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Observational Study
. 2022 Oct 18;26(1):319.
doi: 10.1186/s13054-022-04166-y.

Different epidemiology of bloodstream infections in COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 critically ill patients: a descriptive analysis of the Eurobact II study

Collaborators, Affiliations
Observational Study

Different epidemiology of bloodstream infections in COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 critically ill patients: a descriptive analysis of the Eurobact II study

Niccolò Buetti et al. Crit Care. .

Abstract

Background: The study aimed to describe the epidemiology and outcomes of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections (HABSIs) between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill patients.

Methods: We used data from the Eurobact II study, a prospective observational multicontinental cohort study on HABSI treated in ICU. For the current analysis, we selected centers that included both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill patients. We performed descriptive statistics between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 in terms of patients' characteristics, source of infection and microorganism distribution. We studied the association between COVID-19 status and mortality using multivariable fragility Cox models.

Results: A total of 53 centers from 19 countries over the 5 continents were eligible. Overall, 829 patients (median age 65 years [IQR 55; 74]; male, n = 538 [64.9%]) were treated for a HABSI. Included patients comprised 252 (30.4%) COVID-19 and 577 (69.6%) non-COVID-19 patients. The time interval between hospital admission and HABSI was similar between both groups. Respiratory sources (40.1 vs. 26.0%, p < 0.0001) and primary HABSI (25.4% vs. 17.2%, p = 0.006) were more frequent in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients had more often enterococcal (20.5% vs. 9%) and Acinetobacter spp. (18.8% vs. 13.6%) HABSIs. Bacteremic COVID-19 patients had an increased mortality hazard ratio (HR) versus non-COVID-19 patients (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.49-2.45).

Conclusions: We showed that the epidemiology of HABSI differed between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. Enterococcal HABSI predominated in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients with HABSI had elevated risk of mortality. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.org number NCT03937245 . Registered 3 May 2019.

Keywords: Bacteremia; Bloodstream infection; COVID-19; Enterococcus; ICU-acquired.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have disclosed that they do not have conflict of interest. Dr. Buetti received a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant Number: P4P4PM_194449). Prof. Timsit received fees for lectures to 3M, MSD, Pfizer, and BioMérieux; he received research grants from Astellas, 3M, MSD, and Pfizer; and he participated to advisory boards of 3M, MSD, Bayer Pharma, Nabriva, and Pfizer. Dr. Barbier received consulting and lecture fees from MSD and BioMérieux. Prof. Cortegiani received fees for lectures from Gilead, MSD, Pfizer; and he participated to advisory boards of MSD, Gilead, Pfizer. Dr. Montrucchio received fees for lectures from Gilead, Pfizer, Thermofisher; and she participated to advisory boards of Gilead. Dr. Conway Morris sits on the scientific advisory board of Cambridge Infection Diagnostics. Prof. Akova received grants from Pfizer and Gilead, had lecture fees paid to the institution by Pfizer and Sanofi. Dr. Ramanan acknowledges support from the Metro North Hospital and Health Services Clinician-Researcher Fellowship. Dr. Conway Morris sits on the scientific advisory board of Cambridge Infection Diagnostics. Dr. Conway Morris is supported by a Clinician Scientist Fellowship from the Medical Research Council (MR/V006118/1). Prof. José-Artur Paiva received fees for consulting, advisory boards or lectures from MSD, Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca, Gilead, Jansen, Cepheid, AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of microorganisms between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients in all HABSI and in ICU-acquired HABSI. HA-BSI hospital-acquired bloodstream infection, ICU intensive care unit, spp. species
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Survival curves for all, ICU-acquired, enterococcal and DTR Gram-negative HABSI. ICU intensive care unit, HA-BSI hospital-acquired bloodstream infection, DTR difficult to treat resistance, Vs versus

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