title: Association between blood glucose levels and development of candidemia in hospitalized patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between blood glucose levels in hospitalized patients and the risk of occurrence of candidemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a retrospective review of medical records and hospital computerized database information to compare blood glucose levels in 48 patients with nosocomial candidemia and 144 contemporaneous matched control subjects without candidemia at a tertiary teaching hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportions of days (for patients with candidemia versus control subjects without candidemia) with blood glucose levels >or=100 mg/dL (293 of 325 [90%] versus 849 of 1,007 [84%]; P = .009), >or=140 mg/dL (184 of 325 [57%] versus 507 of 1,007 [50%]; P = .049), and >or=200 mg/dL (80 of 325 [25%] versus 163 of 1,007 [16%]; P = .001) were significantly higher during the 7 days preceding the diagnosis of candidemia than during a 7-day period of hospitalization of control subjects. Blood glucose levels exceeding 200 mg/dL for 4 or more days of the week preceding the diagnosis of candidemia were significantly associated with its development (P = .04; odds ratio, 2.44; and 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 5.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inpatient hyperglycemia is an important--and potentially modifiable-risk factor for development of nosocomial candidemia. These findings have implications for innovative infection control strategies that focus on glycemic control.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, District of Columbia Immunocompromised Host Section, Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shoham
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Granek
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Michelle F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Magee
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose