title: Prognostic factors in patients with IVDA and bacteremia.
abstract: The medical records of all the patients with bacteremia and recent use of illicit intravenous drugs admitted to Hospital Universitario Ramón Ruíz Arnau from January 1, 1988 to June 30, 1989 were reviewed. It consisted of 28 records, 21 of which were male patients and 7 females. The mortality rate among these patients was 46%. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen recovered from blood cultures. All the S. aureus were methicillin sensitive. The presence of clinical sepsis, a low Karnofsky performance status at the time of admission and multiorgan abnormalities were the most important prognostic factors that determined outcome in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ramón Ruiz Arnau, University Hospital, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arizmendi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cantellops
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hunter-Mellado
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*