Yosra Alkabab

Introduction: People living with HIV (PLWH) have a higher incidence of end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) than HIV‐negative individuals and are less likely to receive a kidney transplant. We described attrition and delays across the transplant care continuum for PLWH with ESRD at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and explored factors associated with waitlisting. Methods: Retrospective review of electronic health records of PLWH with ESRD who received care at MUSC or were referred for kidney transplantation between May 1, 2012 and December 31, 2023. Progression through the transplant continuum (referral, evaluation initiation, evaluation completion, waitlisting, and transplantation) was quantified. Multivariable time‐to‐event analyses was performed. Results: Among 234 PLWH with ESRD, transplant referral occurred in 190 (80%), of whom 135 (71%) initiated evaluation, 75 (39%) completed evaluation, 62 (32%) were waitlisted, and 44 (23%) received a transplant. Among evaluation non‐completers, outstanding testing (42%) and excessive comorbidities (15%) were the most common reasons. Median time from dialysis to referral was 510 days (IQR 139–1665), and median time from evaluation to waitlisting was 306 days (IQR 186–520). In multivariable Cox regression, peritoneal dialysis was associated with shorter time to waitlisting (HR 2.60; 95% CI 1.17–5.75; p = 0.02) and Black race trended towards longer time to waitlisting (HR 0.30; 95% CI 0.08–1.11; p = 0.07). Conclusions: Although PLWH with ESRD at MUSC progressed through the transplant continuum, substantial delays were observed. Interventions to reduce structural and logistical barriers and streamline evaluation steps may improve timely access to kidney transplantation. image

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) resistance remains a significant challenge in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients and is associated with morbidity, mortality, and graft loss. Contemporary data describing institutional patterns of resistant CMV and real-world management practices remain limited. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of SOT recipients with confirmed CMV resistance at a tertiary care transplant center between 2019 and 2023. Clinical characteristics, antiviral exposure, timing of Transplant Infectious Diseases (TID) consultation, and outcomes were abstracted through structured chart review. CMV resistance was defined by the presence of UL97 or UL54 mutations on genotypic testing. Results: Seventeen SOT recipients with confirmed CMV resistance were identified, most of whom were CMV donor-positive/recipient-negative and receiving valganciclovir prophylaxis at the time of resistance detection. The median time from transplant to CMV detection was 129 days (IQR: 56–167). Resistance was detected on the first genotypic assay in all cases, with UL97 mutations present in all patients. Among patients receiving prophylaxis at the initial CMV episode, 64% met criteria for valganciclovir underdosing. Early transplant infectious diseases consultation at the initial infection occurred in 35% of cases. Conclusions: In this single-center study, CMV resistance was detected during valganciclovir prophylaxis, often in the setting of underdosing during periods of dynamic renal function. Resistance was predominantly mediated by UL97 mutations and detected on initial genotypic testing. These findings describe care processes, including valganciclovir dose reassessment during dynamic renal function and earlier transplant infectious diseases involvement, that warrant further evaluation for improving CMV management in transplant recipients.

Background: The global outbreak of Mycobacterium chimaera infections associated with HCDs resulted in new maintenance recommendations. Since 2018, HCDs have been disinfected according to instructions for use (IFU), including twice-monthly bleach disinfection and monitoring hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to maintain a minimum daily concentration of 100 ppm. In February 2020, the IFU added the recommendation to perform microbiologic surveillance of HCD tank water to ensure effectiveness of disinfection to levels of Methods: In 2022, we began culturing tank water in 10 HCDs for NTM. For a subset of 6 HCDs, quantitative NTM culturing of tank water before and after bleach disinfection was done. After initial results indicated widespread-contamination of HCDs with M. chimaera, we performed fill water cultures from 5 sinks in 4 HCD maintenance rooms. We also conducted 20 two-hour NTM settle-plate cultures of a cardiac operating room (OR) at different sites both inside (n = 7) and outside (n = 3) the OR: 10 with the HCD (located outside the OR) turned off (controls) and 10 with HCD turned on (exposure). A paired t test was used to evaluate differences in mean recovery of NTM in tank water samples. Results: Cultures from 7 (70%) of 10 HCDs were positive, with a mean of 13.6 CFU/mL M. chimaera (Table 1). There was no significant difference between the 10 pairs of pre- and postdisinfection NTM cultures done according to the IFU from 6 HCDs: mean predisinfection cultures (15.5 CFU/mL) versus mean postdisinfection cultures (12 CFU/mL) (P = .90) (Table 2). For fill water, 1 of 7 sink samples in 1 of 4 rooms was positive for M. chimaera ( M. avium–intracellulare complex. Conclusions: Our data cannot clearly refute either of 2 possible scenarios for HCD contamination: cross contamination during device maintenance versus at the point of manufacture. Despite the IFU guidance or disinfection being implemented, disinfection procedures failed to suppress NTM contamination, and tank water within most HCDs was contaminated with M. chimaera regardless of age or whether it was deep cleaned or upgraded with an aerosol containment device. Disclosures: None

