title: Gram-negative bacteremia in non-neutropenic patients: a 3-year review.
abstract: The causative organisms, clinical manifestations, factors influencing prognosis, and other epidemiological characteristics of 81 episodes of bacteremia due to gram-negative organisms, in non-neutropenic patients, were studied retrospectively during a 3-year period (1992-1994) at the Department of Internal Medicine of the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The gram-negative bacteremia incidence was 2% and the overall mortality 12%. All 81 patients had fever; Escherichia coli was the most frequent organism isolated (from 47 patients--58%) and was associated with shock (9/47), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (8/47), anuria (5/47), adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (3/47), and pneumonia (1/47). Other less frequent gram-negative microorganisms were Klebsiella spp. (ten patients; 12%), Pseudomonas spp. (7; 7%), Salmonella spp. (5; 6%), Enterobacter spp. (5; 6%), Proteus spp. (3; 3.4%), Stenotrophomonas spp. (3; 3.4%), and Acinetobacter spp. (1; 1.2%). ARDS. shock, DIC, anuria, presence of central venous catheter, urinary catheter, unknown origin of infection and inappropriate treatment were significantly associated with a higher death rate. Early initiation of appropriate therapy was the most important intervention that favorably affected the outcome of gram-negative bacteremias in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Internal Medicine, University of Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gikas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Samonis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christidou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kofteridis
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tselentis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsaparas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors