The study presented here was performed in order to create a rule that identifies subjects at high risk for invasive candidiasis in the intensive care setting. Retrospective review and statistical modelling were carried out on 2,890 patients who stayed at least 4 days in nine hospitals in the USA and Brazil; the overall incidence of invasive candidiasis in this group was 3% (88 cases). The best performing rule was as follows: Any systemic antibiotic (days 1-3) OR presence of a central venous catheter (days 1-3) AND at least TWO of the following-total parenteral nutrition (days 1-3), any dialysis (days 1-3), any major surgery (days -7-0), pancreatitis (days -7-0), any use of steroids (days -7-3), or use of other immunosuppressive agents (days -7-0). The rate of invasive candidiasis among patients meeting the rule was 9.9%, capturing 34% of cases in the units, with the following performance: relative risk 4.36, sensitivity 0.34, specificity 0.90, positive predictive value 0.01, and negative predictive value 0.97. The rule may identify patients at high risk of invasive candidiasis.

Although up to one-third of stroke patients discontinued one or more secondary prevention medications within 1 year of hospital discharge, self-discontinuation of these medications is uncommon. Several potentially modifiable patient, provider, and system-level factors associated with persistence and adherence may be targets for future interventions.

BACKGROUND Intensive care units (ICUs) are high-risk settings for the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE). METHODS In a cluster-randomized trial, we evaluated the effect of surveillance for MRSA and VRE colonization and of the expanded use of barrier precautions (intervention) as compared with existing practice (control) on the incidence of MRSA or VRE colonization or infection in adult ICUs. Surveillance cultures were obtained from patients in all participating ICUs; the results were reported only to ICUs assigned to the intervention. In intervention ICUs, patients who were colonized or infected with MRSA or VRE were assigned to care with contact precautions; all the other patients were assigned to care with universal gloving until their discharge or until surveillance cultures obtained at admission were reported to be negative. RESULTS During a 6-month intervention period, there were 5434 admissions to 10 intervention ICUs, and 3705 admissions to 8 control ICUs. Patients who were colonized or infected with MRSA or VRE were assigned to barrier precautions more frequently in intervention ICUs than in control ICUs (a median of 92% of ICU days with either contact precautions or universal gloving [51% with contact precautions and 43% with universal gloving] in intervention ICUs vs. a median of 38% of ICU days with contact precautions in control ICUs, P<0.001). In intervention ICUs, health care providers used clean gloves, gowns, and hand hygiene less frequently than required for contacts with patients assigned to barrier precautions; when contact precautions were specified, gloves were used for a median of 82% of contacts, gowns for 77% of contacts, and hand hygiene after 69% of contacts, and when universal gloving was specified, gloves were used for a median of 72% of contacts and hand hygiene after 62% of contacts. The mean (±SE) ICU-level incidence of events of colonization or infection with MRSA or VRE per 1000 patient-days at risk, adjusted for baseline incidence, did not differ significantly between the intervention and control ICUs (40.4±3.3 and 35.6±3.7 in the two groups, respectively; P = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS The intervention was not effective in reducing the transmission of MRSA or VRE, although the use of barrier precautions by providers was less than what was required. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others; STAR*ICU ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00100386.)

Objective: We aimed to compare quality of life (QOL) in women and men after ischemic stroke or TIA, and to determine the incremental impact of demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and stroke-specific effects on longitudinal QOL. Methods:We assessed QOL in patients with ischemic stroke or TIA at 3 and 12 months postdischarge in the Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke-Longitudinal Registry using the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) instrument. We generated multivariable linear regression models to evaluate the association between sex and EQ-5D while sequentially adjusting for sociodemographic, clinical, and stroke-related variables. We also used a proportional odds model to assess sex differences in the change in EQ-5D scores from 3 to 12 months.Results: A total of 1,370 patients were included, 53.7% male, median age 65 years (interquartile range 56-77 years). Women had significantly lower QOL at 3 months (unadjusted EQ-5D 0.81 in women vs 0.84 in men; p , 0.001) and 12 months (0.83 vs men 0.84; p , 0.001) poststroke. After multivariable adjustment for sociodemographic, clinical, and stroke-related factors, women continued to have lower QOL at 3 months (mean difference 20.036; p 5 0.003) and at 12 months (mean difference 20.022; p 5 0.046). Women fared worse in the dimensions of mobility, pain/ discomfort, and anxiety/depression at 3 and 12 months. There were no sex differences in change in EQ-5D score from 3 to 12 months. Conclusion:Women have worse QOL than men up to 12 months after stroke, even after adjusting for important sociodemographic variables, stroke severity, and disability. Neurology ® 2014;82:922-931 GLOSSARY ADL 5 activities of daily living; AVAIL 5 Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke-Longitudinal; CI 5 confidence interval; EQ-5D 5 European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions; GWTG-Stroke 5 Get With The Guidelines-Stroke; mRS 5 modified Rankin Scale; NIHSS 5 NIH Stroke Scale; OR 5 odds ratio; QOL 5 quality of life.Because stroke has dropped from the third to the fourth leading cause of death, 1 increasing attention should be given to improving quality of life (QOL) for stroke survivors. Several patient factors, including age, socioeconomic status, stroke severity, mood, and sex (particularly societal roles), may influence QOL after stroke.2-4 Multiple studies, 5-14 but not all, [15][16][17][18] have shown that women have worse QOL after stroke than men, particularly in the domains of mental and physical function. 5,6,10,14 The timing and longitudinal assessment of QOL may be important, as sex differences may be greater early after stroke, then diminish over the long term with rehabilitation and recovery. 19 Whether there are truly differences in QOL for men and women independent of these factors is uncertain.Our aims in this analysis were to (1) compare QOL in men and women at 3 and 12 months, (2) compare the change in QOL over time between men and women, and (3) determine the incremental impact of demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and stroke-specific effects on long...