Breakpoints

Drs. Erin Barreto (@erin_barreto) and Jeffrey Lipman join Dr. Whitney Buckel for a conversation on ideal dosing of cefepime. Hear from the experts on the differences between package insert and “high-dose” regimens, adjustments for renal impairment/augmented renal clearance, and the role of cefepime therapeutic drug monitoring. References: Barreto EF, et al. Setting the Beta-Lactam Therapeutic Range for Critically Ill Patients: Is There a Floor or Even a Ceiling? Crit Care Explor. 2021 Jun 11;3(6):e0446.PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34136822/ Barreto EF, et al. Adequacy of cefepime concentrations in the early phase of critical illness: A case for precision pharmacotherapy. Pharmacotherapy. 2023 Nov;43(11):1112-1120. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36648390/ ** **Udy AA, et al. Augmented renal clearance: implications for antibacterial dosing in the critically ill. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2010;49(1):1-16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20000886/ Lipman J, Wallis SC, Boots RJ. Cefepime versus cefpirome: the importance of creatinine clearance.   Anesth Analg. 2003 Oct;97(4):1149-1154. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000077077.54084.B0.PMID: 14500173 Roberts JA, Ulldemolins M, Roberts MS, McWhinney B, Ungerer J, Paterson DL, Lipman J. Therapeutic drug monitoring of beta-lactams in critically ill patients: proof of concept.  Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2010 Oct;36(4):332-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2010.06.008. Epub 2010 Aug 3.PMID: 20685085

In our first episode released in both English and Spanish, Drs. Laila Woc-Colburn and Nicholás Ignacio Valdebenito Farías join Dr. José Pablo Díaz Madriz to discuss the role of the pharmacist in antimicrobial stewardship in Latin America. They discuss the need for growth of antimicrobial stewardship programs across Latin America, how pharmacists can expand their roles to support multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship teams, and much more!   Listen to Breakpoints on iTunes, Overcast, Spotify, Listen Notes, Player FM, Pocket Casts, TuneIn, Blubrry, RadioPublic, or by using our RSS feed: https://sidp.pinecast.co/. Visit our website! https://breakpoints-sidp.org/ References: Ciapponi A, Bardach A, Sandoval MM, Palermo MC, Navarro E, Espinal C, Quirós R. Systematic review and meta-analysis of deaths attributable to antimicrobial resistance, Latin America. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023 Nov;29(11):2335-44. doi:10.3201/eid2911.230753. PMID:37877573; PMCID:PMC10617342. Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators. The burden of antimicrobial resistance in the Americas in 2019: a cross-country systematic analysis. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2023 Aug 8;25:100561. doi:10.1016/j.lana.2023.100561. Erratum in: Lancet Reg Health Am. 2023 Nov 10;28:100632. doi:10.1016/j.lana.2023.100632. PMID:37727594; PMCID:PMC10505822. Fabre V, Secaira C, Cosgrove SE, Lessa FC, Patel TS, Alvarez AA, Anchiraico LM, Del Carmen Bangher M, Barberis MF, Burokas MS, Castañeda X, Colque AM, De Ascencao G, Esquivel C, Ezcurra C, Falleroni LA, Frassone N, Garzón MI, Gomez C, Gonzalez JA, Hernandez D, Laplume D, Lemir CG, Maldonado Briones H, Melgar M, Mesplet F, Martinez G, Pertuz CM, Moreno C, Nemirovsky C, Nuccetelli Y, Palacio B, Sandoval N, Vergara H, Videla H, Villamandos S, Villareal O, Viteri A, Quiros R. Deep dive into gaps and barriers to implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals in Latin America. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Jul 5;77(Suppl 1):S53-S61. doi:10.1093/cid/ciad184. PMID:37406044; PMCID:PMC10321692. Charani E, Smith I, Skodvin B, Perozziello A, Lucet JC, Lescure FX, Birgand G, Poda A, Ahmad R, Singh S, Holmes AH. Investigating the cultural and contextual determinants of antimicrobial stewardship programmes across low-, middle- and high-income countries: a qualitative study. PLoS One. 2019 Jan 16;14(1):e0209847. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209847. PMID:30650099; PMCID:PMC6335060. Bavestrello L, Cabello Á, Casanova D. Impact of regulatory measures on antibiotic sales in Chile. Rev Med Chil. 2002 Nov;130(11):1265-72. doi:10.4067/S0034-98872002001100009. ISSN 0034-9887. Díaz-Madriz JP, et al. Impact of a pharmacist-driven antimicrobial stewardship program in a private hospital in Costa Rica. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2020;44:e57. doi:10.26633/RPSP.2020.57. Díaz-Madriz JP, et al. Impact of a pharmacist-driven antimicrobial stewardship program on the prescription of antibiotics by intensive care physicians in a Latin American hospital: a retrospective study. J Am Coll Clin Pharm. 2022;5(11):1148-55. doi:10.1002/jac5.1708. Domínguez I, et al. Evaluación del consumo de antimicrobianos en 15 hospitales chilenos: resultados de un trabajo colaborativo, 2013. Rev Chil Infectol. 2016 Jun;33(3):307-12. doi:10.4067/S0716-10182016000300010. ISSN 0716-1018. Ministerio de Salud de Chile. Norma general técnica N°210 para la racionalización del uso de antimicrobianos en la atención clínica. Resolución Exenta N°1146, 2020. Disponible en: https://diprece.minsal.cl/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RES.-EXENTA-N%C2%B01146-Aprueba-Norma-Gral.-Te%CC%81cnica-N%C2%B00210-para-la-racionalizacio%CC%81n-del-uso-de-antimicrobianos-en-la-Atencio%CC%81n-Cli%CC%81nica_v2.pdf

En nuestro primer episodio publicado tanto en inglés como en español, la Dra. Laila Woc-Colburn y el QF. Nicolás Ignacio Valdebenito Farías se unen al Dr. José Pablo Díaz Madriz para hablar sobre el papel del farmacéutico en los PROA en América Latina. Ellos discuten la necesidad de expandir los PROA en toda la región, cómo los farmacéuticos pueden ampliar sus funciones para apoyar equipos multidisciplinarios dedicados a esta labor, ¡y mucho más! Ciapponi A, Bardach A, Sandoval MM, Palermo MC, Navarro E, Espinal C, Quirós R. Systematic review and meta-analysis of deaths attributable to antimicrobial resistance, Latin America. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023 Nov;29(11):2335-44. doi:10.3201/eid2911.230753. PMID:37877573; PMCID:PMC10617342. Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators. The burden of antimicrobial resistance in the Americas in 2019: a cross-country systematic analysis. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2023 Aug 8;25:100561. doi:10.1016/j.lana.2023.100561. Erratum in: Lancet Reg Health Am. 2023 Nov 10;28:100632. doi:10.1016/j.lana.2023.100632. PMID:37727594; PMCID:PMC10505822. Fabre V, Secaira C, Cosgrove SE, Lessa FC, Patel TS, Alvarez AA, Anchiraico LM, Del Carmen Bangher M, Barberis MF, Burokas MS, Castañeda X, Colque AM, De Ascencao G, Esquivel C, Ezcurra C, Falleroni LA, Frassone N, Garzón MI, Gomez C, Gonzalez JA, Hernandez D, Laplume D, Lemir CG, Maldonado Briones H, Melgar M, Mesplet F, Martinez G, Pertuz CM, Moreno C, Nemirovsky C, Nuccetelli Y, Palacio B, Sandoval N, Vergara H, Videla H, Villamandos S, Villareal O, Viteri A, Quiros R. Deep dive into gaps and barriers to implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals in Latin America. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Jul 5;77(Suppl 1):S53-S61. doi:10.1093/cid/ciad184. PMID:37406044; PMCID:PMC10321692. Charani E, Smith I, Skodvin B, Perozziello A, Lucet JC, Lescure FX, Birgand G, Poda A, Ahmad R, Singh S, Holmes AH. Investigating the cultural and contextual determinants of antimicrobial stewardship programmes across low-, middle- and high-income countries: a qualitative study. PLoS One. 2019 Jan 16;14(1):e0209847. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209847. PMID:30650099; PMCID:PMC6335060. Bavestrello L, Cabello Á, Casanova D. Impact of regulatory measures on antibiotic sales in Chile. Rev Med Chil. 2002 Nov;130(11):1265-72. doi:10.4067/S0034-98872002001100009. ISSN 0034-9887. Díaz-Madriz JP, et al. Impact of a pharmacist-driven antimicrobial stewardship program in a private hospital in Costa Rica. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2020;44:e57. doi:10.26633/RPSP.2020.57. Díaz-Madriz JP, et al. Impact of a pharmacist-driven antimicrobial stewardship program on the prescription of antibiotics by intensive care physicians in a Latin American hospital: a retrospective study. J Am Coll Clin Pharm. 2022;5(11):1148-55. doi:10.1002/jac5.1708. Domínguez I, et al. Evaluación del consumo de antimicrobianos en 15 hospitales chilenos: resultados de un trabajo colaborativo, 2013. Rev Chil Infectol. 2016 Jun;33(3):307-12. doi:10.4067/S0716-10182016000300010. ISSN 0716-1018. Ministerio de Salud de Chile. Norma general técnica N°210 para la racionalización del uso de antimicrobianos en la atención clínica. Resolución Exenta N°1146, 2020. Disponible en: https://diprece.minsal.cl/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RES.-EXENTA-N%C2%B01146-Aprueba-Norma-Gral.-Te%CC%81cnica-N%C2%B00210-para-la-racionalizacio%CC%81n-del-uso-de-antimicrobianos-en-la-Atencio%CC%81n-Cli%CC%81nica_v2.pdf

In this second-ever collaboration between SIDP’s Breakpoints and ESCMID’s Communicable podcasts, hosts Erin McCreary and Angela Huttner invite the two principal investigators and visionaries who spearheaded the Bacteremia Antibiotic Length Actually Needed for Clinical Effectiveness (BALANCE) trial, Nick Daneman and Rob Fowler from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, for a “deep dive into all things that went into this trial.” The BALANCE trial spanned over ten years investigating - as the acronym title suggests - whether a shorter treatment duration of seven days was non-inferior to the standard of care of fourteen days for bacteremia. The conversation covers everything from the initial hallway discussions that sparked the trial, the trial itself that screened over 36,000 patients and enrolled +3,600, its impact on clinical practice, key takeaways, and what’s next for Daneman and Fowler. References: BALANCE Investigators, et al. Antibiotic Treatment for 7 versus 14 Days in Patients with Bloodstream Infections. N Engl J Med. 2025 March. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2404991

Dr. Sam Windham, an Assistant Professor and infectious diseases expert, teams up with Whitney Hartlage, an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist, to delve into community-acquired pneumonia. They discuss the role of rapid diagnostic tests and the nuanced use of corticosteroids, challenging traditional treatment norms. The duo also examines the implications of PCR tests versus sputum cultures, and the importance of tailoring antibiotic therapies as resistance grows. Their insights highlight the evolving landscape of pneumonia management, stressing patient-centered approaches.

Drs. David Andes and Isabel Spriet join Dr. Jeannette Bouchard to discuss all of the top questions our audience had on fluconazole dosing. Who needs a load? How much fluconazole is too much fluconazole? And what did one of our experts do when they were asked about dosing fluconazole in a dolphin? Listen in to find out! Listen to Breakpoints on iTunes, Overcast, Spotify, Listen Notes, Player FM, Pocket Casts, TuneIn, Blubrry, RadioPublic, or by using our RSS feed: https://sidp.pinecast.co/. Visit our website! https://breakpoints-sidp.org/ References: Fluconazole PK Variability in Critically Ill: DOI 10.3390/microorganisms9102068 DALI Antifungal Follow-up: DOI 10.1186/s13054-015-0758-3

In this special LIVE podcast episode, Drs. Zahra Kassamali Escobar (@zkepharmD) and Jamie Wagner (@jamiewagner) present the latest and greatest in ID literature from MAD-ID 2025 (@MAD_ID_ASP) in Orlando, FL. They cover everything from ground-breaking randomized controlled trials and updates to the treatment of resistant gram-negatives to exciting pipeline agents. If you’re behind on what has been published recently in ID, this episode is for you! Google Drive to Slides from Live Session: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HdPEJUA2EXk0xL3JKJfuV9-HdGjgRnSD/view?usp=drivesdk How to Obtain BCIDP Recertification Credit for this Episode: Visit sidp.org/BCIDP for more information Breakpoints merchandise is available at https://sidp.toptierstores.com/ Listen to Breakpoints on iTunes, Overcast, Spotify, Listen Notes, Player FM, Pocket Casts, TuneIn, Blubrry, RadioPublic, or by using our RSS feed: https://sidp.pinecast.co/. Check out our podcast host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-7e7a98 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Breakpoints.

