title: Sepsis-Related Mortality of Very Low Birth Weight Brazilian Infants: The Role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for sepsis-related mortality in low birth weight (<1500 g) infants. We performed retrospective cohort study to investigate risk factors for sepsis-related mortality in all neonates birth weight <1500 g admitted to Level III neonatal intensive care unit, Brazil, April 2001/September 2004. Of the 203 cases, 71 (35%) had sepsis. Of those, gram-positive was identified in 52/87 blood cultures (59.8%), the most common Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (31/87; 35.5%). Gram-negative was present in 29 of the 87 positive blood cultures (33.3%), with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8/87; 9.1%), the most frequent agent. Overall 21 of 71 infants with sepsis (29.6%) died. Risk factors for sepsis-related mortality were gestational age </=28 weeks, birth weight </=1000 g (9.6 times more often than birth weight >1000 g), five-minute Apgar </=7, gram-negative sepsis, mechanical ventilation (6.7 times higher than no use), and intravascular catheter. Sepsis-related mortality was due, mainly, to Pseudomonas aeruginosa; birth weight </=1000 g and mechanical ventilation were strong sepsis-related mortality predictors.
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduate Department, Fernandes Figueira Institute, Rui Barbosa Avenue, 716, Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro 22250-020, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sylvia Maria Porto
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Maria Helena Cabral
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: de Almeida Cardoso
authors.forename: Ana Lucia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Figuexeds
authors.forename: Haroldo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rozembaum
authors.forename: Vanessa Isidoro
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Maria Antonieta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Portinho
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Elaine Sobral
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: da Costa