title: Aspergillus infections in transplant and non-transplant surgical patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aspergillus infections are associated commonly with immunocompromised states, such as transplantation and hematologic malignant disease. Although Aspergillus infections among patients having surgery occur primarily in transplant recipients, they are found in non-recipients of transplants, and have a mortality rate similar to that seen among transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospective data base collected from 1996 to 2010, in which we identified patients with Aspergillus infections. We compared demographic data, co-morbidities, and outcomes in non-transplant patients with those in abdominal transplant recipients. Continuous data were evaluated with the Student t-test, and categorical data were evaluated through χ(2) analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three patients (11 transplant patients and 12 non-transplant patients) were identified as having had Aspergillus infections. The two groups were similar with regard to their demographics and co-morbidities, with the exceptions of their scores on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), of 23.6±8.1 points for transplant patients vs. 16.8±6.1 points for non-transplant patients (p=0.03); Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) of 16.6±8.3 points vs. 9.2±4.1 points, respectively (p=0.02); steroid use 91.0% vs. 25.0%, respectively (p=0.003); and percentage of infections acquired in the intensive care unit (ICU) 27.3% vs. 83.3%, respectively (p=0.01). The most common site of infection in both patient groups was the lung. The two groups showed no significant difference in the number of days from admission to treatment, hospital length of stay following treatment, or mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although Aspergillus infections among surgical patients have been associated historically with solid-organ transplantation, our data suggest that other patients may also be susceptible to such infections, especially those in an ICU who are deemed to be critically ill. This supports the idea that critically ill surgical patients exist in an immunocompromised state. Surgical intensivists should be familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of Aspergillus infections even in the absence of an active transplant program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System , Charlottesville, Virginia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guidry
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Politano
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosenberger
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: Tjasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hranjec
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sawyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects*; D066027:Transplant Recipients