Background: Ceftobiprole is a fifth-generation cephalosporin that has been approved in Europe solely for the treatment of community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonia. The objective was to analyze the use of ceftobiprole medocaril (Cefto-M) in Spanish clinical practice in patients with infections in hospital or outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). Methods: This retrospective, observational, multicenter study included patients treated from 1 September 2021 to 31 December 2022. Results: A total of 249 individuals were enrolled, aged 66.6 ± 15.4 years, of whom 59.4% were male with a Charlson index of four (IQR 2–6), 13.7% had COVID-19, and 4.8% were in an intensive care unit (ICU). The most frequent type of infection was respiratory (55.8%), followed by skin and soft tissue infection (21.7%). Cefto-M was administered to 67.9% of the patients as an empirical treatment, in which was administered as monotherapy for 7 days (5–10) in 53.8% of cases. The infection-related mortality was 11.2%. The highest mortality rates were identified for ventilator-associated pneumonia (40%) and infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococus aureus (20.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.1%). The mortality-related factors were age (OR: 1.1, 95%CI (1.04–1.16)), ICU admission (OR: 42.02, 95%CI (4.49–393.4)), and sepsis/septic shock (OR: 2.94, 95%CI (1.01–8.54)). Conclusions: In real life, Cefto-M is a safe antibiotic, comprising only half of prescriptions for respiratory infections, that is mainly administered as rescue therapy in pluripathological patients with severe infectious diseases.

Background: To compare the real-life effectiveness and safety of ceftaroline fosamil (ceftaroline-F) and ceftobiprole medocaril (ceftobiprole-M) for infections in hospitalized patients. Methods: This comparative, observational, retrospective, and multicenter Spanish study included patients receiving outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) and hospitalized patients treated for at least 48 h with ceftaroline-F or ceftobiprole-M between their first incorporation in the clinical protocol of each hospital and 31 July 2022. Results: Ceftaroline-F was administered to 227 patients and ceftobiprole-M to 212. In comparison to the latter, ceftaroline-F-treated participants were younger (63.02 vs. 66.40 years, OR 1.1; 95%CI: 1.001–1.05) and had higher rates of septic shock (OR 0.27; 95%CI: 0.09–0.81) and higher frequencies of targeted (57.7 vs. 29.7%; OR: 0.35; 95%CI: 0.18–0.69) and combined (89.0 vs. 45.8%, OR: 0.13; 95%CI: 0.06–0.28) therapies that were second line or more (82.4% vs. 64.6%%; OR 0.35; 95%CI: 0.18–0.69), and higher rates of infections due to Gram-positive cocci (92.7 vs. 64.7%, p = 0.001), bacteremia (51.9 vs. 21.7%, p = 0.001), infective endocarditis (24.2 vs. 2.4%, p = 0.0001), and mechanical ventilation-associated pneumonia (8.8 vs. 2.4%, p = 0.0001). Ceftobiprole-M was more frequently administered against polymicrobial infections (38.1 vs. 14.0%, p = 0.001), those produced by Gram-negative bacilli (19.7 vs. 6.0%, p = 0.0001), nosocomial pneumonia (33 vs. 10.6%, p = 0.0001), and skin and soft-tissue infections (25.4 vs. 10.1%, p = 0.0001). Patients treated with ceftaroline-F had a longer hospital stay (36 (IQR: 19–60) vs. 19.50 (IQR: 12–30.75, p = 0.0001) days), with no difference in infection-related mortality at 14 (13.2 vs. 8.0%, p = 0.078) or 28 (4.8 vs. 3.3%, p = 0.415) days or in dropout rate for adverse effects (2.2 vs. 0.9%; p = 1). Conclusions: The fifth-generation cephalosporins, ceftaroline-F and ceftobiprole-M, are safe and effective in real life, with no difference between them in health outcomes.

Corynebacterium jeikeium, a pleomorphic Gram-positive bacillus, is a common component of the cutaneous microbiota, usually considered as a contaminant, with little pathogenic potential. However, its role in various types of infections, such as bacteremia, sepsis, endocarditis (IE) and infection of prosthetic material is gradually being proven. Few cases of IE due to Corynebacterium jeikeium have been described in the literature. The aim of this article was to describe four cases of IE due to Corynebacterium jeikeium diagnosed in our hospital between May 2021 and April 2022, as well as to conduct a narrative review of the literature on this entity. After analysis, we highlight that 65.6% were men, 81.3% were valve or intravascular device carriers, and IE cases presented early, before one year after surgery. The most affected valve was the aortic valve (68.8%), followed by the mitral valve (21.1%). Valve replacement was performed in 65.6% of cases, and the most commonly used antibiotic was vancomycin (68.8%) at a dose of 15 mg/kg/12 h. With respect to prognosis, the overall mortality rate was 21.9%. The comparative results between our series and the literature review were similar except for a higher mortality rate (50%) and the use of dalbavancin in the treatment. We go on to review previously reported cases, along with four cases described in our hospital, of C. jeikeium endocarditis and will discuss various aspects of C. jeikeium infection, focusing on microbiology, pathophysiology, and treatment.

Background: Ceftobiprole is a fifth-generation cephalosporin that has been approved in Europe solely for the treatment of community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonia. The objective was to analyze the use of ceftobiprole medocaril (Cefto-M) in Spanish clinical practice in patients with infection in hospital or outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). Methods: This retrospective, observational, multicenter study included patients treated from September 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022. Results: 249 individuals were enrolled, aged 66.6±15.4 years, 59.4% male, with Charlson index of 4 (IQR 2-6); 13.7% had COVID-19, and 4.8% were in intensive care unit (ICU). The most frequent type of infection was respiratory (55.8%), followed by skin and soft tissue infection (21.7%). Cefto-M was administered to 67.9% as empirical treatment, being in monotherapy for 7 days (5-10) in 53.8% of cases. The infection-related mortality was 11.2%.The highest mortality rates were for ventilator-associated pneumonia [40%], and infections due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus (20.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.1%). Mortality-related factors were age (OR: 1.1, 95%CI [1.04-1.16]), ICU admission (OR:42.02, 95%CI[4.49-393.4]), and sepsis/septic shock (OR:2.94, 95%CI [1.01-8.54]).Conclusions: In real life, Cefto-M is a safe antibiotic, with only half of prescriptions in respiratory infections, mainly administered as rescue therapy in pluripathological patients with severe infectious diseases.

Approximately 10% of cases of arterial hypertension are due to a secondary cause, being among the most frequent primary hyperaldosteronism, characterized by hypertension, metabolic alkalosis and hypokalemia. However, on rare occasions it can present in an atypical way, in the form of muscle weakness and myalgia secondary to rhabdomyolysis due to severe hypokalemia, as in the case described.