A B S T R A C TThe infection by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has taken the dimension of a pandemic, affecting more than 160 countries in a few weeks. In Colombia, despite the implementation of the rules established by the national government, exists an elevate concern both for mortality and for the limited capacity of the health system to respond effectively to the needs of patients infected. For Colombia, assuming a case fatality rate among people infected with SARS-CoV-2 of 0.6% (average data from the information reported for Latin American countries for March 18) (Table 1), the number of deaths, in one or two weeks, could be 16 and 243, respectively. These estimates differ markedly from those documented in countries such as Spain and Italy, in which COVID-19 case fatality rates exceed 8% (case of Italy) and from the percentage of patients who have required intensive care, which has ranged from 9% to 11% of patients in Mediterranean European countries. These differences could be explained due to: a) the percentage of the population at risk (individuals older than 60 years); b) a higher epidemiological exposure to viral respiratory infections associated with more frequent exposure to them, due to geographic and climatic conditions; c) less spread of the virus by location in the tropical zone; and d) earlier preventive measures to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, it is possible to establish that the situation in this country will be different from in European Mediterranean and that Colombia could have different endpoints from Spain and Italy. * Corresponding author. Street 67 # 53 -108 Office 2-118,

No abstract

Introducción: La participación del farmacéutico en el programa de gerenciamiento de antimicrobianos (PGAn) se ha asociado con mejores resultados. Objetivos: Describir las intervenciones farmacéuticas y desenlaces clínicos de un PGAn centrado en antimicrobianos de amplio espectro, en pacientes hospitalizados en una institución de alta complejidad. Método: Estudio observacional, prospectivo, en pacientes ingresados a una clínica de alta complejidad entre agosto de 2016 y septiembre de 2017. En el entorno de un PGAn, un farmacéutico con entrenamiento en enfermedades infecciosas evaluó e intervino la antibioticoterapia, en conjunto con el médico infectólogo, quien realizó la modificación de la antibioticoterapia pertinente. Adicionalmente, se documentó el desenlace clínico. Resultados: Se incluyeron 258 pacientes. El 16,1% de los antimicrobianos se valoró como no indicado. Se realizaron 126 intervenciones farmacéuticas con 82,5% de aceptación. El desenlace principal fue la curación clínica y/o microbiológica de la patología infecciosa. Conclusión: El problema asociado al antimicrobiano con mayor frecuencia en la población de estudio fue el espectro antimicrobiano con respecto a la sensibilidad del microorganismo. Siendo consecuentes, el de-escalamiento fue la intervención farmacéutica con mayor prevalencia. Se alcanzó un porcentaje de aceptación similar a otros estudios, de las intervenciones realizadas por el farmacéutico en el entorno del PGAn. La curación clínica y/o microbiológica fue la principal causa de egreso hospitalario. Palabras clave: programa de gerenciamiento de antimicrobianos; farmacéutico; antimicrobianos; resistencia bacteriana; servicio farmacéutico hospitalario.

No abstract

Fluoroquinolone type antimicrobials can cause hypo or hyperglycemia in certain patients. We performed a structured review about this side effect, searching articles published in English or Spanish with full text access in PubMed/Medline. The following MESH terms were used: Hypoglycemia, Hyperglycemia, Quinolones, Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Moxifloxacin. Additionally, we evaluated the clinical relevance of potential drug interactions, based on the probability of occurrence and the severity of the interaction effect. We obtained 42 publications about the issue; 22 references were selected, where the severity of the interaction in patients with risk factors was evaluated. Patients receiving antidiabetic medications and with risk factors such as advanced age and renal failure may be more likely to have a severe hypoglycemia. In these patients, this drug interaction should be considered clinically relevant since its risk is high or very high.