...

..To study the impact of coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CNS) primary and intravascular catheter-related bloodstream infection (PBSI/CRBSI) on mortality and morbidity in critically-ill patients...

..were isolated from respiratory secretions, using a database from a study designed to assess fungal infections...

..To obtain a score for deciding early antifungal treatment when candidal infection is suspected in nonneutropenic critically ill patients...

..To determine the efficacy of minocycline and rifampin-impregnated catheters compared to non-impregnated catheters in critically ill patients...

..This antibiotic has acted as a good therapeutic resource against clinical failure in infections treated with glycopeptides...

..To describe the severity of the 2009 influenza A/H1N1v illness among pregnant women admitted to Spanish intensive care units...

..v. voriconazole (60% size=1>vs. 75%, P = 0.385). The use of i.v. voriconazole in ICU patients with pretreatment impaired renal function was not associated with renal or liver damage nor with an increase in ICU mortality...

..The etiological mechanisms and the appropriateness of administering an antifungal treatment in these patients is controversial...

..In the last few years, treatment of these infections has changed due to better knowledge of the limitations of glycopeptides and the introduction of novel antimicrobials, such as daptomycin...

..CONCLUSIONS: The presence of nosocomial infection and the number of infection episodes were the variables with the strongest association with prolonged hospital stay among ICU patients...

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..A prospective multicentre study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of intravenous ciprofloxacin or imipenem in the treatment of severe nosocomial pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation...

..This study has been designed to know the use of these antibiotics (ATB) in Intensive Care Units (ICUs)...

..Finally, pharmacoeconomic aspects should be considered for the choice of appropriate antimicrobials in the care of critically ill patients...

..The objective of our study was to identify the predictive risk factors of pneumonia in patients with the new A (H1N1) influenza virus infection...

..971; P=0.001). Adherence to tigecycline protocol could be improved by focusing on protocols for community-acquired infections, mainly skin and soft tissue infections...

..To describe the clinical and microbiological outcomes of patients infected with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRP) treated with colistin (colistimethate sodium) and the adverse events observed with this treatment...

..Description of a situation of incidence increase of bronchial secretions with positive cultures for Aspergillus fumigatus, and analysis of the related risk factors in the invasive aspergillosis...

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..Although a series of general strategies to reduce the presence of multiresistant pathogens have been proposed, the implementation of these recommendations in ICUs requires the cooperation of a member of the intensive care team...

..3%) in the ceftazidime/amikacin group. The results of this study confirm that monotherapy with meropenem is well tolerated and provides superior efficacy to the conventional combination of ceftazidime and amikacin in combating VAP...

..A definitive beneficial effect of early administration of antimicrobials or the knowledge of the etiology of pneumonia on the clinical course of the disease has not been demonstrated...

..It is mostly used on an empirical basis and associated with other antibiotics. Clinical and microbiological efficiency is high whereas adverse effects related to its use have been scarce...

..Therefore, early administration of this drug in patients with risk factors or those who, although free from risk factors, show clinical progression, could reduce ICU admissions and mortality...

..The use of these agents may have a significant influence on the development of new resistances...

..00 and 348.85 Euros, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: LIN was more cost-effective than VAN in the treatment of VAP in Spain, with an additional cost per QALY/LYS gained below the acceptable threshold in Spain of Euros 30,000 for new therapies...

..The aim of this study was to determine the use of blood samples obtained through central venous catheters (CVC) in the diagnosis of bacteremias in patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU)...

..The objective is to prepare an antibiotic treatment guide for the most common infections caused by gram positive cocci in critical patients. This guide will help in the decision-making process regarding the care of such patients...

..This article presents the indicators obtained in 2007 through both surveillance programs as well as their standards of reference...

..The study describes the evolution and the interventions carried out in patients with community bacteremia that were remitted to their home...

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..We compared two imipenem regimens for prevention of septic complications in patients with severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP)...

..The main measures recommended include appropriate surveillance, hand hygiene, and implementation of active surveillance, contact precautions, and environmental cleaning...