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Choices in C. diff care

An infectious diseases expert gave an overview of the latest drugs and diagnostics at Internal Medicine Meeting 2025.

Beta-lactams noninferior to fluoroquinolones, trim-sulfa for uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia

Patients transitioned to beta-lactams after treatment for uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia had similar mortality and treatment failure as those who got fluoroquinolones or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, a meta-analysis of retrospective studies concluded.

Intervention reduced antibiotic overuse for skin and soft-tissue infections

An electronic health record prompt, along with education and feedback, reduced extended-spectrum antibiotic use by 28% in low-risk patients with skin and soft-tissue infections without increasing ICU transfers or length of stay, according to results of a multicenter clinical trial.

Poor communication involved in almost a quarter of patient safety incidents

Poor communication was the only identified cause of 13.2% of patient safety incidents in four studies and a contributory cause in 24.0% in 42 studies, according to a systematic review that found low-strength evidence on the subject.

Optimal medical therapy for HFrEF associated with lower 30-day readmissions

Prescribing for patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was suboptimal, with only 77.9% getting beta-blockers, 70.3% renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors, 41% mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, 27.7% sacubitril/valsartan, and 17% sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, according to a retrospective study of community hospitals.

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Every week, ACP Hospitalist posts a question about the previous week's issue. See how well you remember what you've read compared to other readers.

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Parenteral, enteral, and malnutrition in the hospital

Malnutrition may be everywhere, but feeding won't fix every patient. Experts offered their advice on nutritional interventions.

Dr DeSimone photo by Kevin Berne

Beefing up on BCNE

The lead author of a recent statement on blood-culture negative endocarditis (BCNE) shared his advice at Internal Medicine Meeting 2025.

Invasive group A strep incidence up sharply in the U.S. over last decade

Among those ages 18 to 64 years, incidence of invasive group A Streptococcus infection rose from 3.2 per 100,000 persons in 2013 to 8.7 per 100,000 in 2022, according to new data from CDC researchers.

First national practice standards for hospital at home developed

The practice standards devised by the Hospital at Home Users Group cover leadership, education and training, human resources management, quality and quality improvement, safe practice and environment, and clinical standards and protocols.

New studies highlight importance of intervening on OUD during hospitalization

Implementation of an addiction consult team doubled use of medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) during hospitalization, a trial showed, while another study of veterans with OUD found the highest rates of opioid-related deaths in the two weeks after a medical hospitalization.

Thoracentesis didn't improve outcomes in heart failure with pleural effusion

A Danish trial that randomized some patients with heart failure and pleural effusion to upfront ultrasound-guided catheter thoracentesis in addition to standard medical therapy found no differences in mortality or days out of the hospital within 90 days.

Be alert to elder abuse

Hospitals are mustering multidisciplinary teams to help physicians address this growing problem.

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Newman's Notions | April 2, 2025 | FREE
Most ACP Hospitalist content is available exclusively to ACP Members. This article is free to the public.

Have scope—will travel

You never know what will get a patient to open up.


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