title: Candidaemia in internal medicine departments: the burden of a rising problem.
abstract: Although internal medicine wards (IMWs) represent a significant reservoir of patients with candidemia, few investigators have specifically addressed the epidemiological aspects of candidaemia in this population. Of all patients hospitalized during the study period with candidaemia, 133/348 (38%) were admitted to IMWs. Variables associated with IMWs included: antibiotic therapy prior to hospitalization, urinary or central venous catheter, parenteral nutrition, tumour and age >75 years. Overall, 30-day mortality in IMWs was significantly higher than that in other wards (51.1% vs. 38.2%, p <0.02). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified the administration of antifungal treatment 48 h after having the first positive BC as an independent determinant of hospital mortality. Patients with candidaemia in IMWs account for a substantial proportion of patients with candidaemia and have higher mortality compared with patients in other wards.
authors: Infectious Diseases Division, Santa Maria Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy. mattba@tin.it
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bassetti
authors: M P
authors: MP
authors: Molinari
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Mussap
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Viscoli
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Righi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058387:Candidemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003428:Cross Infection; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors