• H S Cheong, C-I Kang, Y M Wi, K S Ko, D R Chung, N Y Lee, J-H Song, and K R Peck.
• Division of Infectious Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, Republic of Korea.
• Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2008 Dec 1;27(12):1219-25.

AbstractThis study was performed to identify the risk factors for mortality and evaluate the effect of inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy on the outcomes of patients with community-onset Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia in an emergency department (ER) setting. All cases with P. aeruginosa bacteraemia occurring within 48 h after ER visit from January 2000 to December 2005 were retrospectively analysed. A total of 106 community-onset P. aeruginosa bacteraemia cases in the ER were included (mean age, 57.61 +/- 14.44 years old; M:F, 58:48). Although P. aeruginosa bacteraemia was diagnosed in the ER, most of the cases of P. aeruginosa bacteraemia were healthcare-associated (88.7%). Malignancy (n = 83, 78.3%) was the most common underlying disorder. Fifty patients (47.2%) were neutropaenic and 56 patients (52.8%) had septic shock. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 26.4% (28/106). In the univariate analysis, underlying malignancy, high Charlson's weighted index of comorbidity (> or = 3), high Pitt bacteraemia score (> or = 4), indwelling central venous catheter and inappropriate initial therapy were significantly associated with 30-day mortality (all P < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, high Pitt bacteraemia score (OR, 17.03; 95% CI, 4.60-63.15; P < 0.001) and inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy (OR, 4.29; 95% CI, 1.39-13.24; P = 0.011) were found to be significant risk factors for 30-day mortality. The 30-day mortality rate was significantly higher in the inappropriate therapy group (18/51, 35.3%) than in the appropriate therapy group (10/55, 18.2%) (P = 0.046). This study demonstrated that inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy was significantly associated with unfavourable outcomes in patients with community-onset P. aeruginosa bacteraemia. As P. aeruginosa bacteraemia can be a fatal infection, even when community-onset, inappropriate antimicrobial therapy should be avoided in suspected cases of P. aeruginosa bacteraemia.

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