β-D-glucan Surveillance with Preemptive Anidulafungin for Invasive Candidiasis in Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Randomized Pilot Study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 8; p. e42282
• Main Authors: Hanson, Kimberly E., Pfeiffer, Christopher D., Lease, Erika D., Balch, Alfred H., Zaas, Aimee K., Perfect, John R., Alexander, Barbara D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 06.08.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anidulafungin; Antifungal agents; Antifungal Agents - adverse effects; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; beta-Glucans; Bioindicators; Biology; Biomarkers; Candida; Candidiasis; Candidiasis, Invasive - drug therapy; Candidiasis, Invasive - prevention & control; Cell walls; Clinical trials; Demography; Echinocandins - adverse effects; Echinocandins - therapeutic use; False Positive Reactions; Feasibility Studies; Female; Fever; Fungal infections; Fungi; Fungicides; Glucan; Humans; Infectious diseases; Intensive care; Intensive Care Units; Kinetics; Leukemia; Male; Medical research; Medicine; Middle Aged; Monitoring; Mortality; Patients; Pilot Projects; Predictive Value of Tests; Preempting; Randomization; Studies; Surveillance; Therapy; Time Factors; Transplants & implants; Young Adult; North Carolina; Oregon; Chicago Illinois; United States > US; Utah

Invasive candidiasis (IC) is a devastating disease. While prompt antifungal therapy improves outcomes, empiric treatment based on the presence of fever has little clinical impact. Β-D-Glucan (BDG) is a fungal cell wall component detectable in the serum of patients with early invasive fungal infectio...