Clinical outcome for cystic fibrosis patients infected with transmissible pseudomonas aeruginosa: an 8-year prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Although there is now compelling evidence for cross-infection by strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at some specialist (cystic fibrosis [CF]) centers, the clinical impact of infection by transmissible strains is unclear.


METHODS
In an 8-year prospective study, we compared the clinical outcome of two groups of patients with CF infected by transmissible (n = 28) and sporadic strains (n = 52) of P aeruginosa.


RESULTS
There were no differences between the two groups in survival, annual changes in spirometry, or BMI. There were differences in requirements for IV antibiotic treatment (mean [SD]: 29.3 [21.9] days vs 53.1 [32.5] days) and hospitalization (median [range]: 11.6 [1.1, 49.3] days vs 23.3 [5.5, 103.6] days) between patients infected with sporadic and transmissible strains of P aeruginosa, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that infection by transmissible P aeruginosa does not increase mortality but is associated with increased health-care and antibiotic use for patients with CF.
Jones
Andrew M
AM
Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, University Hospitals South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Southmoor Rd, Manchester, M23 9LT, England. andrew.jones@uhsm.nhs.uk
Dodd
Mary E
ME
Morris
Julie
J
Doherty
Cathy
C
Govan
John R W
JR
Webb
A Kevin
AK
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents