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F Marco

Publications and source records attributed to F Marco.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

High survival rate in infant acute leukemia treated with early high-dose chemotherapy and stem-cell support. Groupo Español de Trasplante de Médula Osea en Niños.

PURPOSE: Infants with acute leukemia have a poor prognosis when treated with conventional chemotherapy. It is still unknown if stem-cell transplantation (SCT) can improve the outcome of these patients. In the present study, we review our experience with SCT in infant acute leukemia to clarify this issue. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report the results of 26 infants who were submitted to a SCT for acute leukemia. There were 15 cases of acute myeloid leukemia and 10 cases of acute lymphoid leukemia. One patient had a bilineal leukemia. Twenty-two patients were in their first complete response (CR1), three were in their second CR, and one was in relapse. Eight patients were submitted to allogeneic SCT, and 18 underwent autologous SCT. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 67 months, the 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) are 64% (SE = 9%) and 63% (SE = 10%), respectively. Autologous and allogeneic SCT offered similar outcome. There was not any transplant-related mortality, and all deaths were caused by relapse in the first 6 months after SCT. In multivariate analysis, the single factor associated with better DFS was an interval between CR1 and SCT of less than 4 months (P: <.025). CONCLUSION: SCT is a valid option in the treatment of infant acute leukemia, and it may overcome the high risk of relapse with conventional chemotherapy showing very reduced toxicity. This study suggests that SCT should be performed in CR1 in the early phase of the disease.

Acute Disease↗

In vitro susceptibility to gemifloxacin and trovafloxacin of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains exhibiting decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin.

The in vitro susceptibility to trovafloxacin and gemifloxacin of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains exhibiting decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MIC > or =2 microg/ml; 30 strains with intermediate resistance [MIC 2 microg/ml] and 43 strains with complete resistance [MIC > or =4 microg/ml]) was determined. Seventy-three strains collected in a surveillance study carried out from May 1996 to April 1997 in Spain (prior to commercialisation of trovafloxacin and gemifloxacin) from patients with respiratory tract infections were tested. The antibacterial activity of gemifloxacin was affected to a lesser extent than that of trovafloxacin by the increase in the MIC of ciprofloxacin, with gemifloxacin showing significantly (P< or =0.001) better antibacterial activity than trovafloxacin in all ciprofloxacin MIC categories (MIC50/MIC90 values of 0.015/0.03, 0.015/0.06, 0.03/0.06 and 0.12/0.25 microg/ml for gemifloxacin vs. 0.12/0.12, 0.12/1, 0.25/0.5 and 2/4 microg/ml for trovafloxacin in the 2, 4, 8 and > or =16 microg/ml ciprofloxacin MIC categories, respectively). Nine (12.3%) of these 73 strains exhibited decreased susceptibility to trovafloxacin (> or =2 microg/ml), whereas all strains were inhibited by 0.25 microg/ml of gemifloxacin.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

Pathogenic significance of methicillin resistance for patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

To assess whether methicillin resistance is a microbial characteristic associated with deleterious clinical outcome, we performed a cohort study on 908 consecutive episodes of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and a case-control study involving 163 pairs of patients matched for preexisting comorbidities, prognosis of the underlying disease, length of hospitalization, and age. Of 908 bacteremic episodes, 225 (24.8%) were due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Multivariate analysis did not reveal that methicillin resistance was an independent predictor for mortality when shock, source of bacteremia, presence of an ultimately or rapidly fatal underlying disease, acquisition of the infection in an intensive care unit (ICU), inappropriate empirical therapy, female sex, and age were taken into account. Nonetheless, methicillin resistance was an independent predictor for shock. The case-control study could not confirm that shock was linked to MRSA when prior antimicrobial therapy, inappropriate treatment, ICU residence, and female sex were considered. Our data suggest that cohort studies tend to magnify the relationship of MRSA with clinical markers of microbial pathogenicity and that this effect is a shortcoming of these kind of studies that is caused by inadequate control for underlying diseases.

Adult↗

Streptococcus pneumoniae in community-acquired respiratory tract infections in Spain: the impact of serotype and geographical, seasonal and clinical factors on its susceptibility to the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. The Spanish Surveillance Group for Respiratory Pathogens.

Resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to antimicrobial agents shows geographical variation and also depends on serotype, patient age and sample origin. Factors affecting antibiotic resistance in S. pneumoniae were studied from results of a multicentre susceptibility study of 12 antimicrobial agents, carried out in 14 Spanish hospitals between May 1996 and April 1997. The most frequent serotypes were serotypes 6 (14.8%), 19 (11.8%), 23 (10.5%), 3 (9.9%), 9 (8.0%), 14 (8.0%), 15 (3.9%) and 11 (3.2%); 9.6% of isolates were not typeable. The remaining 25 serotypes constituted 20.2% of strains. Penicillin resistance was more prevalent in serotypes 14 (88%), 23 (66%), 9 (62%) and 6 (57%), whereas erythromycin resistance was more prevalent in serotypes 6 (68.5%), 15 (61.4%), 14 (49.5%), 19 (42.7%) and 23 (39.3%). Serotypes 6 and 19 were the serotypes most commonly isolated from both children and adults, although with different proportions (24.0% and 19.2% of isolates from children were serotype 6 and 19, respectively, with the corresponding figures for isolates from adults being 13.6% and 11.5%, respectively). The rates of resistance of pneumococcal strains to penicillin and cefuroxime were significantly higher in strains from children than in those from adults (resistance to penicillin, 50.4% in children and 37.0% in adults; resistance to cefuroxime, 62.4% in children and 45.6% in adults). There was significantly more resistance to erythromycin in middle ear isolates (48.9%) than in blood isolates (27%). The prevalence of resistance to beta-lactams showed a seasonal pattern, with higher rates in summer and winter, proportional to the magnitude of resistance. Susceptibility to macrolides did not vary seasonally. Our results stress the relative importance that geographical, temporal (seasonality), patient (sample type, origin, age group) and bacterium-related (serotype) factors have on the variations in susceptibility observed among different pneumococcal clinical isolates.

Adult↗

[Vancomycin and teicoplanin use as antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery: pharmacoeconomic study].

BACKGROUND: To assess the economical impact of vancomycin use versus teicoplanin use as antibiotic prophylaxis for patients undergoing cardiac surgery for valve replacement (VR) and coronary artery by-pass (CABS) procedures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is an ancillary cost minimization analysis of a double blinded, parallel groups, randomised clinical trial (RCT), with the main objective of comparing the safety and efficacy of these antibiotics. 500 patients were included in the study; 267 in the CABS group and 233 in the VR group. The CABS patients received 1 g vancomicin or 400 mg teicoplanin, plus 150 mg netilmicin. The VR group received a second dose of each drug after extracorporeal circulation. In order to calculate the costs we considered the direct cost of the drug, the i.v. mix and the administration costs, together with personnel and structure costs. We considered two different situations: the administration of drugs within the surgical room theatre and in the medical ward. RESULTS: The demographic data of both groups were comparable. The frequency of severe adverse drug reactions (ADR) were similar (0.4%) in both groups, as well as the post-operative infection rates (8.6%). Differences were seen in the frequencies of low severity ADRs: 20.4% in the vancomycin group and 1.6% in the teicoplanin group. When the antibiotics were administered in the surgical room, among CABS patients the costs were 8,265 pts. for the teicoplanin group and 12,005 pts. for the vancomycin group; while among VR patients, costs were respectively 11,661 pts. and 14,528 pts. Administration costs of teicoplanin and vancomycin within a medical ward setting, however, the costs were 6,740 pts. and 2,809 pts. for CABS patients, and 5,308 pts. and 10,140 pts. for VR patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The costs of antibiotic prophylaxis among cardiac surgery patients heavily depends on the setting and circumstances of drug administration. The minimization cost analysis indicates that teicoplanin is the most cost-effective option if the drug is administered within the surgical area, while vancomycin is the less costly option when administered within the medical ward. However, if the second option is to be chosen, it is necessary to assure the right plasmatic drug levels of the antibiotic at the beginning of the surgical procedure.

