Project description:BackgroundThe duration of antibiotic treatment of exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) is controversial. Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker of bacterial infection used to identify the cause of ECOPD.Methods and findingsWe investigated whether a PCT-guided plan would allow a shorter duration of antibiotic treatment in patients with severe ECOPD. For this multicenter, randomized, non-inferiority trial, we enrolled 184 patients hospitalized with ECOPD from 18 hospitals in Italy. Patients were assigned to receive antibiotics for 10 days (standard group) or for either 3 or 10 days (PCT group). The primary outcome was the rate of ECOPD at 6 months. Having planned to recruit 400 patients, we randomized only 183: 93 in the PCT group and 90 in the standard group. Thus, the completed study was underpowered. The ECOPD rate at 6 months between PCT-guided and standard antibiotic treatment was not significant (% difference, 4.04; 90% confidence interval [CI], -7.23 to 15.31), but the CI included the non-inferiority margin of 15. In the PCT-guided group, about 50% of patients were treated for 3 days, and there was no difference in primary or secondary outcomes compared to patients treated for 10 days.ConclusionsAlthough the primary and secondary clinical outcomes were no different for patients treated for 3 or 10 days in the PCT group, the conclusion that antibiotics can be safely stopped after 3 days in patients with low serum PCT cannot be substantiated statistically. Thus, the results of this study are inconclusive regarding the noninferiority of the PCT-guided plan compared to the standard antibiotic treatment. The study was funded by Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA-FARM58J2XH). Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01125098).Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01125098.
Project description:BackgroundPulmonary Exacerbations (PEx) are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in individuals with CF. PEx management practices vary widely, and optimization through interventional trials could potentially improve outcomes. The object of this analysis was to evaluate current physician treatment practices and patient outcomes for PEx.MethodsThe Standardized Treatment of Pulmonary Exacerbations (STOP) observational study enrolled 220 participants ≥12years old admitted to the hospital for PEx at 11 U.S. CF centers. Spirometry and daily symptom scores were collected during the study. Physicians were surveyed on treatment goals and their management practices were observed. Treatment outcomes were compared to stated goals.ResultsThe mean (SD) duration of IV antibiotic treatment was 15.9 (6.0) days. Those individuals with more severe lung disease (<50% FEV1) were treated nearly two days longer than those with >50% FEV1. Physician-reported FEV1 improvement goals were 10% (95% CI: 5%, 14%) lower for patients with 6-month baseline FEV1 ≤50% predicted compared with those with 6-month baseline FEV1 >50% predicted. There were clinically and statistically significant improvements in symptoms from the start of IV antibiotic treatment to the end of IV antibiotic treatment and 28days after the start of treatment. The mean absolute increase in FEV1 from admission was 9% predicted at end of IV antibiotic treatment, and 7% predicted at day 28. Only 39% fully recovered lost lung function, and only 65% recovered at least 90% of lost lung function. Treatment was deemed successful by 84% of clinicians, although 6-month baseline FEV1 was only recovered in 39% of PEx.ConclusionsIn this prospective observational study of PEx, treatment regimens and durations showed substantial variation. A significant proportion of patients did not reach physician's treatment goals, yet treatment was deemed successful.
Project description:Chronic polymicrobial airway infections are a hallmark of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. Antibiotic therapy is a primary treatment of CF pulmonary exacerbations (PEx); however, the impact of episodic antibiotic treatment on airway bacterial communities has not been well described. We analyzed sputum samples from adults with CF obtained immediately before and during antibiotic treatment of PEx. Sequencing of the V4 region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene was used to assess changes in bacterial community structure during antibiotic treatment. The peak impact of antibiotic treatment was observed by day four or five of treatment. These findings advance our understanding of bacterial community dynamics during antibiotic treatment of PEx and complement recent and ongoing studies evaluating the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy for PEx.
