Efficacy of cefiderocol- vs colistin-containing regimen for treatment of bacteraemic ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in patients with COVID-19

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.106825Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in patients hospitalized in intensive care units for coronavirus disease-2019 is an important and challenging superinfection.

  • Considering the poor lung penetration of most antibiotics, the choice of the best antibiotic regimen for treatment of VAP is still being debated.

  • Data from this study showed a possible benefit deriving from the use of cefiderocol and its association with fosfomycin compared with a colistin-based regimen.

  • This real-life study in patients with bacteraemic VAP provides useful suggestions for clinicians about the management of this difficult-to-treat infection.

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) is an important and challenging complication, including in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Considering the poor lung penetration of most antibiotics, including intravenous colistin due to the poor pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics at the infection site, the choice of the best antibiotic regimen is still being debated.

Methods

This single-centre, observational study was conducted from March 2020 to August 2022, and included all patients hospitalized consecutively with VAP and concomitant bloodstream infection due to CRAB in the COVID-ICU. The main goal of the study was to evaluate risk factors associated with survival or death at 30 days from VAP onset. A propensity score for receiving therapy was added to the model.

Results

During the study period, 73 patients who developed VAP and concomitant positive blood cultures caused by CRAB were enrolled in the COVID-ICU. Of these patients, 67 (91.7%) developed septic shock, 42 (57.5%) had died at 14 days and 59 (80.8%) had died at 30 days. Overall, 54 (74%) patients were treated with a colistin-containing regimen and 19 (26%) were treated with a cefiderocol-containing regimen. Cox regression analysis showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and age were independently associated with 30-day mortality. Conversely, cefiderocol-containing regimens and cefiderocol + fosfomycin in combination were independently associated with 30-day survival, as confirmed by propensity score analysis.

Conclusions

This real-life study in patients with bacteraemic VAP caused by CRAB provides useful suggestions for clinicians, showing a possible benefit of cefiderocol and its association with fosfomycin.

Keywords

VAP
Acinetobacter spp.
Carbapenem-resistant
Cefiderocol
Colistin
Fosfomycin

Cited by (0)

These authors contributed equally.

These authors contributed equally.