Aged↗

Meningococcal disease in a large urban population (Barcelona, 1987-1992): predictors of dismal prognosis. Barcelona Meningococcal Disease Surveillance Group.

CONTEXT: Studies on meningococcal disease in large urban communities have rarely been performed and are usually based on passive epidemiologic surveillance. Active surveillance may provide new insights. OBJECTIVES: To determine epidemiologic, clinical, and bacteriological characteristics and predictors of dismal prognosis (death and sequelae) in meningococcal disease. DESIGN: Prospective, population-based study. SETTING: All the acute care hospitals (n = 24) in Barcelona, Spain. PATIENT: The 643 patients whose conditions were diagnosed from 1987 through 1992 were detected by 2 active surveillance methods. OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and notification to Public Health Service. Clinical and bacteriological features were determined. Dismal prognosis predictors were determined by logistic regression. RESULTS: Average annual incidence was 6.41 per 100,000 inhabitants, with no clear trend of change (P = .08). Sensitivity of the Public Health Service surveillance system was 69.1%. Children younger than 10 years from the inner city were at higher risk than those from the highest income district (relative risk, 3.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.84-5.06). Increasing annual incidence of serogroup C (0.82-1.29/100,000; P = .008) and decreasing incidence of serogroup B (5.11-2.82/100,000; P = .004) was noted. Average annual mortality was 0.40 per 100,000 inhabitants, while the annual average potential years of life lost was 18 per 100,000 inhabitants. Overall case-fatality rate was 6.4%. Independent predictors of death were hemorrhagic diathesis (odds ratio [OR], 63; 95% CI, 21-194), focal neurologic signs (OR, 10; 95% CI, 3-30), and age 60 years or older (OR, 6; 95% CI, 2-17), whereas preadmission antibiotic therapy was associated with favorable outcome (OR, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.02-0.3). Four percent of survivors presented with sequelae. Independent predictors of sequelae were hemorrhagic diathesis (OR, 21; 95% CI, 3-131), focal neurologic signs (OR, 16; 95% CI, 5-53), age 60 years or older (OR, 7; 95% CI, 2-26), and age between 15 and 59 years (OR, 5; 95% CI, 2-14), whereas preadmission antibiotic therapy had a protective effect (OR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.04-0.5). CONCLUSIONS: Active epidemiologic surveillance significantly improved detection of cases and allowed us to observe that meningococcal disease still causes much morbidity and mortality, especially among children living in the inner city. Hemorrhagic diathesis, focal neurologic signs, and age were independent predictors of dismal prognosis, whereas preadmission antibiotic therapy had a protective effect.

Adolescent↗

Translocation (10;11)(p13;p15) in an infant acute myeloid leukemia with MLL gene rearrangement.

Molecular rearrangements of the MLL gene at the 11q23 region have been identified in most cases of infant leukemia, regardless of the phenotype. We present a case of acute myeloid leukemia which coexpressed myeloid and lymphoid markers in a 12-month-old girl. Karyotype analysis revealed the presence of a thus far unreported translocation t(10;11)(p13;p15). Although no 11q23 abnormalities were cytogenetically detectable, an MLL gene molecular rearrangement was found.

Acute Disease↗

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

A prospective analysis of 43 episodes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in HIV-1-infected subjects was performed and the results compared with the incidence and outcome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in other high-risk patients, such as transplant recipients, leukemia patients, or patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit. The incidence of bacteremia/fungemia as a whole and of gram-negative and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in particular was greater in HIV-1-infected subjects than in the unselected general population admitted. In contrast, the incidence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in HIV-1-infected patients did not differ from that in patients with other high-risk conditions. In patients with HIV-1 infection, independent risk factors for presenting Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia were nosocomial origin (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.3-5.7), neutropenia (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.07-6.8), previous treatment with cephalosporins (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.1-11.6), and a CD4+ cell count lower than 50 cells/mm3 (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.7-8.6). Primary bacteremia and pneumonia were the most common forms of presentation. Fourteen (33%) patients died as a consequence of the bacteremia. The presence of severe sepsis (OR, 17.5; 95% CI, 3.2-68) and the institution of inappropriate definitive antibiotic therapy (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-13) were independently associated with a poor outcome. One year after the development of bacteremia, only eight (19%) patients remained alive.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Increase in incidence of resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim in clinical isolates of Salmonella serotype Typhimurium with investigation of molecular epidemiology and mechanisms of resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella serotype Typhimurium isolates obtained during the period 1987-1994 were examined and the molecular epidemiology and the mechanisms of resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim were investigated in 24 strains isolated during 1994. Resistance to ampicillin increased from 18% to 78%, to chloramphenicol from 15% to 78%, to tetracycline from 53% to 89% and to co-trimoxazole from 3% to 37%, whereas resistance to norfloxacin remained at 0%. Of Salmonella serotype Typhimurium strains isolated during 1994, all ampicillin-resistant strains had an MIC > 256 mg/L, except one strain in which the MIC was 64 mg/L. Twelve strains (52%) had a TEM-type beta-lactamase, nine (39%) a CARB-type beta-lactamase and two strains (8%) had an OXA-type beta-lactamase. Chloramphenicol acetyl-transferase activity was detected in only nine (47%) of 19 chloramphenicol resistant strains, whereas all eight trimethoprim-resistant strains produced a dihydrofolate reductase type Ia enzyme. Three different epidemiological groups were defined by either low-frequency restriction analysis of chromosomal DNA and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis or repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR. The latter technique provided an alternative, rapid and powerful genotyping method for S. Typhimurium. Although quinolones provide a good therapeutic alternative, the multiresistance of S. Typhimurium is of public health concern and it is important to continue surveillance of resistance levels and their mechanisms.

Ampicillin Resistance↗

Elucidating the origins of nosocomial infections with Candida albicans by DNA fingerprinting with the complex probe Ca3.

Computer-assisted DNA fingerprinting with the complex probe Ca3 has been used to analyze the relatedness of isolates collected from individuals with nosocomial bloodstream infections (BSIs) and hospital care workers (HCWs) in the surgical and neonatal intensive care units (ICUs) of four hospitals. The results demonstrate that for the majority of patients (90%), isolates collected from commensal sites before and after collection of a BSI isolate were highly similar or identical to the BSI isolate. In addition, the average similarity coefficient for BSI isolates was similar to that for unrelated control isolates. However, the cluster characteristics of BSI isolates in dendrograms generated for each hospital compared to those of unrelated control isolates in a dendrogram demonstrated a higher degree of clustering of the former. In addition, a higher degree of clustering was observed in mixed dendrograms for HCV isolates and BSI isolates for each of the four test hospitals. In most cases, HCW isolates from an ICU were collected after the related BSI isolate, but in a few cases, the reverse was true. Although the results demonstrate that single, dominant endemic strains are not responsible for nosocomial BSIs in neonatal ICUs and surgical ICUs, they suggest that multiple endemic strains may be responsible for a significant number of cases. The results also suggest that cross-contamination occurs between patients and HCWs and between HCWs in the same ICU and in different ICUs. The temporal sequence of isolation also suggests that in the majority of cases HCWs are contaminated by isolates from colonized patients, but in a significant minority, the reverse is true. The results of this study provide the framework for a strategy for more definitive testing of the origins of Candida albicans strains responsible for nosocomial infections.

Candida albicans↗

Pneumonia acquired in the community through drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of and risk factors for drug resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and its impact on the outcome among hospitalized patients of pneumococcal pneumonia acquired in the community. Consecutive patients with culture-proven pneumococcal pneumonia were prospectively studied with regard to the incidence of pneumococcal drug resistance, potential risk factors, and in-hospital outcome variables. A total of 101 patients were studied. Drug resistance to penicillin, cephalosporin, or a macrolide drug was found in pneumococci from 52 of the 101 (52%) patients; 49% of these isolates were resistant to penicillin (16% intermediate resistance, 33% high resistance), 31% to cephalosporin (22% intermediate and 9% high resistance), and 27% to a macrolide drug. In immunocompetent patients, age > 65 yr was significantly associated with resistance to cephalosporin (odds ratio [OR]: 5.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3 to 18.8, p = 0. 01), and with the presence of > 2 comorbidities with resistance to penicillin (OR: 4.7; 95% CI: 1.2 to 19.1; p < 0.05). In immunosuppressed patients, bacteremia was inversely associated with resistance to penicillin and cephalosporin (OR: 0.04; 95% CI: 0.003 to 0.45; p < 0.005; and OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.23 to 0.93; p < 0.05, respectively). Length of hospital stay, severity of pneumonia, and complications were not significantly affected by drug resistance. Mortality was 15% in patients with any drug resistance, as compared with 6% in those without resistance. However, any drug resistance was not significantly associated with death (relative risk [RR]: 2. 5; 95% CI: 0.7 to 8.9; p = 0.14). Moreover, attributable mortality in the presence of discordant antimicrobial treatment was 12%, as compared with 10% (RR: 1.2; 95% CI: 0.3 to 5.3; p = 0.67) in the absence of such treatment. We conclude that the incidence of drug-resistant pneumococci was high. Risk factors for drug resistance included advanced age, comorbidity, and (inversely) bacteremia. Outcome was not significantly affected by drug resistance.

Adult↗

Severe community-acquired pneumonia. Risk factors and follow-up epidemiology.

The aim of the study was to determine risk factors for severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) as well as to compare microbial patterns of severe CAP to a previous study from our respiratory intensive care unit (ICU) originating from 1984 to 1987. Patients admitted to the ICU according to clinical judgment were defined as having severe CAP. For the study of risk factors, a hospital-based case-control design was used, matching each patient with severe CAP to a patient hospitalized with CAP but not requiring ICU admission. Microbial investigation included noninvasive and invasive techniques. Overall, 89 patients with severe CAP were successfully matched to a control patient. The presence of an alcohol ingestion of >/= 80 g/d (odds ratio [OR] 3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4 to 10.6, p = 0.008) was found to be an independent risk factor for severe CAP and prior ambulatory antimicrobial treatment (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.79, p = 0.009) to be protective. Streptococcus pneumoniae (24%) continued to be the most frequent pathogen; however, 48% of strains were drug-resistant. "Atypical" bacterial pathogens were significantly more common (17% versus 6%, p = 0.006) and Legionella spp. less common (2% versus 14%, p = 0.004) than in our previous study, whereas gram-negative enteric bacilli (GNEB) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa continued to represent important pathogens (6% and 5%, respectively). Our findings provide additional evidence for the importance of the initiation of early empiric antimicrobial treatment for a favorable outcome of CAP. Variations of microbial patterns are only in part due to different epidemiological settings. Therefore, initial empiric antimicrobial treatment will also have to take into account local trends of changing microbial patterns.

Adolescent↗

[In vitro activity of fluoroquinolones and oral beta lactam antibiotics against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli].

We studied the in vitro activity of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefprozil, cefuroxime, cefpodoxime, ceftibuten, cefixime, ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin against 400 strains of Escherichia coli. The strains were obtained from urine cultures from patients with community acquired urinary tract infection who were treated in our hospital in 1997 and 1998. Among the six betalactams, ceftibuten and cefixime were the most active in vitro with MIC90 of 0.5 mg/l. Both antimicrobials were 2- and 16-fold more active than cefpodoxime (MIC90 1 mg/l) and cefprozil (MIC90 8 mg/l), respectively. However, overall, the four cephalosporins inhibited between 95% and 99% of isolates. Cefuroxime and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid showed less activity with a MIC90 of 16 mg/l. The percentage of fluoroquinolone-resistant strains was 24% with a similar activity to ciprofloxacin (MIC90 32 mg/l) and sparfloxacin (MIC90 64 mg/l).

Administration, Oral↗

[Typification of strains of Helicobacter pylori by the detection of the cagA gene and subtypes of the vacA gene].

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is probably the most common chronic bacterial infection in the world. The consequences of infection are pathologies like peptic ulcer, chronic gastritis, gastric cancer and gastric MALT lymphoma. The aim of this study was to detect the vacuolating cytotoxin gene (vacA) type, the cytotoxin-associated gen (cagA) of H. pylori isolates and study their association with the vacuolising activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from dyspeptic patients. Isolates were further genotypically typed by PCR. RESULTS: All strains studied were vacA+ and 55% were cagA+. All cytotoxic strains were cagA+, subtype vacA s1/m1 and corresponded to patients with peptic ulceration. The cagA- strains (11) corresponded to subtype s2/m2. We didn't demonstrate vacuolising activity on subtypes s1/m2 and s2/m2. CONCLUSIONS: A high genetic diversity exists among strains in our environment. The subset of bacteria, vacA s1/m1/cagA+, is associated with vacuolising activity in culture cells (tox+).

Adult↗

[Pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenzae. Study in a series of 58 patients].

Haemophilus influenzae tends to form part of the usual respiratory flora in adults, especially if they have a chronic underlying disease or are smokers. Pneumonia due to H. influenzae is frequently involved in respiratory infections and its level of resistance to ampicillin has remained stable over the last five years. Most of the literature on the subject was published more than 10 years ago. In this study, we describe the clinical features and evolution of 58 adult patients admitted to hospital for pneumonia due to H. influenzae over a 2-year period, with this group accounting for 6.5% of all the patients admitted with pneumonia during this time period. The etiological diagnosis was made using a good quality sputum sample. Forty patients (69%) were male. The mean age (+/- SD) of the group was 67 (+/-16.8) years and all the patients had at least one underlying disease. The mean duration of the symptoms was 6.7 days. All patients presented an increase in the quantity or purulence of the sputum. On admittance, respiratory failure was present in 52 patients (90%). Gram-negative coccus-bacilli were observed in the direct sputum test and H. influenzae grew in the culture. In two cases, H. influenzae was recovered from the blood culture and in one from bronchial aspiration obtained through bronchoscopy. Another pathogen was identified in 28 patients (48%). In 21 it was another pyogenic bacteria (15 S. pneumoniae, 4 M. catharralis, 1 K. pneumoniae, 1 E. coli), an atypical microorganism in 5 (3 C. pneumoniae, 2 C. burnetii) and a respiratory virus in 2 (syncytial and influenza A). Atypical bacteria and respiratory virus were detected using serological techniques. The radiographic infiltrate was unilobar in 54 of the 58 patients and all showed an alveolar pattern. The empirical treatment included the administration of a third generation cephalosporin (or a fluoroquinolone in patients allergic to penicillin). The evolution was favorable in all the cases in which H. influenzae was the only pathogen or was accompanied by an atypical microorganism or a respiratory virus. Four patients with mixed bacterial pneumonia died (2 S. pneumoniae, 1 E. coli and 1 M. catharralis). The study indicates that pneumoniae due to H. influenzae affects a population with an underlying disease, preferably pulmonary, that it has a longer clinical period than that for pneumococcal pneumonia, that it is slightly bacteremic and, that, usually, it evolves benignly with a low mortality.

Adult↗