Inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy as a risk factor for mortality in patients with community-onset Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia

This study was performed to identify the risk factors for mortality and evaluate the effect of inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy on the outcomes of patients with community-onset Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia in an emergency department (ER) setting. All cases with P. aeruginosa bacteraemia occurring within 48 h after ER visit from January 2000 to December 2005 were retrospectively analysed. A total of 106 community-onset P. aeruginosa bacteraemia cases in the ER were included (mean age, 57.61 ± 14.44 years old; M:F, 58:48). Although P. aeruginosa bacteraemia was diagnosed in the ER, most of the cases of P. aeruginosa bacteraemia were healthcare-associated (88.7%). Malignancy (n = 83, 78.3%) was the most common underlying disorder. Fifty patients (47.2%) were neutropaenic and 56 patients (52.8%) had septic shock. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 26.4% (28/106). In the univariate analysis, underlying malignancy, high Charlson’s weighted index of comorbidity (≥3), high Pitt bacteraemia score (≥4), indwelling central venous catheter and inappropriate initial therapy were significantly associated with 30-day mortality (all P < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, high Pitt bacteraemia score (OR, 17.03; 95% CI, 4.60–63.15; P < 0.001) and inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy (OR, 4.29; 95% CI, 1.39–13.24; P = 0.011) were found to be significant risk factors for 30-day mortality. The 30-day mortality rate was significantly higher in the inappropriate therapy group (18/51, 35.3%) than in the appropriate therapy group (10/55, 18.2%) (P = 0.046). This study demonstrated that inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy was significantly associated with unfavourable outcomes in patients with community-onset P. aeruginosa bacteraemia. As P. aeruginosa bacteraemia can be a fatal infection, even when community-onset, inappropriate antimicrobial therapy should be avoided in suspected cases of P. aeruginosa bacteraemia.