Outcomes
Clinical outcomes were evaluated retrospectively and only in patients
with positive cultures for P. aeruginosa . This allows for a
normalization of the cohort. Patients with polymicrobial culture results
and antibiotic combinations were included in the analysis.
Treatment failures were categorized as: 1) early repeated exacerbation
(defined as recurrent APE occurring within 45 days (10); 2) requirement
of antibiotic regimen change or addition of antibiotics to the regimen
during therapy due to ineffectiveness.
The clinical outcomes were incorporated into a composite criterion which
included the 2 categories of treatment failures as its criteria. A
negative to all 2 criteria was necessary to achieve a positive treatment
outcome while a positive to 1 or more criteria resulted in a negative
treatment outcome.
Nephrotoxicity was defined as an increase in serum creatinine at
therapeutic drug monitoring over a preceding measurement within 48h as
per the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (14, 15).