We aimed to measure the association between 2013 guideline concordant prophylactic antibiotic use prior to surgery and infection with Clostridium difficile. We conducted a retrospective case-control study by selecting patients who underwent a surgical procedure between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. Large urban community hospital. Cases and controls were patients age 18+ years who underwent an eligible surgery (i.e., colorectal, neurosurgery, vascular/cardiac/thoracic, hysterectomy, abdominal/pelvic and orthopedic surgical procedures) within six months prior to infection diagnosis. Cases were diagnosed with C. difficile infection while controls were not. The primary exposure was receiving (vs. not receiving) the recommended prophylactic antibiotic regimen, based on type and duration. Potential confounders included age, sex, length of hospital stay, comorbidities, type of surgery, and prior antibiotic use. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression. We enrolled 68 cases and 220 controls. The adjusted OR among surgical patients between developing C. difficile infection and not receiving the recommended prophylactic antibiotic regimen (usually receiving antimicrobial prophylaxis for more than 24 hours) was 6.7 (95% CI: 2.9–15.5). Independent risk factors for developing C. difficile infection included having severe comorbidities, receiving antibiotics within the previous 6 months, and undergoing orthopedic surgery. Adherence to the recommended prophylactic antibiotics among surgical patients likely reduces the probability of being case of C. difficile. Antibiotic stewardship should be a priority in strategies to decrease the morbidity, mortality, and costs associated with C. difficile infection.

Objective.: Employees of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) who have contact with residents should be vaccinated against influenza annually to reduce influenza incidence among residents. This investigation estimated the magnitude of the benefit of this recommendation.Methods.: The New Mexico Department of Health implemented active surveillance in all of its 75 LTCFs during influenza seasons 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Information about the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza and the proportion vaccinated of both residents and direct-care employees in each facility was collected monthly. LTCFs reporting at least 1 case of influenza (defined alternately by laboratory confirmation or symptoms of influenza-like illness [ILI]) among residents were compared with LTCFs reporting no cases of influenza. Regression modeling was used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between employee vaccination coverage and the occurrence of influenza outbreaks. Covariates included vaccination coverage among residents, the staff-to-resident ratio, and the proportion of filled beds.Results.: Seventeen influenza outbreaks were reported during this 2-year period of surveillance. Eleven of these were laboratory confirmed (n = 21 residents) and 6 were defined by ILI (n = 40 residents). Mean influenza vaccination coverage among direct-care employees was 51% in facilities reporting outbreaks and 60% in facilities not reporting outbreaks (P = .12). Increased vaccination coverage among direct-care employees was associated with fewer reported outbreaks of laboratory-confirmed influenza (aOR, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.95-0.99]) and ILI (aOR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.96-1.00]).Conclusions.: High vaccination coverage among direct-care employees helps to prevent influenza in LTCFs.

Data on the population‐based incidence of cancer‐associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) from racially diverse populations are limited. To evaluate the incidence and burden of cancer‐associated VTE, including demographic and racial subgroups in the general population of Oklahoma County—which closely mirrors the United States. A population‐based prospective study. We conducted surveillance of VTE at tertiary care facilities and outpatient clinics in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, from 2012–2014. Surveillance included reviewing all imaging reports used to diagnose VTE and identifying VTE events from hospital discharge data and death certificates. Cancer status was determined by linkage to the Oklahoma Central Cancer Registry. We used Poisson regression to calculate crude and age‐adjusted incidence rates of cancer‐associated VTE per 100 000 general population per year, with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The age‐adjusted incidence (95% CI) of cancer‐associated VTE among adults age ≥ 18 was 70.0 (65.1–75.3). The age‐adjusted incidence rates (95% CI) were 85.9 (72.7–101.6) for non‐Hispanic Blacks, 79.5 (13.2–86.5) for non‐Hispanic Whites, 18.8 (8.9–39.4) for Native Americans, 15.6 (7.0–34.8) for Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 15.2 (9.2–25.1) for Hispanics. Recurrent VTE up to 2 years after the initial diagnosis occurred in 38 of 304 patients (12.5%) with active cancer and in 34 of 424 patients (8.0%) with a history of cancer > 6 months previously. Age‐adjusted incidence rates of cancer‐associated VTE vary substantially by race and ethnicity. The relatively high incidence rates of first VTE and of recurrence warrant further assessment of strategies to prevent VTE among cancer patients.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cause of ischemic stroke that often remains undetected until stroke occurs. Awareness of the risk factors and symptoms is important so that AF can be diagnosed and thromboprophylaxis given. However, the extent of public awareness of AF is uncertain. We assessed public awareness of AF across six continents and compared it with that of other thrombotic and non-thrombotic disorders. In collaboration with Ipsos-Reid, we conducted an internet-based, cross-sectional survey between September and October of 2016 in 10 countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Thailand, the Netherlands, Uganda, United Kingdom, and United States. Participants were selected from survey panels in weighted, age-stratified categories (40-60, 61-74, and ≥75 years). The survey included 11 questions about demographics and assessed awareness about AF, as well as that of other thrombotic and non-thrombotic disorders. Proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Of a total of 6312 respondents, overall awareness of AF was 48% (95% CI, 46-50%), which was lower than awareness about other thrombotic and non-thrombotic disorders except for deep vein thrombosis (awareness 43%, 95% CI, 41-45%). Awareness about AF ranged from 25% to 69% across countries, while awareness of the risk factors for AF ranged from 8% to 52%, and awareness that AF leads to stroke ranged from 36% to 46%. Among those reporting awareness of AF, 82% correctly identified palpitations as an AF symptom. Global public awareness of AF is low. Improving awareness may empower patients to seek timelier stroke preventive care.