The clinical significance of Candida colonization of respiratory tract secretions in critically ill patients.
OBJECTIVE
Clinical uncertainty exists regarding the significance of colonization confined to respiratory tract secretions with Candida sp in critically ill patients. Our objectives were to describe such colonization, its associated risk factors, and to examine the clinical outcomes in patients with a clinical suspicion of ventilator-associated pneumonia with isolated Candida colonization compared to those without.


METHODS
In a retrospective analysis of the Canadian ventilator-associated pneumonia study, patients were divided into 2 groups according to the isolated presence or absence of Candida in the respiratory tract enrollment culture. We compared length of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit and hospital stay, and mortality outcomes between groups. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to determine factors independently associated with Candida colonization and hospital mortality.


RESULTS
Of the 639 eligible patients, 114 (17.8%) were colonized with Candida in the enrollment culture. A multivariate analysis identified female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.65), number of comorbidities (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.08-1.71), worsening or persistent infiltrate at randomization (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.09-1.38), antibiotics started within 3 days of randomization (OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.71-5.83), and on antibiotics at randomization but all started more than 3 days before randomization (OR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.68-5.50) as variables associated with Candida respiratory tract colonization. A significant increase in median hospital stay (59.9 vs 38.6 days, P = .006) and hospital mortality (34.2% vs 21.0%, P = .003) was observed in patients with Candida colonization. In a multivariate model, Candida colonization of the respiratory tract was independently associated with hospital mortality (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.39-4.37).


CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory tract Candida colonization is associated with worse clinical outcomes and is independently associated with increased hospital mortality. However, it is unclear whether Candida colonization is causally related to poor outcomes or whether it is a marker for increased morbidity and mortality.
Delisle
Marie-Soleil
MS
Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, Québec, Québec, Canada.
Williamson
David R
DR
Perreault
Marc M
MM
Albert
Martin
M
Jiang
Xuran
X
Heyland
Daren K
DK
D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors