Antimicrobial treatment for intra-abdominal infections

Management of Intra-Abdominal Infections: The Role of Procalcitonin

Patients with intra-abdominal sepsis suffer from significant mortality and morbidity. The main pillars of treatment for intra-abdominal infections are (1) source control and (2) early delivery of antibiotics. Antibiotic therapy should be started as soon as possible. However, the duration of antibiotics remains a matter of debate. Prolonged antibiotic delivery can lead to increased microbial resistance and the development of nosocomial infections. There has been much research on biomarkers and their ability to aid the decision on when to stop antibiotics. Some of these biomarkers include interleukins, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). PCT's value as a biomarker has been a focus area of research in recent years. Most studies use either a cut-off value of 0.50 ng/mL or an >80% reduction in PCT levels to determine when to stop antibiotics. This paper performs a literature review and provides a synthesized up-to-date global overview on the value of PCT in managing intra-abdominal infections.

Intra-abdominal and Anorectal Abscesses

Intra-abdominal and anorectal abscesses are common pathologies seen in both inpatient and outpatient settings. To decrease morbidity and mortality, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. After adequate drainage via a percutaneous or incisional approach, patients need to be monitored for worsening symptoms or recurrence and evaluated for the underlying condition that may have contributed to abscess formation.

Calculated parenteral initial treatment of bacterial infections: Intra-abdominal infections

This is the seventh chapter of the guideline "Calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections in adults - update 2018" in the 2nd updated version. The German guideline by the Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie e.V. (PEG) has been translated to address an international audience. The chapter deals with the empirical and targeted antimicrobial therapy of complicated intra-abdominal infections. It includes recommendations for antibacterial and antifungal treatment.

Evaluation of Amikacin Pharmacokinetics in Critically Ill Patients with Intra-abdominal Sepsis

Purpose: Although the current widespread use of amikacin is in intra-abdominal sepsis treatment, its pharmacokinetic changes in the present setting are not yet well known. This study was aimed to evaluate the amikacin pharmacokinetic profile in critically ill patients with intraabdominal sepsis compared to pneumosepsis.

Methods: Adult septic patients received amikacin therapy were studied. Patients with intraabdominal sepsis were enrolled in group 1 (n=16), and patients with pneumosepsis were enrolled in group 2 (n=13). The amikacin serum concentrations were evaluated in the first, second, fourth and sixth hours after initiating 30-minute infusion. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated for each patient.

Results: There was no significant difference in the volume of distribution between the two groups (0.33±0.08 vs. 0.28±0.10 L/kg, P=0.193). The amikacin clearance was significantly lower in group 1 compared to group 2 (58.5±21.7 vs. 83.9±37.0 mL/min, P=0.029). There was no significant correlation between amikacin clearance and creatinine clearance estimated by Cockcroft-Gault formula in all patients (P=0.206). The half-life was significantly longer in group 1 compared to group 2 (5.3±2.8 vs. 3.4±3.2 hours, P=0.015).

Conclusion: Pathophysiologic changes following intra-abdominal sepsis can affect amikacin pharmacokinetics behavior. The clearance and half-life may change, but the alteration of the volume of distribution is not significantly different in comparison with pneumosepsis. Further studies are required to evaluate the pharmacokinetic variables of amikacin in critically ill patients with intra-abdominal sepsis.

Clinical implications of multidrug-resistant microorganisms and fungi isolated from patients with intra-abdominal infections in the Republic of Korea: a multicenter study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of fungi and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) isolated from patients with intra-abdominal infections (IAIs). This multicenter study included consecutive patients admitted for microbiologically proven IAIs at 6 university-affiliated hospitals in South Korea between 2016 and 2018. A total of 1571 patients were enrolled. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the isolation of MDROs, isolation of Candida spp., underlying renal diseases, Charlson comorbidity score ≥ 3, septic shock, failure to receive a required surgery or invasive intervention, secondary bacteremia due to IAIs, and lower body mass index were found to be independent predictors for 28-day mortality. However, the isolation of Enterococcus spp. was not identified as a significant risk factor. MDROs and Candida spp. were found in 42 (2.7%) and 395 (25.1%), patients respectively. The isolation of MDROs or Candida spp. was a surrogate marker of 28-day mortality.

Microbial findings, sensitivity and outcome in patients with postoperative peritonitis a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Acute postoperative peritonitis resulting from previous abdominal surgery is still a severe and potentially fatal disease, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate patients' outcome after postoperative peritonitis and identify the most effective empiric antibiotic regimes.

METHODS

422 patients with acute postoperative peritonitis as a result to earlier abdominal operation (e.g. anastomotic leakage) were analyzed retrospectively focusing on the origin of the peritonitis, microbial flora and resistance patterns. Furthermore, mortality was estimated according to sensitivity results of the tested antibiotics.

RESULTS

In 50% of the patients, anastomotic leakage was located in the colon. The predominantly cultured microorganisms were Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae. The combination of meropenem and vancomycin was effective in 96% of these microbes. The frequently used combinations of piperacillin/sulbactam and cefotaxime/metronidazole were effective in only 67% and 43%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We were able to show that the currently used antibiotic regimes with piperacillin/sulbactam and cefotaxime/metronidazole are ineffective in a relevant number of patients with anastomotic leakage. Only meropenem or meropenem/vancomycin cover most of the microbes predominant in postoperative peritonitis.

The Predictive Role of Procalcitonin On the Treatment of Intra-Abdominal Infections

AIM:

This study aims to evaluate the algorithm of procalcitonin (PCT) and its role on the duration of antibiotics prescription for intra-abdominal infections.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This study is a prospective controlled study that is conducted in groups of 50 hospitalised patients and 50 controlled group patients.

RESULTS:

The results indicated that the average duration of antibiotic delivery to the PCT group was -10.6 days (SD ± 6.6 days), while in the control group -13.2 days (SD ± 4.2 days). These data showed a significant difference in the duration of antibiotic therapy and the monitoring role of PCTs in the prediction success of antibiotic treatment. The antibiotic delivery was longer in the septic shock 17 (SD ± 11.7) that corresponds to high PCT values of 67.8 (SD ± 50.9). Recurrence of the infection after the cessation of antibiotics occurred in 2 cases (4%) in the standard group, while it occurred in 3 cases (6%) in the control group.

CONCLUSION:

The treatment of the intra-abdominal infections based on the PCT algorithm shortens the duration of antibiotic treatment and does not pose a risk for the recurrence of the infection.

Bad bacteria in acute appendicitis: rare but relevant

PURPOSE

Bacterial infections are a factor for morbidity in patients with acute appendicitis (AA). The spreading of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is a significant problem in surgery, and the most relevant MDR pathogens are summarized as Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococci (ESKAPE) bacteria. Data regarding the species and distribution of bacteria in AA are available, but information about the resistances and their relevance is deficient.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we analyzed microbiological swabs of patients with AA. The outcome parameters of patients after laparoscopic appendectomy were analyzed against microbiological results, including antibiotic resistance testing. Positive swabs were compared with bacteria cultivated after alternative abdominal emergency surgery (AES).

RESULTS

In total, 584 patients with AA were included and had a mean age of 35.5 years. In 216 patients (36.9%), a swab was taken, and in 128 (59.3%) swabs, bacteria could be cultivated. The most frequent organisms were Escherichia coli, Bacteroides species, and Pseudomonas. In 9.4% of the positive AA swabs, MDR germs were cultivated, and all of them were ESKAPE pathogens. Patients with MDR bacteria in AA suffered more infectious complications (p = 0.006) and needed longer hospitalizations (p < 0.009). In AES, aside from appendicitis, a different spectrum containing more MDR bacteria was cultivated (5.9 vs. 20.9%; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although they occur less frequently in appendectomy compared to emergency surgeries for other abdominal diseases, MDR bacteria are traceable in this common disease and contribute to additional morbidity.

The management of intra-abdominal infections from a global perspective: 2017 WSES guidelines for management of intra-abdominal infections

Intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) are common surgical emergencies and have been reported as major contributors to non-trauma deaths in the emergency departments worldwide. The cornerstones of effective treatment of IAIs are early recognition, adequate source control, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Prompt resuscitation of patients with ongoing sepsis is of utmost important. In hospitals worldwide, non-acceptance of, or lack of access to, accessible evidence-based practices and guidelines result in overall poorer outcome of patients suffering IAIs. The aim of this paper is to promote global standards of care in IAIs and update the 2013 WSES guidelines for management of intra-abdominal infections.

Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections in the Hospital Setting: Overview, Implications for Clinical Practice, and Emerging Treatment Options

The increasing prevalence of infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria constitutes a serious threat to global public health due to the limited treatment options available and the historically slow pace of development of new antimicrobial agents. Infections due to MDR strains are associated with increased morbidity and mortality and prolonged hospitalization, which translates to a significant burden on healthcare systems. In particular, MDR strains of Enterobacteriaceae (especially Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii have emerged as particularly serious concerns. In the United States, MDR strains of these organisms have been reported from hospitals throughout the country and are not limited to a small subset of hospitals. Factors that have contributed to the persistence and spread of MDR gram-negative bacteria include the following: overuse of existing antimicrobial agents, which has led to the development of adaptive resistance mechanisms by bacteria; a lack of good antimicrobial stewardship such that use of multiple broad-spectrum agents has helped perpetuate the cycle of increasing resistance; and a lack of good infection control practices. The rising prevalence of infections due to MDR gram-negative bacteria presents a significant dilemma in selecting empiric antimicrobial therapy in seriously ill hospitalized patients. A prudent initial strategy is to initiate treatment with a broad-spectrum regimen pending the availability of microbiological results allowing for targeted or narrowing of therapy. Empiric therapy with newer agents that exhibit good activity against MDR gram-negative bacterial strains such as tigecycline, ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, and others in the development pipeline offer promising alternatives to existing agents.

Effect of initial empiric antibiotic therapy combined with control of the infection focus on the prognosis of patients with secondary peritonitis

BACKGROUND

In patients with intra-abdominal infection, inappropriate initial empiric antibiotic therapy is associated with greater morbidity. We evaluated the impact of adequate empiric antibiotic treatment together with control of the infection focus on the morbidity and mortality rates of patients with secondary peritonitis.

METHODS

This was a prospective, observational study with the participation of 24 Spanish hospitals and 362 patients with secondary peritonitis (262 community-acquired, 100 post-operative). Therapeutic failure (infectious complications or death) was classified into four categories according to whether empiric antibiotic treatment was appropriate and the infection focus was controlled.

RESULTS

The rates of therapeutic failure, re-operation, and mortality were 48%, 13%, and 8%, respectively. Empiric antibiotic treatment was inappropriate in 39% of cases, which was associated with a higher rate of surgical site infection (53% vs. 40%; p=0.031) and death (12% vs. 5%; p=0.021) than was observed in patients receiving appropriate initial empiric therapy. Eight percent of patients in whom control of the infection focus was not obtained suffered from more infectious complications (76% vs. 52%; p=0.01) and surgical site infections (69% vs. 44%; p=0.01); and in this group, both therapeutic failure and mortality rates were similar, independent of whether the empiric antibiotic therapy was appropriate.

CONCLUSION

Inappropriate initial empiric antibiotic therapy was associated with higher rates of therapeutic failure, surgical site infection, re-operation, and death. Classification of therapeutic failure into four categories according to the appropriateness of empiric antibiotic therapy and the success of infection control provided excellent discrimination of morbidity and death.

Clinical and economic consequences of failure of initial antibiotic therapy for patients with community-onset complicated intra-abdominal infections

Objectives

Complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) is infection that extends beyond the hollow viscus of origin into the peritoneal space, and is associated with either abscess formation or peritonitis. There are few studies that have assessed the actual costs and outcomes associated with failure of initial antibiotic therapy for cIAI. The aims of this study were to evaluate risk factors and impact on costs and outcomes of failure of initial antibiotic therapy for community-onset cIAI.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed at eleven tertiary-care hospitals. Hospitalized adults with community-onset cIAI who underwent an appropriate source control procedure between August 2008 and September 2011 were included. Failure of initial antibiotic therapy was defined as a change of antibiotics due to a lack of improvement of the clinical symptoms and signs associated with cIAI in the first week.

Results

A total of 514 patients hospitalized for community-onset cIAI were included in the analysis. The mean age of the patients was 53.3 ± 17.6 years, 72 patients (14%) had health care-associated infection, and 48 (9%) experienced failure of initial antibiotic therapy. Failure of initial antibiotic therapy was associated with increased costs and morbidity. After adjustment for covariates, patients with unsuccessful initial therapy received an additional 2.9 days of parenteral antibiotic therapy, were hospitalized for an additional 5.3 days, and incurred $3,287 in additional inpatient charges. Independent risk factors for failure of initial antibiotic therapy were health care-associated infection, solid cancer, and APACHE II ≥13.

Conclusions

To improve outcomes and costs in patients with community-onset cIAI, rapid assessment of health care-associated risk factors and severity of disease, selection of an appropriate antibiotic regimen accordingly, and early infection source control should be performed.

Efficacy and safety of moxifloxacin in hospitalized patients with secondary peritonitis: pooled analysis of four randomized phase III trials

BACKGROUND

Secondary peritonitis is an advanced form of complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) requiring hospitalization, surgical source control, and empiric antibiotic therapy against causative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

METHODS

This pooled analysis of four prospective, active-controlled randomized clinical trials compared the efficacy and safety of moxifloxacin with that of comparator antibiotics in patients with confirmed secondary peritonitis. The primary efficacy endpoint was clinical success rate at test-of-cure (TOC) between day 10 and 45 post-therapy in the per-protocol (PP) population. Safety and clinical efficacy were assessed also in the intent-to-treat population (ITT). Bacteriological success was assessed at TOC in the microbiologically-valid population as a secondary efficacy endpoint.

RESULTS

Overall clinical success rates at TOC were 85.3% (431 of 505 patients) in the moxifloxacin and 88.4% (459 of 519 patients) in the comparator treatment groups (PP population, point estimate for the difference in success rates: -3.0%; 95% CI -7.06%, 1.05%), respectively. Similar clinical success rates between moxifloxacin and comparators were observed by anatomical site of infection, and ranged from 80.6% to 100% for moxifloxacin and from 71.4% to 96.6% for comparators, respectively. Bacteriologic success rates were similar with moxifloxacin (82.4%) and comparators (86.8%), respectively. The proportion of patients experiencing any treatment-emergent adverse events was slightly higher with moxifloxacin (67.3%) versus comparators (59.8%). Rates of drug-related adverse events (20.9% versus 20.0%) and deaths (4.3% versus 3.4%) were similar in moxifloxacin and comparator groups; none of the deaths were drug-related.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggests that once-daily IV (or IV/PO) moxifloxacin has a comparable efficacy and safety profile to antibiotic regimens approved previously in the subgroup of patients with secondary peritonitis of mild-to-moderate severity.

Biliary microflora in patients undergoing cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

The management of acute cholecystitis requires a sound knowledge of the biliary microflora.

METHODS

Bile samples were taken for culture according to a standard routine during all cholecystectomies performed from April 2007 to February 2009 in the Department of Surgery at Enköping Hospital. The use of antibiotics within the 3-mo period before surgery, indication for surgery, prophylactic antibiotics, and post-operative complications were recorded prospectively.

RESULTS

Altogether, 246 procedures were performed during the study period, of which 149 (62%) were done on women. The mean (±SD) age of the study subjects was 49±16 y. Bacterial growth was seen in cultures from 34 (14%) of the subjects. The mean age of subjects with positive cultures was 64 y and that of subjects with negative cultures was 47 y (p<0.001). Positive culture was seen in 16 (31%) of the 51 patients who underwent operations for acute cholecystitis, whereas positive cultures were obtained in 18 of 195 patients without acute cholecystitis (9%) (p<0.001). Resistance to ampicillin was recorded in three of 34 (9%) of the cultures with bacterial growth, to co-trimoxazole in one of the 34 (3%) cultures, to fluoroquinolones in one of the 34 (3%) cultures, and to cephalosporins in one of the 34 (3%) cultures. Resistance to piperacillin-tazobactam was not observed in any of the cultures. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, a positive culture was the only factor significantly associated with risk for post-operative infectious complications (p<0.05).

DISCUSSION

Bacterial growth in the bile is observed more often in patients undergoing surgery for acute cholecystitis. The microflora of the bile is probably important for the outcome of surgery, but further studies are required for assessing the effectiveness of measures for preventing infectious post-operative complications.

Incidence and factors associated with surgical site infections in a teaching hospital in Ujjain, India

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infections (SSI) are among the most commonly reported health care-associated infections; however, there is a paucity of data on SSI from India. This study aimed to determine the incidence of SSI and explore its associated factors at a teaching hospital in India.

METHODS

Direct and indirect surveillance methods, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, were used to define SSI. Patients were followed up for 30 days postsurgery. Prescribing and resistance data were collected.

RESULTS

The SSI rate among the 720 patients investigated was 5%. Risk factors for SSI identified were as follows: severity of disease (P = .001), presence of drains (P = .020), history of previous hospitalization (P = .003), preoperative stay (P = .005), wound classification (P < .001), and surgical duration (P < .001). Independent risk factors identified included wound classification (odds ratio = 4.525; P < .001) and surgical duration (odds ratio = 2.554; P = .015). Most patients (99%) were prescribed antibiotics. Metronidazole (24.5%), ciprofloxacin (11%), and amikacin (9%) were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Most commonly isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 14), of which 34% were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 6), which showed resistance to ceftazidime (70%), ciprofloxacin (63%), and gentamicin (57%).

CONCLUSION

Incidence of SSI at the hospital was lower than reported in many low- and middle-income countries, although higher than reported in most high-income countries. Targeted implementation strategies to decrease incidence of preventable SSI are needed to further improve quality and safety of health care in this hospital and similar hospitals elsewhere.

Efficacy of different therapeutic options for spontaneous abdominal abscesses in Crohn's disease: are antibiotics enough?

BACKGROUND

Management of abdominal abscesses (AA) in Crohn's disease (CD) always includes antibiotics, and some type of drainage is added according to the response and other considerations. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of different therapeutic approaches to spontaneous AA in CD.

METHODS

All cases of AA in CD were identified from the databases of five university hospitals. Postoperative cases were excluded. Therapeutic success was defined as abscess resolution and nonreappearance within 1 year of follow-up.

RESULTS

We identified 128 cases in 2236 patients (cumulative incidence 5.7%). Initial therapy included medical therapy with antibiotics alone (42.2%), antibiotics plus percutaneous drainage (23.4%), and antibiotics plus surgical drainage (34.4%). The highest final efficacy corresponded to surgery (91%) as compared with antibiotic therapy alone (63%) or percutaneous drainage (30%). Failure of initial therapy was predicted by immunomodulators at diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] 8.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-61.5; P = 0.03), fistula detectable in imaging techniques (OR 5.43; 95% CI 1.18-24.8; P = 0.02), and abscess size (OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.07-2.54; P = 0.02) only for patients treated with antibiotic therapy alone. Percutaneous drainage was associated with 19% of complications (enterocutaneous fistulas 13%); surgery was associated with 13% of postoperative complications (enterocutaneous fistulas 7.7%). Following abscess resolution, 60% of patients were started on thiopurines, 9% on biologics, and in 31% baseline therapy was not modified.

CONCLUSIONS

Management of spontaneous AA in CD with antibiotics alone seems to be a good option for small abscesses, especially those without associated fistula and appearing in immunomodulator-naïve patients. Surgery offers better results in the remaining clinical settings, although percutaneous drainage can avoid operative treatment in some cases.

In vitro activity of tigecycline and comparators against organisms associated with intra-abdominal infections collected as part of TEST (2004-2009)

As part of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST), bacterial isolates were collected consecutively from centers globally between 2004 and 2009. MICs were determined locally using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution methodology. A total of 3114 anaerobic and 99,256 aerobic isolates were included in this study. The most active agents against Gram-negative anaerobes were metronidazole and meropenem (resistance ranges 0.0-0.5% and 0.0-0.9%, respectively); piperacillin-tazobactam was also active (resistance range 0.5-9.4%). Among Gram-positive anaerobes, resistance rates were lowest for meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and metronidazole (ranges 0.0-0.5%, 0.0-1.8%, and 0.0-3.2% respectively). Tigecycline MIC(90) values for anaerobes ranged from 0.12 to 2 μg/mL. The most active antimicrobial agent against Gram-negative aerobes (excluding Pseudomonas aeruginosa) was tigecycline, with resistance ranging from <0.01% to 1.4%. Resistance was also low for imipenem (0.3-9.4%) and meropenem (0.7-15.1%). Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases were produced by 12.2% and 19.7% of E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates, respectively.

Surveillance of antibiotic consumption using the "focus of infection" approach in 2 hospitals in Ujjain, India

Antibiotic surveillance initiatives are limited in resource-constrained settings. In the present study, a quantitative comparison of antibiotic use rates for suspected infections in 2 hospitals in India was performed using the “focus of infection” approach to identify targets for quality improvement in antibiotic prescription patterns in hospitalized patients.

Antimicrobial treatment of "complicated" intra-abdominal infections and the new IDSA guidelines ? a commentary and an alternative European approach according to clinical definitions

Recently, an update of the IDSA guidelines for the treatment of complicated intraabdominal infections has been published. No guideline can cater for all variations in ecology, antimicrobial resistance patterns, patient characteristics and presentation, health care and reimbursement systems in many different countries. In the short time the IDSA guidelines have been available, a number of practical clinical issues have been raised by physicians regarding interpretation of the guidelines. The main debatable issues of the new IDSA guidelines are described as follows: The authors of the IDSA guidelines present recommendations for the following subgroups of "complicated" IAI: community-acquired intra-abdominal infections of mild-to-moderate and high severity and health care-associated intra-abdominal infections (no general treatment recommendations, only information about antimicrobial therapy of specific resistant bacterial isolates). From a clinical point of view, "complicated" IAI are better differentiated into primary, secondary (community-acquired and postoperative) and tertiary peritonitis. Those are the clinical presentations of IAI as seen in the emergency room, the general ward and on ICU. Future antibiotic treatment studies of IAI would be more clinically relevant if they included patients in studies for the efficacy and safety of antibiotics for the treatment of the above mentioned forms of IAI, rather than conducting studies based on the vague term "complicated" intra-abdominal infections. - The new IDSA guidelines for the treatment of resistant bacteria fail to mention many of new available drugs, although clinical data for the treatment of "complicated IAI" with new substances exist. Furthermore, treatment recommendations for cIAI caused by VRE are not included. This group of diseases comprises enough patients (i.e. the entire group of postoperative and tertiary peritonitis, recurrent interventions in bile duct surgery or necrotizing pancreatitis) to provide specific recommendations for such antimicrobial treatment. - A panel of European colleagues from surgery, intensive care, clinical microbiology and infectious diseases has developed recommendations based on the above mentioned clinical entities with the aim of providing clear therapeutic recommendations for specific clinical diagnoses. An individual patient-centered approach for this very important group of diseases with a substantial morbidity and mortality is essential for optimal antimicrobial treatment.

WSES consensus conference: Guidelines for first-line management of intra-abdominal infections

Intra-abdominal infections are still associated with high rate of morbidity and mortality.A multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients with intra-abdominal infections may be an important factor in the quality of care. The presence of a team of health professionals from various disciplines, working in concert, may improve efficiency, outcome, and the cost of care.A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Consensus Conference was held in Bologna on July 2010, during the 1st congress of the WSES, involving surgeons, infectious disease specialists, pharmacologists, radiologists and intensivists with the goal of defining recommendations for the early management of intra-abdominal infections.This document represents the executive summary of the final guidelines approved by the consensus conference.

A focus on intra-abdominal infections

Complicated intra-abdominal infections are an important cause of morbidity and are frequently associated with poor prognosis, particularly in higher risk patients.

Well defined evidence-based recommendations for intra-abdominal infections treatment are partially lacking because of the limited number of randomized-controlled trials.

Factors consistently associated with poor outcomes in patients with intra-abdominal infections include increased illness severity, failed source control, inadequate empiric antimicrobial therapy and healthcare-acquired infection.

Early prognostic evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections is important to select high-risk patients for more aggressive therapeutic procedures.

The cornerstones in the management of complicated intra-abdominal infections are both source control and antibiotic therapy.

The timing and the adequacy of source control are the most important issues in the management of intra-abdominal infections, because inadequate and late control of septic source may have a negative effect on the outcomes.

Recent advances in interventional and more aggressive techniques could significantly decrease the morbidity and mortality of physiologically severe complicated intra-abdominal infections, even if these are still being debated and are yet not validated by limited prospective trials.

Empiric antimicrobial therapy is nevertheless important in the overall management of intra-abdominal infections. Inappropriate antibiotic therapy may result in poor patient outcomes and in the appearance of bacterial resistance.

Antimicrobial management is generally standardised and many regimens, either with monotherapy or combination therapy, have proven their efficacy. Routine coverage especially against Enterococci and candida spp is not always recommended, but can be useful in particular clinical conditions. A de escalation approach may be recommended in patients with specific risk factors for multidrug resistant infections such as immunodeficiency and prolonged antibacterial exposure.

Therapy should focus on the obtainment of adequate source control and adequate use of antimicrobial therapy dictated by individual patient risk factors. Other critical issues remain debated and more controversies are still open mainly because of the limited number of randomized controlled trials.

Complicated intra-abdominal infections: a focus on appendicitis and diverticulitis

Severe abdominal pain is a common complaint encountered by primary care and emergency room physicians. Caused by many conditions, including appendicitis and diverticulitis, severe abdominal pain may be a diagnostic challenge. Although different in many ways, appendicitis and diverticulitis are caused by obstruction of a blind pouch that leads to inflammation of the structure and surrounding tissue. Appendicitis and diverticulitis are 2 of the most frequently diagnosed causes of complicated intra-abdominal infections. Combined, appendicitis and diverticulitis comprise > 80% of all community-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infections. These conditions are serious and require prompt diagnosis and treatment. Because complicated intra-abdominal infections are typically polymicrobial, a wide variety of causative pathogens are identified, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Treatment for these disorders often requires surgical and medical management. Although surgical intervention can be the definitive treatment for complicated intra-abdominal infections, successful management of appendicitis and diverticulitis will depend on appropriate selection of antimicrobials and optimal duration of therapy to maximize the coverage of potential causative pathogens and to minimize the development of resistance. Guidelines for empiric treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections recommend broad-spectrum antimicrobials as monotherapy or in combinations, including standard antimicrobial regimens, such as piperacillin/tazobactam, imipenem/cilastatin, and piperacillin-tazobactam/amoxicillin-clavulanate regimens, and fluoroquinolone-based regimens. This review article compares the presentations and treatments of these common complicated intra-abdominal infections.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding related to emphysematous cholecystitis due to Clostridium perfringens

We describe the case of a 46-year-old man admitted for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the context of cirrhosis. A deep bleeding duodenal ulcer was treated by sclerotherapy. Abdominal pain and fever lead us to perform an abdominal computed tomography, which demonstrated emphysematous cholecystitis. An emergency cholecystectomy was performed and antimicrobial therapy initiated. The patient recovered uneventfully. Links between ulcers and emphysematous cholecystitis are discussed.