2022
The cascade of care in testing and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in liver transplant candidates
Palacios C, Medvedeva N, Cheung H, Cohen E, Azar M, Malinis M. The cascade of care in testing and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in liver transplant candidates. Transplant Infectious Disease 2022, 25: e13999. PMID: 36484433, DOI: 10.1111/tid.13999.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLatent tuberculosis infectionLT candidatesIndeterminate IGRALTBI testingTuberculosis infectionCascade of carePost-liver transplantLiver transplant candidatesProportion of patientsRetrospective chart reviewTB-endemic countriesInterferon-gamma releaseTreatment completion ratesCompletion ratesLTBI treatmentPositive IGRATB reactivationCare cascadeTreatment-naïveChart reviewSecondary outcomesTransplant candidatesPrimary outcomeTreatment initiationChest imaging535. Evaluation of the BioFire Blood Culture Identification (BCID2) panel for transplant recipients with a bloodstream infection
Palacios C, Peaper D, Malinis M, Malinis M, Perreault S, Cohen E, Vogel J, Azar M. 535. Evaluation of the BioFire Blood Culture Identification (BCID2) panel for transplant recipients with a bloodstream infection. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2022, 9: ofac492.588. PMCID: PMC9752191, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac492.588.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBone marrow transplant recipientsTransplant recipientsBloodstream infectionsBlood culturesPositive blood culturesClinical trialsPrimary investigatorSolid organ recipientsMarrow transplant recipientsRetrospective chart reviewYear of transplantationAntimicrobial susceptibility resultsBlood Culture Identification PanelBSI eventsChart reviewOptimal therapyOrgan recipientsMean ageMultiplex PCR panelSame patientGeneral populationPolymicrobial culturesCandida sppPeripheral sitesRecipientsReal-world assessment of the clinical utility of whole body 18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of infection.
Medvedeva N, Radcliffe C, Malinis M, Chen M, Azar M. Real-world assessment of the clinical utility of whole body 18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of infection. PLOS ONE 2022, 17: e0277403. PMID: 36374789, PMCID: PMC9662742, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277403.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPET/CTClinical impactFDG PET/CTRetrospective chart reviewEmission tomography/Evaluation of infectionDiagnosis of infectionVariety of syndromesInfectious indicationsChart reviewCommon indicationTomography useUnknown etiologyEndovascular infectionTomography/Antimicrobial managementClinical indicationsReal-world assessmentInclusion criteriaClinical utilityPatientsTreatment managementUnknown originInfectionCTRectal screening for azole non‐susceptible Candida species in patients undergoing liver transplantation
Radcliffe C, Patel KK, Azar MM, Koff A, Belfield KD, Peaper DR, Topal JE, Malinis M. Rectal screening for azole non‐susceptible Candida species in patients undergoing liver transplantation. Transplant Infectious Disease 2022, 24: e13811. PMID: 35184347, DOI: 10.1111/tid.13811.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAppropriate antifungal prophylaxisAntifungal prophylaxisRisk factorsTransplant recipientsRectal swabsSolid organ transplant recipientsCommon invasive fungal infectionYale-New Haven HospitalDays of LTTime of LTLiver transplant recipientsOrgan transplant recipientsRetrospective chart reviewMore risk factorsMultiple risk factorsInvasive fungal infectionsNew Haven HospitalPrimary LTLiver transplantationAdult patientsChart reviewLT candidatesRectal screeningCandida infectionsMedian number
2020
Clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold values in solid organ transplant recipients
Gaston DC, Malinis M, Osborn R, Peaper DR, Landry M, Juthani-Mehta M, Azar MM. Clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold values in solid organ transplant recipients. American Journal Of Transplantation 2020, 21: 1304-1311. PMID: 33043603, PMCID: PMC7675520, DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16357.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSolid organ transplant recipientsOrgan transplant recipientsClinical implicationsCycle threshold valuesSOT patientsTransplant recipientsSymptom onsetYale New Haven Health SystemUpper respiratory tract samplesSARS-CoV-2 viral RNASARS-CoV-2 viral dynamicsAdult SOT recipientsRetrospective chart reviewRespiratory tract samplesSARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold valuesInfection prevention measuresCOVID-19 severityViral RNAHigher clinical acuityPrimary diagnostic testRT-PCR assaysSOT recipientsChart reviewViral loadAdmission severityTocilizumab Treatment for Cytokine Release Syndrome in Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Survival and Clinical Outcomes
Price CC, Altice FL, Shyr Y, Koff A, Pischel L, Goshua G, Azar MM, Mcmanus D, Chen SC, Gleeson SE, Britto CJ, Azmy V, Kaman K, Gaston DC, Davis M, Burrello T, Harris Z, Villanueva MS, Aoun-Barakat L, Kang I, Seropian S, Chupp G, Bucala R, Kaminski N, Lee AI, LoRusso PM, Topal JE, Dela Cruz C, Malinis M. Tocilizumab Treatment for Cytokine Release Syndrome in Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Survival and Clinical Outcomes. CHEST Journal 2020, 158: 1397-1408. PMID: 32553536, PMCID: PMC7831876, DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2020.06.006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCytokine release syndromeTocilizumab-treated patientsSevere diseaseRelease syndromeTocilizumab treatmentInflammatory biomarkersNonsevere diseaseSoluble IL-2 receptor levelsHigh-sensitivity C-reactive proteinIL-2 receptor levelsConsecutive COVID-19 patientsIL-6 receptor antagonistMechanical ventilation outcomesC-reactive proteinCOVID-19 patientsHigher admission levelsRace/ethnicityMV daysVentilation outcomesAdverse eventsChart reviewClinical responseMedian ageWhite patientsClinical outcomes
2018
1988. Development of a Laboratory Stewardship Algorithm for Anaplasma phagocytophilum Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing
Anahtar M, Pattanayak V, Branda J, Azar M, Coffey K, Eng G, Rudolf J, Baron J, Lewandrowski K, Turbett S. 1988. Development of a Laboratory Stewardship Algorithm for Anaplasma phagocytophilum Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2018, 5: s578-s578. PMCID: PMC6253421, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofy210.1644.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWhite blood cellsPolymerase chain reactionClinical criteriaPCR testMedian white blood cellPolymerase chain reaction testingComplete blood count valuesBlood count valuesLow positivity ratePreferred diagnostic methodAnaplasma infectionMann-Whitney testChart reviewLaboratory abnormalitiesUnstable patientsClinical parametersPositivity ratePCR testingPLT countReaction testingTypical laboratory abnormalitiesPatientsNegative casesRoche Diagnostics