The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Sep 2007
Adequacy of empirical antifungal therapy and effect on outcome among patients with invasive Candida species infections.
Although inadequate antimicrobial therapy has been demonstrated in multiple studies to increase the risk for death in bacterial infections, few data investigating the effect of antifungal therapy on outcome of serious fungal disease are available. We sought to assess the adequacy of empirical therapy and its effect on mortality in invasive Candida species infections. ⋯ Adequate empirical therapy is used in a minority of patients with invasive Candida spp. infections but is associated with improved survival.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Sep 2007
Invasive Candida species infection: the importance of adequate empirical antifungal therapy.
Candida species are a common cause of bloodstream and invasive infection in critically ill and immunosuppressed patients. Furthermore, invasive Candida infection carries a poor prognosis and may initially be mistaken for bacterial infection. ⋯ This study shows that adequate empirical therapy is received by only a quarter of patients, and that inappropriate therapy is associated with increased mortality. These findings highlight the importance of appropriate empirical therapy in invasive Candida infection.