title: Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for ICU-acquired bloodstream infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of diabetes as risk factor for ICU-acquired bloodstream infections (BSI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A general eight-bed ICU of a tertiary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and forty-three consecutive patients (63 diabetic and 280 nondiabetic) admitted in the ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  BSI episodes in the ICU were recorded and classified as primary, secondary, catheter-related and mixed according to strict criteria. In all patients, blood glucose was strictly controlled with a continuous insulin infusion within a range of 80-120 mg/dl.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-hundred and eighteen patients (34.4%) developed at least one BSI episode. Diabetic patients had an increased probability of developing at least one BSI episode compared with nondiabetic patients (hazard ratio = 1.66, 95% confidence interval 1.04-2.64, P = 0.034) in a Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusting for age, gender, admission category and APACHE II score at admission in the ICU and comorbidities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite strict glycemic control, diabetic patients have a 1.7-fold probability of developing an ICU-acquired BSI compared to nondiabetic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Thriassio General Hospital of Eleusis, Magoula, Attika, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kompoti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutsikou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paridou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giannopoulou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trikka-Graphakos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clouva-Molyvdas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin