Background: Accelerate Pheno system and BacT/ALERT VIRTUO may improve bacteremia management. This study evaluated the impact of both devices on outcomes in patients with sepsis and concurrent gram-negative bacteremia. Methods: This quasi-experimental study included a retrospective pre-implementation and a prospective post-implementation group. Patients ≥18 years old with gram-negative bacteremia were included. Patients with neutropenia, pregnancy, were transferred from an outside hospital with active bloodstream infection, or polymicrobial bacteremia were excluded. Blood culture incubation in the BacT/ALERT 3D and microdilution antimicrobial susceptibility testing from culture plate growth was used prior to implementation of BacT/ALERT VIRTUO and Accelerate Pheno. MALDI-TOF identification directly from blood culture was used pre- and post-implementation. Time to gram-stain, identification, susceptibility reporting, initiation of narrow spectrum gram-negative therapy at 72 hours, 30-day inpatient mortality, sepsis resolution, and hospital length of stay were evaluated. Results: 116 patients were included (63 pre-implementation, 53 post-implementation). Median time to gram-stain and susceptibility results were significantly shorter post-implementation (P < 0.001). The post-implementation group had an improved hazard for narrow spectrum gram-negative therapy at 72 hours (HR [95% CI] = 2.685 [1.348 – 5.349]), reduced hazard for 30-day inpatient mortality (aHR: 0.150 [0.026 – 0.846]) and improved sepsis resolution (77.8% vs. 92.5%, P = 0.030). Hospital length of stay was unchanged between groups. Conclusion: The implementation of BacT/Alert VIRTUO and the Accelerate Pheno system improved microbiology laboratory processes, antibiotic utilization processes and clinical outcomes. These data support the use of rapid diagnostics in sepsis with concurrent gram-negative bacteremia.

Purpose: This case report describes myasthenia gravis-like symptoms after treatment with a programmed cell death 1 inhibitor, pembrolizumab, the treatment modalities utilized, and associated patient outcomes. Summary: A 76-year old male treated with pembrolizumab for palliative therapy for metastatic melanoma presented with increasing weakness, neck pain, diplopia in the left eye, abducens palsy, periorbital edema, and decreased appetite. The patient was diagnosed with acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR) negative myasthenia gravis. The patient was started on prednisone 1 mg/kg/day, followed by pyridostigmine 60 mg by mouth 3 times a day, and IVIg for 5 days. Due to minor improvements in myasthenia gravis symptoms, 5 cycles of plasmapheresis were ordered. The patient was successfully treated for aspiration pneumonia after cardiopulmonary arrest. On day 28, the patient was diagnosed with ventilator associated pneumonia and received appropriate therapy. Due to ICU agitation and delirium, VAP, and long duration of treatment, the patient requested withdrawal of care and passed. Conclusion: Programmed cell death inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab, can provide great benefit to patients but can also be associated with rare but serious adverse events. With new reports of MG after use, providers should continually weigh the benefits versus harm in using these products and monitor patients closely for such adverse events.

Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose Targeted temperature management (TTM), including normothermia and therapeutic hypothermia, is used primarily for comatose patients with return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest or following neurological injury. Despite the potential benefits of TTM, risks associated with physiological alterations, including electrolyte shifts, may require intervention. Summary This review describes the normal physiological balance of electrolytes and temperature-related alterations as well as the impact of derangements on patient outcomes, providing general recommendations for repletion and monitoring of key electrolytes, including potassium, phosphate, and magnesium. Conclusion Frequent monitoring and consideration of patient variables such as renal function and other risk factors for adverse effects are important areas of awareness for clinicians caring for patients undergoing TTM.

Background Half of patients have cultures pending at discharge. Failure to address these results may delay diagnosis and time to appropriate antimicrobials. The purpose of the study is to evaluate appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy and result documentation in patients with positive cultures finalized post-discharge. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients from 7/2019-12/2019 with positive sterile-site microbiologic cultures finalized post-discharge. Pertinent inclusion and exclusion factors were admission ≥48 hours and non-sterile sites, respectively. The primary objective was to determine the frequency of discharged patients warranting antimicrobial intervention based on finalized culture results. Secondary objectives included incidence and timeliness of result documentation and rates of 30-day hospital readmission, among intervention warranted vs not warranted. Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests were used as appropriate. Binary multivariable logistic regression was completed for 30-day hospital re-admission stratified by infectious disease (ID) team involvement. Results 208 of 768 patients screened were included. Most patients were discharged from a surgical service (45.7%); deep tissue and blood were the most common culture sites (29.3%). Antimicrobial intervention was warranted in 36.5% of patients (n=76). Rates of result documentation were overall low (35.5%). Time to documentation of results was significantly shorter in patients warranting intervention compared to those who did not, but hospital readmission was higher (Table 1). Finally, result documentation in patients not being followed by ID was associated with decreased odds of 30-day readmission (OR 0.19, 95% CI, 0.07-0.53) (Table 2). Conclusion A significant number of patients with cultures finalized post-discharge warranted antimicrobial intervention. Acknowledgment of final culture data can decrease the risk of 30-day hospital readmission, especially in patients not followed by ID. Quality improvement efforts should focus on methods to improve documentation and follow-up of pending cultures to improve patient outcomes. Disclosures Kimberly C. Claeys, PharmD, BioFire Diagnostics: Honoraria|La Jolla Pharmaceuticals: Advisor/Consultant.

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