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Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is a major nosocomial pathogen. We collected clinical and laboratory data on 93 hospitalized adults with VRE bacteremia and 101 adults with vancomycin-susceptible enterococcal (VSE) bacteremia. Risk factors for VRE bacteremia included central venous catheterization, hyperalimentation, and prolonged hospitalization prior to the initial blood culture. VRE-infected patients were less likely to have undergone recent surgery or have polymicrobial bacteremia, suggesting a pathogenesis distinct from traditional VSE bacteremia. Prior exposure to metronidazole was the only significant pharmacologic risk factor for VRE bacteremia. Animal studies suggest metronidazole potentiates enterococcal overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract and translocation into the bloodstream. An increasing APACHE II score was the major risk factor for death in a multivariate analysis, with VRE status being of only borderline significance.

This retrospective analysis shows that more than 50% of patients treated with monthly ranibizumab achieved clinically significant vision gains during the initial 6 months of treatment, which largely were maintained using PRN treatment to 12 months. In comparison, less than 50% of patients initially randomized to sham (and later receiving ranibizumab 0.5 mg PRN treatment) ever achieved clinically significant vision gains. These results suggest that initiating treatment immediately after diagnosis may provide the greatest vision gains. The potential benefits of early treatment should be evaluated further in prospective clinical studies.

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The location of collaterals differed between retinal vein occlusion subtypes and ranibizumab treatment did not affect collateral vessel incidence. The presence of collaterals did not seem to impact best-corrected visual acuity gains at month 12 in both BRVO and CRVO patients receiving ranibizumab, whereas generally greater central foveal thickness reductions were observed with presence of collaterals in BRVO patients.