Drs. Amy Crockett (@amyhcrockett), Ben Ereshefsky (@brainofbpharm), and Pamela Bailey (@pamipenem) join Dr. Julie Ann Justo (@julie_justo) to discuss new treatment strategies for management of intraamniotic infections, also known as chorioamnionitis. They discuss whether it is time to move away from the combination of ampicillin, gentamicin, and/or clindamycin, alternative antibiotic regimens to consider, and stewardship strategies to approach this practice change at a local level. References: Basic stats/epi on chorioamnionitis: Romero R, et al. Clinical chorioamnionitis at term I: microbiology of the amniotic cavity using cultivation and molecular techniques. J Perinat Med. 2015 Jan;43(1):19-36. doi: 10.1515/jpm-2014-0249. PMID: 25720095. ACOG 2017 Guideline for IAI: Committee Opinion No. 712: Intrapartum Management of Intraamniotic Infection. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Aug;130(2):e95-e101. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002236. PMID: 28742677. ACOG 2024 Update on clinical criteria for IAI: ACOG Clinical Practice Update: Update on Criteria for Suspected Diagnosis of Intraamniotic Infection. Obstetrics & Gynecology 144(1):p e17-e19, July 2024. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005593 Helpful review with more recent microorganisms : Jung E, et al. Clinical chorioamnionitis at term: definition, pathogenesis, microbiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Mar;230(3S):S807-S840. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.02.002. PMID: 38233317. Cochrane Review: Chapman E, et al. Antibiotic regimens for management of intra-amniotic infection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Dec 19;2014(12):CD010976. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010976.pub2. PMID: 25526426. Helpful recent review on intrapartum infections: Bailey, P, et al_._ Out with the Old, In with the New: A Review of the Treatment of Intrapartum Infections. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2024;26:107–113 doi: 10.1007/s11908-024-00838-8. Role of genital mycoplasmas in IAI: Romero R, et al. Evidence that intra-amniotic infections are often the result of an ascending invasion - a molecular microbiological study. J Perinat Med. 2019 Nov 26;47(9):915-931. doi: 10.1515/jpm-2019-0297. PMID: 31693497. Regimens without enterococcal coverage with similar clinical outcomes: Blanco JD, et al. Randomized comparison of ceftazidime versus clindamycin-tobramycin in the treatment of obstetrical and gynecological infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1983 Oct;24(4):500-4. doi: 10.1128/AAC.24.4.500. PMID: 6360038. Bookstaver PB, et al. A review of antibiotic use in pregnancy. Pharmacotherapy. 2015 Nov;35(11):1052-62. doi: 10.1002/phar.1649. PMID: 26598097. Updated review in pregnancy, includes data on frequency of antibiotic use in pregnancy: Nguyen J, et al. A review of antibiotic safety in pregnancy-2025 update. Pharmacotherapy. 2025 Apr;45(4):227-237. doi: 10.1002/phar.70010. Epub 2025 Mar 19. PMID: 40105039. Locksmith GJ, et al. High compared with standard gentamicin dosing for chorioamnionitis: a comparison of maternal and fetal serum drug levels. Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Mar;105(3):473-9. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000151106.87930.1a. PMID: 15738010. Clindamycin CDI Risk: Miller AC, et al. Comparison of Different Antibiotics and the Risk for Community-Associated Clostridioides difficile Infection: A Case-Control Study. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2023 Aug 5;10(8):ofad413. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofad413. PMID: 37622034. Impact of penicillin allergy on clindamycin use & cites 47% clindamycin resistance per CDC among GBS: Snider JB, et al. Antibiotic choice for Group B Streptococcus prophylaxis in mothers with reported penicillin allergy and associated newborn outcomes. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023 May 30;23(1):400. doi: 10.1186/s12884-023-05697-0. PMID: 37254067. Clindamycin anaerobic coverage data: Hastey CJ, et al. Changes in the antibiotic susceptibility of anaerobic bacteria from 2007-2009 to 2010-2012 based on the CLSI methodology. Anaerobe. 2016 Dec;42:27-30. doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2016.07.003. PMID: 27427465. Older PK study of ampicillin & gentamicin for chorioamnionitis: Gilstrap LC 3rd, Bawdon RE, Burris J. Antibiotic concentration in maternal blood, cord blood, and placental membranes in chorioamnionitis. Obstet Gynecol. 1988 Jul;72(1):124-5. PMID: 3380500. Paper putting out the call for modernization of OB/Gyn antibiotic regimens: Pek Z, Heil E, Wilson E. Getting With the Times: A Review of Peripartum Infections and Proposed Modernized Treatment Regimens. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2022 Sep 5;9(9):ofac460. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofac460. PMID: 36168554. Vanderbilt University Medical Center experience with modernizing OB/Gyn infection regimens: Smiley C, et al. Implementing Updated Intraamniotic Infection Guidelines at a Large Academic Medical Center. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2024 Sep 5;11(9):ofae475. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofae475. PMID: 39252868. Prisma Health/University of South Carolina experience with modernizing OB/Gyn infection regimens: Bailey P, et al. Cefoxitin for Intra-amniotic Infections and Endometritis: A Retrospective Comparison to Traditional Antimicrobial Therapy Regimens Within a Healthcare System. Clin Infect Dis. 2024 Jul 19;79(1):247-254. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae042. PMID: 38297884.

In this engaging discussion, guests Steven Tong and Joshua Davis, both esteemed infectious diseases physicians, dive into the monumental SNAP trial addressing Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. They highlight the trial's innovative design, which allows for exploring multiple clinical questions simultaneously. Key findings reveal the potential superiority of kefazolin over flucloxacillin in mortality and kidney safety outcomes. The conversation also touches on the challenges of patient enrollment and the significance of Bayesian statistics in refining treatment options. Personal anecdotes from their travels add a relatable touch to the science.

Dr. Jeannette Bouchard is joined by experts Dr. Romney Humphries, Emily Fox, and Matt Miller to discuss the hot topic of blood culture stewardship and the details of how these experts persevered through the recent blood culture bottle shortage that caused chaos throughout health care institutions at the end of 2024! This medical education was provided by an education grant from bioMerieux. References: Fabre BCx Stewardship Article doi: 10.1128/JCM.01005-21 ED Bcx Stewardship doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.04.198 CT Surgery Stewardship doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivaf005 Every Crisis is an Opportunity doi:  10.1093/ofid/ofae479 Fun IV Coconut Water from I Feel Nerdy section: https://dr-martins.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2000_the-intravenous-use-of-coconut-water.pdf