Treating Invasive Candidiasis in the Elderly Published by Dove Medical Press
(PRWEB) September 24, 2013 -- Clinical Interventions in Aging has published the review “Treatment of invasive candidiasis in the elderly: a review”.
Fungi are major causes of infections among immunocompromised or hospitalized patients with serious underlying diseases and comorbidities. As corresponding author Dr George Dimopoulos says, “Candida species remain the most important cause of opportunistic infections worldwide, affecting predominantly patients over 65 years old, while they are considered to be the fourth most common cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections.”
Dr Dimopoulos continues, “The rapidly growing elderly population has specific physiological characteristics, which makes it susceptible to colonization and subsequent infection due to Candida species. Comorbidities and multidrug use should be taken into account any time the therapeutic regimen is under consideration. Different classes of antifungal drugs are available for the treatment of invasive fungal infections but echinocandins, apart from their activity against resistant strains (Candida glabrata and Candida krusei), seem to be safe, with limited adverse events and minimal drug–drug interactions in comparison to the other regimens.”
As Dr Richard Walker, Editor-in-Chief, explains, “Nosocomial Candida infections such as candidaemia have emerged as an increasing problem during the last two decades. A number of well-described general risk factors include old age as being significant. This is a very well written manuscript that provides a very useful review of a relevant topic that is of interest to readers worldwide. Authors take a systematic approach, which is to be commended.”
Clinical Interventions in Aging is an international, peer-reviewed journal focusing on evidence-based reports on the value or lack thereof of treatments intended to prevent or delay the onset of maladaptive correlates of aging in human beings. Research topics include alzheimer's disease, dementia, osteoporosis, and geriatrics. The journal encourages concise rapid reporting of original research and reviews in aging.
Dove Medical Press Ltd is a privately held company specializing in the publication of Open Access peer-reviewed journals across the broad spectrum of science, technology and especially medicine.
Albert Chan, Dove Medical Press, http://www.dovepress.com, +64-9-443 3060 202, [email protected]
Share this article