Mortality Risk Factors for Invasive Candidiasis in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Invasive Candida infections are one of the most important risk factors for the increasing mortality of immunocompromised patients with comorbidities in intensive care units. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the mortality rate and risk factors affecting mortality in patients followed up with the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in our pediatric intensive care unit. Patients who were between the ages of 1 month and 18 years followed up in the paediatric intensive care unit with invasive candidiasis between 2014 and 2018, were included in the study. The demographic characteristics of the patients, fever and hypotension, the Candida species, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, blood transfusion, parenteral nutrition, invasive interventions, use of mechanical ventilation and laboratory test results were retrospectively analyzed and the relationship with mortality was statistically determined. A total of 85 patients, 45 girls, and 40 boys were included in the study. The death rate was 38.8% (n=33). Candida albicans (48%) was the most common species for all isolates followed by Candida parapsilosis (21%), Candida tropicalis (15%), and others (16%). No statistically significant relationship was detected between the central venous catheter, broad-spectrum antibiotic and corticosteroid treatment, parenteral nutrition, gender difference, surgical operation, patient culture samples, isolated Candida species, and mortality (p>0.05). A statistically significant relationship was found between blood transfusion, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia, the first positive culture time since hospitalization, and the duration of antibiotic treatment and mortality (p<0.05). A statistically significant correlation was found with the presence of hypotension, one of the clinical markers associated with mortality (p0.05). The mortality rate is high in candidiasis patients in pediatric intensive care units. Blood transfusions, long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and hypotension increase mortality.