Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2018 | Research article
Impact of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometric evaluation on the clinical outcomes of patients with bacteremia and fungemia in clinical settings lacking an antimicrobial stewardship program: a pre-post quasi experimental study
Authors:
Yong Duk Jeon, Hye Seong, Dokyun Kim, Mi Young Ahn, In Young Jung, Su Jin Jeong, Jun Yong Choi, Young Goo Song, Dongeun Yong, Kyungwon Lee, June Myung Kim, Nam Su Ku
Published in:
BMC Infectious Diseases
|
Issue 1/2018
Login to get access
Abstract
Backgrounds
Several studies have evaluated the impact of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) combined with antimicrobial stewardship in patients with positive blood cultures; clinical outcomes improved. However, in many hospitals, antimicrobial stewardship is not available because of restricted medical resources. Thus, we investigated the impact of evaluation by MALDI-TOF MS on the clinical outcomes of patients with bacteremia and fungemia treated in a clinical setting lacking an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP).
Methods
We designed a pre–post quasi experimental study and retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged > 18 years old with bacteremia and fungemia during two periods: October–December 2012 and October–December 2013. Conventional methods were used to detect microbial pathogens in 2012, and MALDI-TOF MS was employed in 2013. Clinical outcomes compared between periods were the time to pathogen identification, time to effective therapy, 30-day all-cause mortality, time to microbiological clearance, length of ICU stay, and rate of recurrence of the same bloodstream infection (BSI).
Results
A total of 556 patients were enrolled; 302 patients in 2012, and 254 in 2013. The use of MALDI-TOF MS without an ASP reduced the time to pathogen identification (86.4 vs. 63.5 h, P < 0.001) but did not significantly reduce the time to effective therapy (27.4 vs. 23.2 h, P = 0.187). Also, none of the following differed significantly between the two periods: mortality (17.5 vs. 15.7%, P = 0.571), the time to microbiological clearance (3.6 vs. 3.7 days, P = 0.675), the length of ICU stay (16.8 vs. 14.7 days, P = 0.706), and the recurrence rate of the same BSI (5.0 vs. 2.8%, P = 0.183).
Conclusions
The use of MALDI-TOF MS alone in a setting lacking an ASP did not afford clinical benefits. An ASP combined with MALDI-TOF MS is necessary to improve clinical outcomes.