Risk Factors For Mortality In Cases Of Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Candidemia: A 5.5-Year, Single-Center, Retrospective Study

Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired candidemia is a potentially fatal complication. However, there are regional variations in the epidemiology of ICU-acquired candidemia. This study aimed to examine the epidemiology of Candida species infections and risk factors for related mortality among patients who were treated in the ICU at our center. This retrospective, single-center and observational study included consecutive patients with ICU-acquired candidemia between January 2010 and June 2015 at the First Hospital of China Medical University (Shenyang, Liaoning, China). Data were obtained regarding patients' clinical characteristics and the Candida species that were isolated from the patients' blood samples. Analyses were also performed to identify risk factors for mortality that were related to ICU-acquired candidemia. Seventy-two patients with ICU-acquired candidemia were included. The most common Candida species was C. parapsilosis (35/72, 48.6%). The overall rate of fluconazole resistance among all isolates was 11.1%. Independent risk factors for 30-day mortality among patients with ICU-acquired candidemia were previous corticosteroid use, abdominal surgery, septic shock, and the presence of C. glabrata. Our findings indicate that C. glabrata and previous corticosteroid use were potential risk factors for mortality related to ICU-acquired candidemia. However, our findings require validation in a larger and more comprehensive study.