Although the microbiologic results of this study should not be extrapolated to other institutions, the principle is of value. There is variability between ICUs in a single large teaching hospital in susceptibility of bacterial pathogens to various antibiotics. This may have implications in the design of empiric antibiotic strategies and the planning of the hospital formulary. Hospital wide or composite ICU antibiograms are inadequate for planning empiric therapy in the ICU.

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Background Chemotherapy is less often prescribed in older individuals due to concerns about post-treatment morbidity and quality of life. We evaluated the physical performance of breast cancer survivors treated with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods We conducted a case-control study in 56 estrogen receptor positive breast cancer survivors (BCS) on adjuvant aromatase inhibitors 1-2 years after definitive surgery. Cases had received adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 27; age 70.5±3.6 yrs) versus age-matched controls who had not (n = 29; age 70.0±4.3 yrs). Measures of grip strength, physical activity and performance, walking speed, fatigue, and self-reported physical function were collected. Biological correlates of inflammation, frailty and markers of DNA and RNA oxidation were compared. Results Grip strength (Controls: 21±7.4 vs. Cases: 29.7±5.0 kg, p=0.20), physical activity (5403±3204 vs. 6801±9320 steps/day, p=0.45), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery score: 10.1±1.8 vs. 10.4±1.1, p=0.52), long-distance walking speed (1.2±0.21 vs. 1.3±0.41 m/sec, p=0.17) were similar between the two groups. Self-reported physical function was marginally lower in cases than controls (Controls: 72±24 vs. Cases: 57±34 AU, p=0.07). Fatigue disruptiveness was not different between groups (Controls: 11.1±13.0 vs. Cases: 15.7±16.2 AUs, p=0.24). Similarly, the inflammation, oxidation, and frailty markers did not present a significant difference between groups, except for vitamin D levels (p=0.04). Conclusion Older women who received chemotherapy reported having slightly lower physical function, but a similar physical performance compared to women who did not. These data suggest that older BCS treated with chemotherapy recover to an extent similar to survivors who only received hormonal therapy.