title: A prospective search for ocular lesions in hospitalized patients with significant bacteremia.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and prognostic value of ocular lesions in unselected patients with bacteremia. A total of 202 bacteremic patients, 101 nonbacteremic septic patients, and 90 nonseptic control patients were compared in a prospective, controlled, observational study. Ocular lesions related to bacteremia were found in 12% of the bacteremic group, 5% of the septic group, and 2% of the control group. Ocular lesions were significantly more frequent in the bacteremic patients than in the control patients (P=.007). The severity of the clinical condition and the presence of fungemia predict independently a higher risk of ocular lesions. Mortality rates among bacteremic patients with and without ocular lesions were, respectively, 32% and 8% (P<.01; OR, 3.99). The asymptomatic nature of most ocular lesions in patients with bloodstream infections and the impossibility of amelioration in most cases lead us to recommend ophthalmologic examination for bacteremic patients only when prognostic information is needed.
authors.affiliation: Serviciode Microbiología Clínica y E. Infecciosas, Hospital General Universitario "Gregorio Marañón," 28007 Madrid, Spain. ebouza@microb.net
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bouza
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cobo-Soriano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Créixems
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suárez-Leoz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cortés
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003625:Data Collection; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate