Treatment of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter and impact on clinical outcomes in U.S. veterans affairs (VA) medical centers.

Fitzpatrick MA, Suda KJ, Poggensee L, Vivo A, Wilson G, Jones MM, Evans M, Safdar N, Evans CT. Treatment of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter and impact on clinical outcomes in U.S. veterans affairs (VA) medical centers. American journal of infection control. 2022 Sep 1; 50(9):1020-1025.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• RCS 20-192 – Research Career Scientist Award
• IIR 16-028 – Effectiveness of Treatment and Outcomes for Veterans Infected with Resistant Gram-negative Organisms.

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Guidelines for treatment of resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) are limited, leaving a knowledge gap in best practices for treatment. This study described treatments and outcomes of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) AB. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study including patients with XDRAB (non-susceptible to at least 1 agent in all but 2 or fewer classes) and antibiotic treatment between 2012 and 2018 at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Descriptive statistics summarized antibiotics; propensity score adjusted regression models were fit to compare outcomes. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-six patients with 439 XDRAB cultures and Gram-negative targeted antibiotic treatment were included. One hundred and eighteen (43%) patients received monotherapy while 158 (57%) received combination therapy, most commonly including a carbapenem (n  =  106, 67%) and polymyxin (n  =  66, 42%). One hundred and eighty-four (67%) patients received inadequate treatment. In adjusted models, combination therapy did not decrease the odds of in-hospital (aOR 1.24, 95%CI 0.60-2.59) or 30-day (aOR 1.43, 95%CI 0.86-2.38) mortality, or median postculture length of stay (aIRR 1.11, 95%CI 0.86-1.43). Likewise, receipt of inadequate treatment was not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In this national cohort of patients with XDRAB, neither combination therapy nor receipt of adequate treatment improved outcomes. Further research is needed on optimal management of this difficult-to-treat pathogen with few effective antibiotic options.