Background: In recent non-pandemic periods, tuberculosis (TB) has been the leading killer worldwide from a single infectious disease. Patients with DM are three times more likely to develop active TB and poor treatment outcomes. Single glycemic measurements at TB diagnosis may inaccurately diagnose or mischaracterize DM severity. Data are limited regarding glycemic dynamics from TB diagnosis through treatment. Methods: Prospective study of glycemia dynamics in response to TB treatment measured glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients presenting to TB screening centres in Bangladesh to determine the prevalence and risk factors of hyperglycemia before and at TB treatment completion. Results: 429 adults with active TB disease were enrolled and divided into groups based on history of DM and initial HbA1c range: normoglycemia, prediabetes, and DM. DM was diagnosed in 37%. At treatment completion,14(6%) patients from the normoglycemia and prediabetes groups had HbA1c>6.5%, thus increasing the prevalence of DM to 39%. The number needed to screen to diagnose one new case of DM at TB diagnosis was 5.7 and 16 at treatment completion in the groups without DM. Weight gain>5% at treatment completion significantly increased the risk of hyperglycemia in the groups without DM at TB diagnosis (95% CI 1.23–26.04, p<0.05). Conclusion: HbA1c testing prior to and at TB treatment completion found a high prevalence of prediabetes and DM, including a proportion found at treatment completion and commonly in people with a higher percentage of weight gain. Further longitudinal research is needed to understand the effects of TB disease and treatment on insulin resistance and DM complications.

Background: Prior research suggests that diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with increasing risk for developing cavitary lung disease in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Additionally, chest computed tomography (CT) scan may be more sensitive than chest X-ray in detecting cavitary disease in such patients. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of chest CT to chest X-ray in detecting cavitary lung disease and to compare the frequency of cavities between TB patients with DM and without DM. Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2004 to December 2015. We included patients aged 18 years and older with a positive sputum culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and their medical charts were reviewed from admission to discharge. Results: Of the 133 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 38 (28.6%) patients were known to have DM and were compared with 95 (71.4%) patients without DM. DM patients with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) >6.5% had significantly more cavitary lesions when compared to all patients (with or without DM) with HbA1c Conclusion: The presence of lung cavities was significantly associated with the presence of DM and levels of HbA1c in patients with pulmonary TB. CT scan in those with normal radiography increased the detection of cavities.

Diabetes complicates tuberculosis (TB) treatment including a prolonged time of sputum culture conversion to negative growth. Since 2013 in Virginia, interventions early in the treatment course have used therapeutic drug monitoring and dose correction for isoniazid and rifampin after 2 weeks of TB treatment in patients with diabetes along with nurse manager initiated diabetes education and linkage to care. A retrospective cohort study of the state TB registry was performed for patients initiating drug-susceptible pulmonary TB treatment that were matched for age, gender, chest imaging and sputum smear status to compare time to sputum culture conversion and other clinical outcomes in the pre-and post-intervention groups. Three hundred sixty-three patients had documented time to sputum culture conversion in the pre-and post-intervention periods, including 56 (15%) with diabetes. Seventy-four (57%) of all patients with diabetes were ≥60 years of age at treatment initiation. Twenty-six patients with diabetes were matched in each group. Mean time to sputum culture conversion in the post-intervention group was 42 ± 22 days compared to the pre-intervention group of 62 ± 31 days (p = 0.01). In the post-intervention group 21 (80%) of patients with diabetes had culture conversion by 2 months compared to 13 (50%) in the pre-intervention group (p = 0.04). Early interventions for diabetes related TB in the programmatic setting may hasten sputum culture conversion.