A clinical evaluation of positive blood cultures and bacteremia
Lim, T.K.; Chan, T.B.
Singapore Medical Journal 24(3): 128-134
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-5675 PMID: 6635674 Document Number: 217471
Over 6 mo., 218 blood cultures were reported as positive in 215 patients. There were 67 episodes of clinically confirmed bacteremia in 66 patients. The overall frequency of bacteremia was estimated to be 9% of all blood cultures taken. In the 66 patients with bacteremia, the mean age was 53.5 yr with a female predominance. Seventeen (26%) patients died and 17 (26%) developed septic shock. Most patients were > 50 yr of age and had ultimately fatal or non-fatal underlying disease states. There were few patients with rapidly fatal underlying disease (7%), unknown souce of sepsis (16%) or nosocomial bacteremia (28%). Patients with nosocomial bacteremia had a high case fatality rate (CFR) (53%). Of the patients, 64% had gram-negative bacteremia, 30% had gram-positive bacteremia and 6% polymicrobial bacteremia. Escherichia coli was the most common infectious agent and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus the most important nosocomially-acquired agent. Early use of appropriate antibiotics reduced the CFR by half.