Changing Patterns of Candida Infections in Urban Medical Centers: Emphasis on the Emergence of Non-albicans Species and Their Influence on Clinical Outcomes
Changing Patterns of Candida Infections in Urban Medical Centers: Emphasis on the Emergence of Non-albicans Species and Their Influence on Clinical Outcomes
The purpose of this study is to determine the changing patterns of infection caused by Candida species in urban medical centers and its influence on patient outcomes. A retrospective cohort study design will be employed with the main outcome measure being hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes including microbiologic clearance of the infection, duration of hospitalization, and the intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay will also be assessed.
The following information that was collected as part of the patient's clinical treatment will be collected: age, sex, occupation, hospital location at the time of positive culture (ER, medical ward, ICU, etc.), prior hospitalization, receipt of outpatient dialysis, home care or other regular medical care (eg, outpatient chemotherapy), presence of invasive devices, receipt of antibiotics, including their type and whether they were adequate for the resistance profile of the organism, prior positive microbiologic cultures, time and location of positive cultures, underlying diseases and severity of illness, presence of urinary or intravascular devices, recent immunomodulative therapies or radiation therapy, physical exam findings, laboratory and radiographical data, antimicrobial usage within 30 days of onset of the infection, microbiological data and resistance patterns, choice of antibiotics once organism identified, bacteriological outcomes, laboratory results, demographic information, medications, clinical outcome, gender, height, weight, ethnicity, and past medical history. We will collect information retrospectively.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria: