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Procalcitonin-guided duration of antibiotic treatment in children hospitalised with confirmed or suspected bacterial infection in the UK (BATCH): a pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, two-arm, individually randomised, controlled trial
Authors: Waldron CA
Abstract
Background: Procalcitonin is a rapid response biomarker specific for bacterial infection, which is not routinely used in the UK National Health Service. We aimed to assess whether using a procalcitonin-guided algorithm would safely reduce the duration of antibiotic therapy compared with usual care, in which C-reactive protein is the commonly used biomarker.
Methods: The BATCH trial was a pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, parallel, two-arm, individually randomised, controlled trial conducted in 15 hospitals in England and Wales. Children aged 72 h to 18 years who were admitted to hospital and were being treated with intravenous antibiotics for suspected or confirmed bacterial infection and who were expected to remain on intravenous antibiotics for more than 48 h were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either current clinical management alone (usual care group) or clinical management with the addition of a procalcitonin test guided algorithm (procalcitonin group). Participants were randomly assigned by minimisation, with site and age group (0–6 months, 6 months to 2 years, 2–5 years, and older than 5 years) as minimisation factors and a random element to reduce predictability. Participants were randomly assigned remotely using a secure 24 h web-based randomisation programme. The coprimary outcomes were duration of intravenous antibiotic use, assessed for superiority, and a composite safety measure, assessed for non-inferiority (non-inferiority margin 5%). The primary analysis sample for each coprimary endpoint included all randomly assigned participants with available outcome data. This trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number registry, ISRCTN11369832.
Findings: Between June 11, 2018, and Oct 12, 2022, 15 282 children were screened for eligibility, 1949 of whom were randomly assigned to receive procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy (n=977) or usual care (n=972). The median intravenous antibiotic duration was 96·0 h (IQR 59·5–155·5) in the procalcitonin group and 99·7 h (61·2–153·8) in the usual care group (hazard ratio 0·96 [95% CI 0·87–1·05]). 78 (9%) of 917 participants in the procalcitonin group and 85 (9%) of 904 participants in the usual care group had at least one event covered by the composite safety outcome measure (estimated adjusted risk difference –0·81% [95% CI upper bound 1·11]).
Interpretation: In children with suspected or confirmed bacterial infection admitted to hospitals in England and Wales for intravenous antibiotic treatment of at least 48 h, the introduction of a procalcitonin-guided algorithm did not reduce duration of intravenous antibiotics treatment and is non-inferior to usual care for safety outcomes. Therefore, evidence does not support the use of procalcitonin-guided algorithms where robust effective paediatric antibiotic stewardship programmes are established.
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Safety of 3-month rifampicin-isoniazid TPT in child household contacts in a community-based intervention
Authors: B Tchakounte Youngui
Abstract
Background: The WHO recommends shorter TB preventive treatment (TPT) regimens and decentralised delivery models to improve effectiveness. This study evaluated the safety of a 3-month rifampicin-isoniazid (3RH) regimen administered by community health workers (CHWs) in households in Cameroon and Uganda.
Methods: A cluster-randomised trial was conducted among child contacts of TB patients. We compared the safety of 3RH delivered by CHWs at home (intervention) vs standard-of-care, facility-based administration of 3RH. Safety outcomes included adverse events (AEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), and adverse reactions (ARs). We described the steps from symptom identification by CHWs to classification by a clinician.
Results: Of 1,316 children initiated on 3RH, AEs were reported in 8.7% (81/936) in the intervention arm versus 11.3% (43/380) in the standard-of-care arm, P = 0.15. Overall, 37 SAEs occurred in 36 children, all non-medication related. There were 16 ARs reported, occurring in 1.0% (9/936) of children in the intervention arm and 1.6% (6/380) in the standard-of-care arm, P = 0.22. During 4,608 follow-up visits, 21 children reporting AR symptoms were identified by CHWs, 16 were assessed by clinicians, and 4 ARs were confirmed.
Conclusion: The 3RH regimen was safe, including when administered by trained CHWs in community settings, supporting its use in decentralised healthcare models.
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Pharmacokinetics, Safety and Tolerability of Single-dose or Multiple-dose Cefiderocol in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients Three Months to Less Than Eighteen Years Old With Infections Treated With Standard-of-care Antibiotics in the PEDI-CEFI Phase 2 Study
Authors: John S Bradley
Abstract
Background: Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections are increasing globally in neonates, infants and children; antibiotic options are limited.
Methods: This international, multicenter, open-label phase 2 study, investigated the pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of single-dose and multiple-dose cefiderocol [as a 3-hour infusion (every 8 hours) dosed at 2000 mg for body weight ≥34 kg and at 60 mg/kg for body weight <34 kg], over a range of renal function, in hospitalized pediatric patients with aerobic Gram-negative bacterial infection; multiple-dose patients required standard-of-care systemic antibiotics for 5-14 days. Four cohorts of pediatric patients were enrolled (cohort 1: 12 to <18 years, cohort 2: 6 to <12 years, cohort 3: 2 to <6 years and cohort 4: 3 months to <2 years).
Results: A total of 53 patients (median age: 73.5 months) were enrolled. Plasma concentration profiles were similar with single-dose (n = 24) and multiple-dose (n = 29) cefiderocol, irrespective of age and body weight in those with normal renal function or mild renal impairment. Geometric mean concentrations at the end of infusion ranged between 72.7 and 97.1 μg/mL for single-dose cefiderocol and between 88.8 and 106.0 μg/mL after multiple doses. At 8 hours, corresponding trough concentrations ranged from 7.86 to 10.8 μg/mL with single-dose cefiderocol and from 9.64 to 18.1 μg/mL with multiple doses. There were no deaths, no cefiderocol-related serious adverse events, significant related laboratory abnormalities or discontinuations.
Conclusions: Multiple-dose cefiderocol, administered for 5-14 days and according to body weight, achieved steady-state plasma concentrations that remained above the susceptibility breakpoints of Gram-negative bacteria throughout the dosing period. Cefiderocol was well tolerated.
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Water, sanitation, handwashing, and nutritional interventions can reduce child antibiotic use: evidence from Bangladesh and Kenya
Authors: Ayse Ercumen
Abstract
Antibiotics can trigger antimicrobial resistance and microbiome alterations. Reducing pathogen exposure and undernutrition can reduce infections and antibiotic use. We assess effects of water, sanitation, handwashing (WSH) and nutrition interventions on caregiver-reported antibiotic use in Bangladesh and Kenya, longitudinally measured at three timepoints among birth cohorts (ages 3-28 months) in a cluster-randomized trial. Over 50% of children used antibiotics at least once in the 90 days preceding data collection. In Bangladesh, the prevalence of antibiotic use was 10-14% lower in groups receiving WSH (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.90 (0.82-0.99)), nutrition (PR = 0.86 (0.78-0.94)), and nutrition+WSH (PR = 0.86 (0.79-0.93)) interventions. The prevalence of using antibiotics multiple times was 26-35% lower in intervention arms. Reductions were largest when the birth cohort was younger. In Kenya, interventions did not affect antibiotic use. In this work, we show that improving WSH and nutrition can reduce antibiotic use. Studies should assess whether such reductions translate to reduced antimicrobial resistance.
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Aztreonam-avibactam versus meropenem for the treatment of serious infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria (REVISIT): a descriptive, multinational, open-label, phase 3, randomised trial
Authors: Yehuda Carmelin
Abstract
Background: There is a need for additional therapeutic options for serious infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens. In the phase 3, descriptive REVISIT study, we investigated the safety and efficacy of aztreonam-avibactam in the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections or hospital-acquired pneumonia or ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP-VAP) caused, or suspected to be caused, by Gram-negative bacteria.
Methods: This prospective, multinational, open-label, central assessor-masked study enrolled adults who were hospitalised with a complicated intra-abdominal infection or HAP-VAP. Patients were randomly allocated via block randomisation using interactive response technology stratified by infection type in a 2:1 ratio to aztreonam-avibactam (with metronidazole for complicated intra-abdominal infection) or meropenem with or without colistin for 5-14 days for complicated intra-abdominal infection or 7-14 days for HAP-VAP. The primary endpoint was clinical cure at the test-of-cure visit (within 3 days before or after day 28) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. Secondary endpoints included 28-day mortality in the ITT population and safety in patients in the ITT population who received study drug (safety analysis set). No formal hypothesis testing was planned. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03329092) and EudraCT (2017-002742-68) and is complete.
Findings: Between April 5, 2018, and Feb 23, 2023, we screened 461 patients. 422 patients were enrolled and randomly allocated (282 in the aztreonam-avibactam group and 140 in the meropenem group, forming the ITT analysis set), of whom ten patients (seven in the aztreonam-avibactam group and three in the meropenem group) were randomly allocated but did not receive study treatment. 271 (64%) of 422 patients had at least one Gram-negative pathogen from an adequate specimen identified at baseline. The most frequent baseline pathogens were Enterobacterales (252 [93%] of 271). Overall, 19 (24%) of 80 isolates tested for carbapenemases were carbapenemase-positive (serine, metallo-β-lactamase, or both). 193 (68·4%) of 282 patients in the aztreonam-avibactam group and 92 (65·7%) of 140 in the meropenem group had clinical cure at the test-of-cure visit (treatment difference 2·7% [95% CI -6·6 to 12·4]). For patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection, the adjudicated clinical cure rate was 76·4% (159 of 208) for the aztreonam-avibactam group and 74·0% (77 of 104) for the meropenem group. Cure rates in patients with HAP-VAP were 45·9% (34 of 74) for aztreonam-avibactam and 41·7% (15 of 36) for meropenem. 28-day all-cause mortality rates were 4% (12 of 282) for aztreonam-avibactam and 7% (ten of 140) for meropenem; in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection, mortality was 2% (four of 208) and 3% (three of 104) for aztreonam-avibactam and meropenem, respectively, and in patients with HAP-VAP, mortality was 11% (eight of 74) and 19% (seven of 36), respectively. Aztreonam-avibactam was generally well tolerated, and safety findings were consistent with the known safety profile of aztreonam monotherapy. There were no treatment-related serious adverse events in the aztreonam-avibactam group.
Interpretation: These phase 3 efficacy and safety data provide support for aztreonam-avibactam as a potential therapeutic option for complicated intra-abdominal infection or HAP-VAP caused by Gram-negative bacteria.
Funding: Pfizer.
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Clarithromycin for improved clinical outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia: A subgroup analysis of the ACCESS trial
Authors: Karolina Akinosoglou
Abstract
Background: In the ACCESS trial, the addition of clarithromycin to standard-of-care antibiotics (SoC) enhanced early clinical response and attenuated the inflammatory burden in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring hospitalisation. A post-hoc analysis was performed to investigate the benefit in specific subgroups.
Methods: The primary endpoint comprised two conditions to be met during the first 72 h: ≥50% decrease in respiratory symptom severity score; and any of ≥30% decrease in sequential organ failure assessment score and favourable change in the kinetics of procalcitonin (PCT, defined as ≥80% PCT decrease or PCT <0.25 ng/mL). In this exploratory post-hoc analysis, achievement of the study composite primary endpoint was compared between the two treatment groups within subsets differentiated by demographic characteristics, comorbidities, CAP severity, baseline laboratory findings and corticosteroid co-administration. The impact of clarithromycin treatment on the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) in all subgroups was also analysed.
Results: The addition of clarithromycin significantly increased the proportion of patients achieving the primary endpoint across all subgroups and decreased the need for MV in 19 out of the 37 subgroups studied. For instance, the primary endpoint was attained in 32.7% of placebo-treated patients and in 67% of clarithromycin-treated patients with CURB-65 score ≥2 (P<0.0001), whereas MV was required in 18.8% and 7.4% of patients, respectively (P=0.022). The addition of corticosteroids alone was not as clinically advantageous as the use of clarithromycin alone, when added to SoC.
Conclusion: Adding clarithromycin to SoC in the ACCESS trial achieved early clinical anti-inflammatory responses and decreased the need for MV in subgroups of hospitalised patients with CAP.
Keywords: Clarithromycin; Early response; Inflammation; Pneumonia.
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Safety and Tolerability of CP101, a Full-Spectrum, Oral Microbiome Therapeutic for the Prevention of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection: A Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Jessica R Allegretti
Abstract
Background & aims: Recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) remain common. While novel microbiome therapeutics gain approval, the efficacy of a full-spectrum, oral microbiome therapeutic is unknown. This study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of CP101, an orally administered microbiome therapeutic, to restore a diverse microbiome and prevent recurrent CDI in a broad population.
Methods: We conducted a multicenter, phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults with recurrent CDI. Participants with one or more CDI recurrences and diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction or toxin enzyme immunoassay for the qualifying episode were included. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive a single oral dose of either CP101 (∼6 × 1011 colony-forming units of lyophilized microbial cells) or placebo after standard-of-care antibiotics. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of participants without CDI recurrence through week 8. Safety, efficacy, and microbiome endpoints were evaluated through weeks 8 and 24.
Results: A total of 198 participants were analyzed: CP101 (n = 102) and placebo (n = 96). Overall, 27.5% had a first recurrence, and 62.7% were diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction-based testing. The proportion without CDI recurrence through week 8 was significantly higher in the CP101 group compared to the placebo group (74.5% [76 of 102] vs 61.5% [59 of 96], respectively; P = .0488), with durable efficacy observed through week 24 (73.5% [75 of 102] vs 59.4% [57 of 96], respectively; P = .0347). Similar efficacy was observed regardless of diagnostic modality or number of CDI recurrences. Rapid and durable increase in microbiome diversity was observed in the CP101 group compared to the placebo group. The incidence of adverse events was similar between the 2 groups.
Conclusions: CP101 was superior to placebo in reducing recurrent CDI with a safety profile similar to placebo. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number NCT03110133).
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Phase 1 study of the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of a synthetic macrocyclic peptide antibiotic (BRII-693) in healthy adult participants
DOI: 10.1128/aac.01288-24
Authors: Michael Watkins
Abstract
BRII-693 is a next-generation intravenous (IV)-administered synthetic macrocyclic peptide antibiotic for infections caused by drug-resistant gram-negative pathogens. This single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 study investigated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of single and multiple ascending doses of BRII-693 in 104 healthy participants. In single-dose cohorts, 10-400 mg of BRII-693 was evaluated in eight participants (six active; two placebo) per cohort. In the 7-day repeat-dose cohorts, 100-200 mg of BRII-693 was evaluated in eight participants (six active; two placebo) per cohort. In two 14-day repeat-dose cohorts, 150 mg of BRII-693 was evaluated in 12 participants (10 active, two placebo) each of non-Chinese and Chinese descent. No participant reported a severe or serious adverse event (AE) or an AE leading to death. Across all cohorts and for non-Chinese and Chinese participants, most AEs were mild. Cmax and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) increased in a dose-proportional manner over the dose range of single- and repeat-dosing. Mean t1/2 was 2.58-4.37 hours and generally similar across single doses. An accumulation of exposure was observed following multiple doses with an accumulation ratio of 1.5 to 1.7 which was within the expected 1.3 to 2.5 range at steady state. Mean total clearance (CL) was similar between single and multiple dose administration, suggesting time-independent pharmacokinetics (PK). PK exposure was statistically equivalent between non-Chinese and Chinese participants. This phase 1 study demonstrates a favorable safety, tolerability, and PK profile of BRII-693 in healthy non-Chinese and Chinese participants.CLINICAL TRIALSThis study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04808414.
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Population pharmacokinetic analyses for sulbactam-durlobactam using Phase 1, 2, and 3 data
DOI: 10.1128/aac.00485-24
Authors: Anthony P Cammarata
Abstract
Sulbactam-durlobactam is a β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination approved in the United States for the treatment of hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia caused by susceptible isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus in adults. A population pharmacokinetic (PK) model of sulbactam-durlobactam in plasma was developed using data from eight Phase 1-3 studies. A total of 432 subjects and 8,100 plasma concentrations were available for the population PK data set. The combined model was a four-compartment (two compartments per drug) model with linear kinetics. Both renal clearance and nonrenal clearance were estimated, and total clearance was calculated as the sum of renal and nonrenal clearance. Individual renal clearances were scaled by baseline creatinine clearance. The sampling-importance-resampling analysis indicated that the parameters were estimated reliably with adequate precision. Hemodialysis (HD) and epithelial lining fluid (ELF) sub-models were developed for each analyte separately. Intermittent HD resulted in an approximately 30% decrease in the daily area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-24) when HD was started 1 hour after the end of the infusion. Assuming protein binding estimates of 10% and 38% for durlobactam and sulbactam, respectively, ELF penetration ratios were found to be 41.3% for durlobactam and 86.0% for sulbactam. Of the statistically significant covariates of PK identified, which included body weight, body mass index, infection type, and region of origin, renal function was the only clinically relevant covariate. Overall, a robust description of the plasma PK of sulbactam and durlobactam was achieved. The resultant population PK model was expected to be appropriate for model-based simulations and assessment of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships.
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Oral Regimens for Rifampin-Resistant, Fluoroquinolone-Susceptible Tuberculosis
Authors: Lorenzo Guglielmetti
Abstract
Background: For decades, poor treatment options and low-quality evidence plagued care for patients with rifampin-resistant tuberculosis. The advent of new drugs to treat tuberculosis and enhanced funding now permit randomized, controlled trials of shortened-duration, all-oral treatments for rifampin-resistant tuberculosis.
Methods: We conducted a phase 3, multinational, open-label, randomized, controlled noninferiority trial to compare standard therapy for treatment of fluoroquinolone-susceptible, rifampin-resistant tuberculosis with five 9-month oral regimens that included various combinations of bedaquiline (B), delamanid (D), linezolid (L), levofloxacin (Lfx) or moxifloxacin (M), clofazimine (C), and pyrazinamide (Z). Participants were randomly assigned (with the use of Bayesian response-adaptive randomization) to receive one of five combinations or standard therapy. The primary end point was a favorable outcome at week 73, defined by two negative sputum culture results or favorable bacteriologic, clinical, and radiologic evolution. The noninferiority margin was -12 percentage points.
Results: Among the 754 participants who underwent randomization, 699 were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis, and 562 in the per-protocol analysis. In the modified intention-to-treat analysis, 80.7% of the patients in the standard-therapy group had favorable outcomes. The risk difference between standard therapy and each of the four new regimens that were found to be noninferior in the modified intention-to-treat population was as follows: BCLLfxZ, 9.8 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9 to 18.7); BLMZ, 8.3 percentage points (95% CI, -0.8 to 17.4); BDLLfxZ, 4.6 percentage points (95% CI, -4.9 to 14.1); and DCMZ, 2.5 percentage points (95% CI, -7.5 to 12.5). Differences were similar in the per-protocol population, with the exception of DCMZ, which was not noninferior in that population. The proportion of participants with grade 3 or higher adverse events was similar across the regimens. Grade 3 or higher hepatotoxic events occurred in 11.7% of participants overall and in 7.1% of those receiving standard therapy.
Conclusions: Consistent results across all the analyses support the noninferior efficacy of three all-oral shortened regimens for the treatment of rifampin-resistant tuberculosis. (Funded by Unitaid and others; endTB ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02754765.)