Project description:BackgroundPulmonary exacerbations (PEx) in cystic fibrosis (CF) are common and contribute to morbidity and mortality. Duration of IV antibiotic therapy to treat PEx varies widely in the US, and there are few data to guide treatment decisions.MethodsWe combined a survey of CF stakeholders with retrospective analyses of a recent observational study of CF PEx to design a multicenter, randomized, prospective study comparing the efficacy and safety of different durations of IV antibiotics for PEx to meet the needs of people with CF and their caregivers.ResultsIV antibiotic duration was cited as the most important PEx research question by responding CF physicians and top concern among surveyed CF patients/caregivers. During PEx, forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1% predicted) and symptom responses at 7-10days of IV antibiotics identified two distinct groups: early robust responders (ERR) who subsequently experienced greater FEV1 improvements compared to non-ERR (NERR). In addition to greater FEV1 and symptom responses, only 14% of ERR patients were treated with IV antibiotics for >15days, compared with 45% of NERR patients.ConclusionsA divergent trial design that evaluates subjects' interim improvement in FEV1 and symptoms to tailor randomization to IV treatment duration (10 vs. 14days for ERR, 14 vs. 21days for NERR) may alleviate physician and patient concerns about excess or inadequate treatment. Such a study has the potential to provide evidence necessary to standardize IV antibiotic duration in CF PEx care -a first step to conducting PEx research of other treatment features.
Project description:BackgroundThe Standardized Treatment of Pulmonary Exacerbations (STOP) program has the intent of defining best practices in the treatment of pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The objective of this analysis was to describe the clinical presentations of patients admitted for intravenous (IV) antibiotics and enrolled in a prospective observational PEx study as well as to understand physician treatment goals at the start of the intervention.MethodsWe enrolled adolescents and adults admitted to the hospital for a PEx treated with IV antibiotics. We recorded patient and PEx characteristics at the time of enrollment. We surveyed treating physicians on treatment goals as well as their willingness to enroll patients in various study designs. Additional demographic and clinical data were obtained from the CF Foundation Patient Registry.ResultsOf 220 patients enrolled, 56% were female, 19% were adolescents, and 71% were infected with P. aeruginosa. The mean (SD) FEV1 at enrollment was 51.1 (21.6)% predicted. Most patients (85%) experienced symptoms for ≥7days before admission, 43% had received IV antibiotics within the previous 6months, and 48% received oral and/or inhaled antibiotics prior to IV antibiotic initiation. Forty percent had ≥10% FEV1 decrease from their best value recorded in the previous 6months, but for 20% of patients, their enrollment FEV1 was their best FEV1 recorded within the previous 6months. Physicians reported that their primary treatment objectives were lung function recovery (53%) and improvement of symptoms (47%) of PEx. Most physicians stated they would enroll patients in studies involving 10-day (72%) or 14-day (87%), but not 7-day (29%), treatment regimens.ConclusionsBased on the results of this study, prospective studies are feasible and physician willingness for interventional studies of PEx exists. Results of this observational study will help design future PEx trials.
Project description:RationalePatients with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience frequent pulmonary exacerbations (PExs). Clinicians manage these episodes of worsening signs and symptoms in a variety of ways.ObjectivesTo characterize the antibiotic management and associated change in lung function following PExs.MethodsWe used 2003-2005 data from the Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis to examine antibiotic treatment and the immediate and long-term lung function change associated with clinician reported PExs.ResultsA total of 45,374 PExs were reported in 13,194 unique patients. Most PExs (73%) were treated with oral antibiotics, while 39% were treated IV and 24% were treated with inhaled antibiotics. The likelihood of non-IV versus IV antibiotic treatment was associated with the patient's age, stage of lung disease, and magnitude of lung function drop prior to the PEx. Following treatment, the average improvement in the FEV1 was 3.4 ± 12.2% predicted with a greater (5.1 ± 12.7% predicted) improvement following IV antibiotic treatment than with non-IV treatment (2.0 ± 11.6% predicted). When the best FEV1 from the year before was compared with 180 days following the PEx there was an average fall of 3.8 ± 10.5% predicted with little difference observed between antibiotic treatment routes. Patients with only one exacerbation during the 3-year study had a similar loss of lung function to patients with no reported exacerbations.ConclusionClinicians treat the majority of PExs with oral antibiotics, particularly in younger, healthier patients. Pulmonary function improves with antibiotic therapy, however, PExs are associated with lung function deterioration over time.
Project description:BackgroundThe role of antibiotics in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations and their effectiveness in combination have not been clearly established. To determine whether using a combination of fluoroquinolones and beta-lactams improves the clinical and microbiological efficacy of antibiotics on day 20 of treatment, we conducted an open-label randomized trial based on clinical outcomes, microbiological clearance, spirometry tests, and signs of systemic inflammation in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of COPD.MethodsWe enrolled 139 subjects with COPD exacerbations, defined as acute worsening of respiratory symptoms leading to additional treatment. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: 79 patients using beta-lactam antibiotics alone and 60 using beta-lactam antibiotics plus fluoroquinolones. Clinical and microbiological responses, spirometry tests, symptom scores, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were evaluated.ResultsClinical success, lung function, and symptoms were similar in patients with or without fluoroquinolone administration on days 10 and 20. Combination therapy was superior in terms of microbiological outcomes and reduction in serum CRP value. Although equivalent to monotherapy in terms of clinical success, the combination showed superiority in terms of microbiological success and a decrease in CRP. The combination therapy group had a higher microbiological success rate with gram-negative bacteria than the monotherapy group with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (100% vs. 33.3%, respectively) and Acinetobacter baumanii (100% vs. 20%, respectively) (P < 0.05).ConclusionsConcomitant use of fluoroquinolone and beta-lactam antibiotics for bacterial infections during COPD exacerbations caused by gram-negative bacteria appear to be effective and should be applied in clinical practice.
Project description:BackgroundPulmonary exacerbations (PEx) in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) are frequently treated in the outpatient setting with oral antibiotics. However, little is known about the characteristics of PEx managed on an outpatient basis and the effectiveness of oral antibiotic therapy. We sought to prospectively evaluate clinical and laboratory changes associated with oral antibiotic treatment for PEx.MethodsChildren with CF between 8 and 18 years of age prescribed two weeks of oral antibiotics for a PEx were eligible to enroll. The study consisted of a visit within 48 h of starting antibiotics and a second visit within one week of antibiotic completion. Twenty-eight participants were evaluated by exacerbation score, quality of life measurements, lung function, sputum microbiology and inflammation.ResultsOral antibiotic treatment was associated with a significant improvement in exacerbation score and quality of life measured by the CF Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) respiratory domain. Following treatment, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % predicted increased [median (range)] 9% (-8%, 31%), and 22 (81%) subjects returned to 90% or higher of baseline FEV1. Bacterial density of the primary organism identified on sputum culture decreased significantly with a median (range) decrease of 0.8 log10 cfu/mL (-8 log10, 2 log10, p = 0.03). Sputum neutrophil elastase [-37 μg/mL (-464, 272), p = 0.02] and IL-1β [-2.8 × 103μg/mL (-6.9 × 104, 3.3 × 104), p = 0.03] decreased significantly following treatment in this cohort.ConclusionsTreatment of PEx with oral antibiotics was associated with measurable improvements in patient reported outcomes, lung function, bacterial density and sputum inflammatory markers.
Project description:BackgroundFemales with cystic fibrosis (CF) have been shown to have worse pulmonary exacerbation (PEx) related outcomes compared to males. However, it is unknown if sex differences in treatment patterns are contributing to these outcomes. Thus, we sought to explore sex differences in treatment patterns in the Standardized Treatment of Pulmonary Exacerbations (STOP) cohort.MethodsData for 220 participants from the STOP cohort were analyzed. Multivariable regression models were used to assess if female sex was associated with duration of treatment with IV antibiotics and inpatient length of stay. Secondary outcomes included antibiotic selection, adjunctive therapies, mean FEV1pp and CFRSD-CRISS respiratory symptom scores at the four study assessments.ResultsIn our adjusted model, the average number of IV antibiotic treatment days was 13% higher in females compared to males (IRR 1.13, 95% CI=1.02,1.25; p=0.02). We found no sex differences in inpatient length of stay, number of IV antibiotics, antibiotic selection or initiation of adjunctive therapies. Overall, females had higher CFRSD-CRISS scores at the end of IV therapy indicating worse symptom severity (23.6 for females vs. 18.5 for males, p=0.03).ConclusionsDespite females having a longer treatment duration, our findings demonstrate that males and females are receiving similar treatments which suggest that the outcome disparities in females with CF may not be due to failure to provide the same level of care. Further research dedicated to sex differences in CF is necessary to understand why clinical outcomes differ between males and females.