Latest news with #drugresistant
Medscape
2 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Extensively Drug-Resistant TB Outcomes Remain Poor in Europe
TOPLINE: Only four out of 10 patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in Europe achieved successful treatment outcomes, a rate markedly lower than that for other forms of drug-resistant tuberculosis and comparable with cure rates from the pre-antibiotic era. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective observational cohort study across 16 countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region to evaluate treatment outcomes in 188 patients (median age, 42 years; 79.3% men) with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Data collected included patient characteristics, disease localisation, prior treatments, phenotypic and genotypic drug susceptibility testing results, and treatment regimens. Treatment outcomes were categorised as successful, failure (microbiological or clinical reasons including regimen changes), lost to follow-up (treatment interrupted for 2 or more months), or not evaluated. TAKEAWAY: Among the 188 patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, 48.4%, 34.0%, and 17.6% of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains were resistant to bedaquiline alone, linezolid alone, and both drugs, respectively. Among 156 patients with available data for treatment outcomes, 40.2% (95% CI, 28.4%-53.2%) achieved successful outcomes in a pooled analysis accounting for between-country heterogeneity. Patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis had lower pooled success rates (P < .0001) and significantly higher pooled rates of treatment failure and death (P < .0001 and P = .008, respectively) than those with multidrug-/rifampicin-resistant or preextensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. The likelihood of an unsuccessful outcome decreased with each additional effective drug in the regimen (P = .026) but increased among patients treated in upper-middle-income countries compared with that among those treated in high-income countries (P < .001). IN PRACTICE: "[The study] findings underscore the need for improved, rapid DST [drug susceptibility testing] tools and effective, shorter treatment regimens for extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Yousra Kherabi, Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France, and Ole Skouvig Pedersen, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. It was published online on July 15, 2025, in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe. LIMITATIONS: The coverage of the WHO European Region was limited. Most of the participating centres were specialist or referral centres, which may have introduced selection bias and limiting generalisability. Although the use of WHO-defined outcomes simplified data collection, it constrained a detailed understanding of treatment failures. Moreover, individual-level data were available only for patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, which may have introduced confounding from unmeasured patient-level factors. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any funding. One author reported serving as a co-principal investigator of clinical trials testing new regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, and some authors reported receiving honoraria for speaking engagements or serving on advisory boards of various pharmaceutical companies. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Teen riddled with killer infection that travelled to his heart after trendy cupping therapy goes horribly wrong
A TEENAGE boy developed a life-threatening heart infection just days after undergoing trendy cupping therapy. The otherwise healthy 17-year-old went to hospital with a high fever, chest pain, and trouble breathing - all symptoms that pointed to an infection of sorts. 2 2 Doctors in Syria ran scans that revealed his liver and spleen were enlarged, and fluid had built up in his tummy, suggesting his heart wasn't pumping properly. A chest scan showed small infected clots in his lungs, which doctors writing about the case in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology said had likely spread there from his heart. An ultrasound of his heart confirmed their suspicions - there was a clump of infected tissue, known as a vegetation, stuck to his valve. They diagnosed him with endocarditis - a severe, and potentially life-threatening infection of the heart lining. If untreated, it can damage the heart valves, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. This can lead to fluid buildup in the lungs and other parts of the body, potentially causing heart failure. Blood tests were taken from several veins, and lab results confirmed the infection was caused by acinetobacter, a rare and dangerous bacteria that's often resistant to antibiotics. The strain was found to be extensively drug-resistant, leaving doctors with only a few antibiotics that could still fight it The medics, from Aleppo University Hospital, Aleppo, were puzzled at first, as most cases of acinetobacter related to linked to intravenous drug use, where bacteria enter the bloodstream through needles. But in this case, since the boy had no known history of taking drugs, doctors suspected the cupping therapy he had received 15 days earlier might be the cause. The sleep position that could be a sign of heart failure - plus three other symptoms to look out for Cupping therapy creates suction on the skin by heating glass cups, which can cause small cuts, allowing bacteria to enter the body. People often use cupping to relieve pain, improve circulation, or reduce inflammation. While it's become popular, especially among athletes, it's often done outside medical settings without proper cleaning, increasing the risk of infections like the one this teen developed. 'Traditional medical practices risks' The boy in the case study had received cupping therapy in the groin area, which doctors believe is where the infection began. Acinetobacter lives on the skin, usually in moist areas like between the toes, armpits, and groin, making it easier for the bacteria to enter the body through the small cuts caused by the therapy. "This case highlights the potential risks associated with traditional medical practices," the experts wrote. "And the importance of recognising atypical pathogens in the etiology of endocarditis." The boy was treated with a combination of antibiotics, including imipenem and doxycycline. Within two weeks, his condition had significantly improved, and after a month of treatment, tests confirmed the infection had cleared. Five months later, scans showed only mild liver congestion - a build--up of blood in the liver - which doctors said indicated he had fully recovered. What is cupping and is it safe? Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston have all tried this treatment, where a vacuum cup is placed over the skin causing bruising. It is claimed to improve circulation, flush toxins, relieve pain and relax muscles. But Professor Edzard Ernst, the author of Alternative Medicine, says: 'There have been several clinical trials. None, however, provides reliable evidence that it has any relevant health effects.' Dr Abrar Ibrahim, a GP at London's Hendon Hospital, says medical research is limited and low quality: 'There are serious potential side-effects including permanent skin discolouration, burns and scars, risk of infection and diseases such as Hepatitis B or C if not done hygienically.'
