[Bacteremia in patients discharged from the emergency unit].
BACKGROUND
To know the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics, the evolution and the rate of adequate empiric antibiotic treatment in adult patients with a bacteremia discovered after discharge from an emergency unit.


METHODS
During 10 years (1989-1998), we registered the clinical and epidemiological data from patients with a bacteremia detected after discharge from emergency. The results were compared with those of patients admitted to hospital who had a community-acquired bacteremia.


RESULTS
85 patients were analysed (52 males), 45% aged over 70 years. Overall, they represented 13.9% of community-acquired bacteremias detected during the same period. Most frequent source was the urinary tract (69%) followed by an unknown source (12%). E. coli was isolated in 62% of cases. In 16 cases, treatment was considered incorrect. Three patients died.


CONCLUSIONS
A non-worthless number of patients with bacteremia are discharged from the emergency unit, and 21% of them receive inadequate treatment. Fatal outcome is rare but avoidable in some cases.
Javaloyas
M
M
Medicina Interna. Hospital de Viladecans. Viladecans. Barcelona.
Jarné
J
J
García
D
D
Gudiol
F
F
D000368:Aged; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011446:Prospective Studies