Risk Factors of Paiva et al for Early Mortality with Hospital-Acquired Fungemia (HAF)

 

Patient selection: hospital-acquired fungemia and admitted to the ICU

(97% Candida species, 76% acquired in the ICU)

 

Outcome: 28 day mortality

 

On admission to the ICU the patient may be in septic shock and/or have renal failure. Fungal blood cultures should be taken on patients with hospital-acquired infection admitted to the ICU or acquired in the ICU.

 

Risk factors for mortality:

(1) hepatic failure

(2) need for mechanical ventilation

(3) medical admission (not surgical or other)

 

These tend to follow risk associated with multi-organ failure.

 

In this study a delay in adequate antifungal therapy was not an independent risk factor for mortality.