A clinical study of bacteremia in the last fifteen years

Abstract

Between 1976 and 1990, 208 cases of bacteremia in our department were studied. Community acquired bacteremias were only 18 (8.7%) cases. Bacteremias, particularly caused by Gram positive organisms, increased significantly after 1981, compared with the first five years. It was related to the marked increase in cases of venous access devices and less sensitivity of the Gram positive organisms to the new cephem antibiotics. In the study, 144 (69.2%) cases were eradicated. Severe underlying diseases or complication of pneumonia influenced the eradication rate of bacteremia. Bacteremia caused by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed poor prognosis. The average duration from onset to death, was 5.1 days. Forty cases (62.5%) died within 3 days. Among the 201 cases, leukocytosis (WBC greater than 10,000/mm3) was present in 38.3%, while leukopenia (WBC less than 1000/mm3) in 25.3%. Eradication rate between the two groups was not significant. CRP was elevated (greater than 8.5 mg/dl) in 63.5%. The prognosis of this group was significantly poor. Elevation of serum bilirubin was also related with increase of mortality. According to these results, empiric therapy before the isolation of organisms is the most important strategy for treatment of bacteremia.