In a large cohort of nonneutropenic critically ill patients in whom Candida colonization was prospectively assessed, a "Candida score">2.5 accurately selected patients who would benefit from early antifungal treatment.

The incidence of candidemia in ICU patients was very low. An APACHE II score > 20 at the time of candidemia was associated with a higher mortality. Further studies with a large number of patients are needed to assess the effect of early antifungal therapy on the decrease in mortality associated with candidemia and to determine the appropriate dosage of fluconazole and duration of treatment.

Twenty-two percent of critically ill patients admitted for more than 7 days in the ICU developed candiduria. C. albicanswas the most frequent causative pathogen. Previous use of antifungals was the only risk factor for the selection of Candidanon-albicans.

Candidaemia is frequently a life-threatening complication in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). To assess the risk factors for candidaemia in critically ill patients with prolonged ICU stay, a total of 1765 adult patients admitted for at least 7 days to 73 medical-surgical ICUs of 70 tertiary care hospitals in Spain participated in a prospective cohort study. Candidaemia was defined as recovery of Candida spp. from blood culture. Sixty-eight episodes of candidaemia occurred in 63 patients, representing 35.7 episodes per 1000 ICU patients admitted, with an incidence rate of 1.5 episodes per 1000 days of ICU stay. Causative fungi were C. albicans in 57.1% of cases and non-albicans Candida spp. in 42.9%. In the multivariate analysis, independent factors significantly associated with candidaemia were Candida colonisation (OR = 4.12, 95% CI: 1.82-9.33), total parenteral nutrition (OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 1.73-8.78), elective surgery (OR = 2.75, 95% CI: 1.17-6.45) and haemofiltration procedures (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.06-3.62). In the ICU setting in Spain and in patients who have stayed in units for >7 days, more than half of cases of candidaemia were caused by C. albicans. Risk factors for candidaemia identified included Candida colonisation, elective surgery, total parenteral nutrition and haemodialysis.

IntroductionOur aims were to assess risk factors, clinical features, management and outcomes in critically ill patients in whom Aspergillus spp. were isolated from respiratory secretions, using a database from a study designed to assess fungal infections.MethodsA multicentre prospective study was conducted over a 9-month period in 73 intensive care units (ICUs) and included patients with an ICU stay longer than 7 days. Tracheal aspirate and urine samples, and oropharyngeal and gastric swabs were collected and cultured each week. On admission to the ICU and at the initiation of antifungal therapy, the severity of illness was evaluated using the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score. Retrospectively, isolation of Aspergillus spp. was considered to reflect colonization if the patient did not fulfil criteria for pneumonia, and infection if the patient met criteria for pulmonary infection and if the clinician in charge considered the isolation to be clinically valuable. Risk factors, antifungal use and duration of therapy were noted.ResultsOut of a total of 1756 patients, Aspergillus spp. were recovered in 36. Treatment with steroids (odds ratio = 4.5) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (odds ratio = 2.9) were significantly associated with Aspergillus spp. isolation in multivariate analysis. In 14 patients isolation of Aspergillus spp. was interpreted as colonization, in 20 it was interpreted as invasive aspergillosis, and two cases were not classified. The mortality rates were 50% in the colonization group and 80% in the invasive infection group. Autopsy was performed in five patients with clinically suspected infection and confirmed the diagnosis in all of these cases.ConclusionIn critically ill patients, treatment should be considered if features of pulmonary infection are present and Aspergillus spp. are isolated from respiratory secretions.