Candidemia in Adult Patients in the ICU: A Reappraisal of Susceptibility Testing and Antifungal Therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To provide updates on the epidemiology and recommendations for management of candidemia in patients with critical illness. DATA SOURCES: A literature search using the PubMed database (inception to March 2023) was conducted using the search terms "invasive candidiasis," "candidemia," "critically ill," "azoles," "echinocandin," "antifungal agents," "rapid diagnostics," "antifungal susceptibility testing," "therapeutic drug monitoring," "antifungal dosing," "persistent candidemia," and "Candida biofilm." STUDY SELECTION/DATA EXTRACTION: Clinical data were limited to those published in the English language. Ongoing trials were identified through ClinicalTrials.gov. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 109 articles were reviewed including 25 pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies and 30 studies including patient data, 13 of which were randomized controlled clinical trials. The remaining 54 articles included fungal surveillance data, in vitro studies, review articles, and survey data. The current 2016 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Candidiasis provides recommendations for selecting empiric and definitive antifungal therapies for candidemia, but data are limited regarding optimized dosing strategies in critically ill patients with dynamic pharmacokinetic changes or persistent candidemia complicated. RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: Outcomes due to candidemia remain poor despite improved diagnostic platforms, antifungal susceptibility testing, and antifungal therapy selection for candidemia in critically ill patients. Earlier detection and identification of the species causing candidemia combined with recognition of patient-specific factors leading to dosing discrepancies are crucial to improving outcomes in critically ill patients with candidemia. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of candidemia in critically ill patients must account for the incidence of non-albicans Candida species and trends in antifungal resistance as well as overcome the complex pathophysiologic changes to avoid suboptimal antifungal exposure.

Invasive Candida infection: epidemiology, clinical and therapeutic aspects of an evolving disease and the role of rezafungin.

INTRODUCTION: Invasive Candida Infections (ICIs) have undergone a series of significant epidemiological, pathophysiological, and clinical changes during the last decades, with a shift toward non-albicans species, an increase in the rate of exogenous infections and clinical manifestations ranging from candidemia to an array of highly invasive and life-threatening clinical syndromes. The long-acting echinocandin rezafungin exhibits potent in-vitro activity against most wild-type and azole-resistant Candida spp. including C.auris. AREAS COVERED: The following topics regarding candidemia only and ICIs were reviewed and addressed: i) pathogenesis; ii) epidemiology and temporal evolution of Candida species; iii) clinical approach; iv) potential role of the novel long-acting rezafungin in the treatment of ICIs. EXPERT OPINION: Authors' expert opinion focused on considering the potential role of rezafungin in the evolving context of ICIs. Rezafungin, which combines a potent in-vitro activity against Candida species, including azole-resistant strains and C.auris, with a low likelihood of drug-drug interactions and a good safety profile, may revolutionize the treatment of candidemia/ICI. Indeed, it may shorten the length of hospital stays when clinical conditions allow and extend outpatient access to treatment of invasive candidiasis, especially when prolonged treatment duration is expected.

Rapid diagnostics and ceftazidime/avibactam for KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections: impact on mortality and role of combination therapy.

This study was aimed at investigating risk factors for mortality in patients suffering from KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) bloodstream infections (BSIs), evaluating the impact of rapid diagnostics and ceftazidime/avibactam use. This observational retrospective study (January 2017-May 2021) included all patients with a KPC-Kp BSI. Uni-multivariable analyses were carried out to evaluate the effect of clinical variables on both in-hospital death (IHD) and 30-day all-cause mortality, and the role of the combination of ceftazidime/avibactam plus polymyxin. One hundred and ninety-six patients met the study's inclusion criteria. Older age, having undergone renal replacement therapy during the 30 days preceding the KPC-Kp BSI onset, having an INCREMENT-CPE score ≥ 8, and having suffered from a superimposed and/or following KPC-Kp BSI treatment candidemia were found to be the main factors associated with both mortality rates. Among protective factors, the centrality of ceftazidime/avibactam in monotherapy (IHD: OR: 0.34; CI 95%: 0.11-1.00-30-day all-cause mortality: OR: 0.18; CI 95%: 0.04-0.77) or combination (IHD: OR: 0.51; CI 95%: 0.22-1.19-30-day all-cause mortality: OR: 0.62; CI 95%: 0.21-1.84) emerged and became even more evident once the effect of ceftazidime/avibactam plus polymyxin was removed. Rapid diagnostics may be useful to adopt more effective strategies for the treatment of KPC-Kp BSI patients and implement infection control measures, even if not associated with higher patient survival. Ceftazidime/avibactam, even when used alone, represents an important option against KPC-Kp, while combined use with polymyxin might not have altered its efficacy. Patient comorbidities, severity of BSI, and complications such as candidemia were confirmed to have a significant burden on survival.

Comparison of simulated candidemia detection during prophylactic antifungal therapy.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the neutralization performance of various automated blood culture systems for antifungal agents with regard to the most commonly isolated Candida species. METHODS: In this study, we evaluated the time to detection (TTD) of simulated candidemia for 6 Candida spp. (C. albicans, C. auris, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis) in 3 automated blood culture systems (BACTEC™ FX, BACT/ALERT® 3D, and BACT/ALERT® VIRTUO®), with or without trough and peak levels of eight antifungal agents (amphotericin B, anidulafungin, caspofungin, fluconazole, itraconazole, micafungin, posaconazole, and voriconazole). RESULTS: Caspofungin and micafungin significantly prolonged the TTDs for most of the tested strains in the 3 blood culture instruments, especially at peak concentrations. CONCLUSION: Peak concentrations of caspofungin and micafungin influence the performance of blood culture detection systems. Therefore, one should be careful about the possibility of prolonged TTDs for candidemia when using the abovementioned antifungal agents.

Prevalence, risk factors, treatment and outcome of multidrug resistance Candida auris infections in Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant pathogen in intensive care settings (ICU). During the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, ICU admissions were overwhelmed, possibly contributing to the C. auris outbreak in COVID-19 patients. OBJECTIVES: The present systematic review addresses the prevalence, underlying diseases, iatrogenic risk factors, treatment and outcome of C. auris infections in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and LitCovid databases were systematically searched with appropriate keywords from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021. RESULTS: A total of 97 cases of C. auris were identified in COVID-19 patients. The pooled prevalence of C. auris infections (encompassing candidemia and non-candidemia cases) in COVID-19 patients was 14%. The major underlying diseases were diabetes mellitus (42.7%), hypertension (32.9%) and obesity (14.6%), followed by the iatrogenic risk factors such as a central venous catheter (76.8%%), intensive care unit (ICU) stay (75.6%) and broad-spectrum antibiotic usage (74.3%). There were no significant differences in underlying disease and iatrogenic risk factors among C. auris non-candidemia/colonisation and C. auris candidemia cases. The mortality rate of the total cohort is 44.4%, whereas, in C. auris candidemia patients, the mortality was 64.7%. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the prevalence of C. auris infections remains unchanged in the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital-acquired risk factors may contribute to the clinical illness. Proper infection control practices and hospital surveillance may stop future hospital outbreaks during the pandemic.

In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Manogepix and Other Antifungal Agents against South African Candida auris Isolates from Bloodstream Infections.

We determined the susceptibility of South African Candida auris bloodstream surveillance isolates to manogepix, a novel antifungal, and several registered antifungal agents. C. auris isolates were submitted to a reference laboratory between 2016 and 2017. Species identification was confirmed by phenotypic methods. We determined MICs for amphotericin B, anidulafungin, caspofungin, micafungin, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, fluconazole, and flucytosine using Sensititre YeastOne and manogepix using a modified Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution method. Clade distribution was determined for a subset of isolates using whole-genome sequencing. Of 394 tested isolates, 357 were resistant to at least 1 antifungal class. The manogepix MIC range was 0.002 to 0.06 µg/mL for 335 isolates with fluconazole monoresistance. Nineteen isolates were resistant to both fluconazole and amphotericin B yet still had low manogepix MICs (range, 0.004 to 0.03 µg/mL). Two isolates from the same patient were panresistant but had manogepix MICs of 0.004 µg/mL and 0.008 µg/mL. Comparing MIC50 values, manogepix was >3-fold more potent than azoles, 4-fold more potent than echinocandins, and 9-fold more potent than amphotericin B. Of 84 sequenced isolates, the manogepix MIC range for 70 clade III isolates was 0.002 to 0.031 µg/mL, for 13 clade I isolates was 0.008 to 0.031 µg/mL, and for one clade IV isolate, 0.016 µg/mL. Manogepix exhibited potent activity against all isolates, including those resistant to more than one antifungal agent and in three different clades. These data support manogepix as a promising candidate for treatment of C. auris infections. IMPORTANCE Since C. auris was first detected in South Africa in 2012, health care-associated transmission events and large outbreaks have led to this pathogen accounting for more than 1 in 10 cases of candidemia. A large proportion of South African C. auris isolates are highly resistant to fluconazole but variably resistant to amphotericin B and echinocandins. There is also an emergence of pandrug-resistant C. auris isolates, limiting treatment options. Therefore, the development of new antifungal agents such as fosmanogepix or the use of new combinations of antifungal agents is imperative to the continued effective treatment of C. auris infections. Manogepix, the active moiety of fosmanogepix, has shown excellent activity against C. auris isolates. With the emergence of C. auris isolates that are pandrug-resistant in South Africa, our in vitro susceptibility data support manogepix as a promising new drug candidate for treatment of C. auris and difficult-to-treat C. auris infections.

The antifungal activity of caspofungin in combination with antifungals or non-antifungals against Candida species in vitro and in clinical therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Candida species have been regarded as global health threats due to their ability to cause invasive infections. It is challenging to treat Candida bloodstream infections, which are associated with high mortality levels. Monotherapy with antifungals is sometimes not effective against severe Candida infections, and combination therapy is needed in clinical practice. AREAS COVERED: This review was undertaken based on data from a PubMed search for English language reports published before March 2021 by using the terms 'caspofungin,' 'Candida species,' 'combination therapy,' 'antifungal effect,' and 'novel antifungal agent.' EXPERT OPINION: Combination therapy is an empirical strategy for treating refractory Candida infections. Caspofungin has been recommended to treat candidaemia. Caspofungin in combination therapy has some applications, while the efficacy of combination therapy in the treatment of refractory Candida infections needs more study, such as randomized controlled trials. In addition, novel compounds or drugs with potential antifungal activities have been examined, and some of them exhibit synergistic interactions with caspofungin. Thus, the antifungal activity of caspofungin in combination with antifungals or non-antifungals against Candida species in vitro and in clinical therapy is summarized.

Successful fluconazole combined with caspofungin treatment of candida bloodstream infection in preterm infant: A case report.

RATIONALE: Candida bloodstream infection continues to be a significant cause of mortality in premature infants. Amphotericin B has been recommended as the primary treatment; however, its use is limited due to drug-induced nephrotoxicity and amphotericin B-resistant candidemia. PATIENT CONCERNS: The gestational age was 29 (+6) weeks, and birth weight was 1760 g. DIAGNOSIS: The infant was diagnosed with Candida parapsilosis bloodstream infection. INTERVENTIONS: Fluconazole, 12 mg/kg/day, combined with caspofungin (loading dose 3 mg/kg, at a maintenance dose of 2 mg/kg every 24 h) therapy was administered to premature infant with Candida bloodstream infection. When fluconazole or caspofungin was used to treat Candida bloodstream infection in preterm infants, the blood cultures of the infant remained positive for Candida parapsilosis. OUTCOMES: All persistent candidemia resolved on fluconazole combined with caspofungin therapy. There were no adverse effects, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, anemia, or thrombocytopenia. LESSONS: Fluconazole combined with caspofungin successfully treated Candida bloodstream infection in premature infants at 29 + 6 weeks' gestational age, but large-scale clinical trials are required.

Drug Resistance and Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Invasive Candidiasis.

Candida species are the leading cause of invasive fungal infections worldwide and are associated with acute mortality rates of ~50%. Mortality rates are further augmented in the context of host immunosuppression and infection with drug-resistant Candida species. In this review, we outline antifungal drugs already in clinical use for invasive candidiasis and candidaemia, their targets and mechanisms of resistance in clinically relevant Candida species, encompassing not only classical resistance, but also heteroresistance and tolerance. We describe novel antifungal agents and targets in pre-clinical and clinical development, including their spectrum of activity, antifungal target, clinical trial data and potential in treatment of drug-resistant Candida. Lastly, we discuss the use of combination therapy between conventional and repurposed agents as a potential strategy to combat the threat of emerging resistance in Candida.

Evaluation of the effect of antibiotics used during parenteral nutrition treatment on Candidemia

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Parenteral nutrition is an important risk factor for candidemia. In this risk analysis study, the effect of previous antibiotic administration apart from the length of hospital stay, duration of Parenteral nutrition treatment, and Candida score parameters on developing candidemia was evaluated in the non-neutropenic patients receiving Parenteral nutrition treatment. METHODS: In this double center, retrospective, and cross-sectional study, the data of patients who received Parenteral nutrition treatment were collected. Patients with or without candidemia after the initiation of Parenteral nutrition treatment were compared in terms of demographic features, Candida score, length of hospital stay, duration of Parenteral nutrition treatment, and previous use of antibiotics. Then, predictor factors affecting the probability of candidemia during Candida growth time were determined by the Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 148 patients (59.5% males) were included and 16 (10.81%) of these had candidemia after initiation of parenteral nutrition treatment. The median (min-max) duration of parenteral nutrition treatment was 11 (4-72) days and the Candida growth time was 13 (7-29) days. Statistically significant differences were found between patients with or without candidemia groups in terms of length of hospital stay (p<0.001), duration of parenteral nutrition treatment (p<0.001), and Candida score (p<0.001). To determine the effect of these variables and antibiotics on candidemia, length of hospital stay [Hazard Ratio 1.030; p=0.021] and piperacillin-tazobactam (Hazard Ratio 5.626; p=0.030) were found significant and independent risk factors on the development of candidemia. CONCLUSION: There are some well-known risk factors including length of hospital stay, duration of Parenteral nutrition treatment, and Candida score; the potential impact of piperacillin-tazobactam administration should also be considered since they may be effective on the development of candidemia.

Treatment Practices for Adults With Candidemia at 9 Active Surveillance Sites-United States, 2017-2018.

BACKGROUND: Candidemia is a common opportunistic infection causing substantial morbidity and mortality. Because of an increasing proportion of non-albicans Candida species and rising antifungal drug resistance, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) changed treatment guidelines in 2016 to recommend echinocandins over fluconazole as first-line treatment for adults with candidemia. We describe candidemia treatment practices and adherence to the updated guidelines. METHODS: During 2017-2018, the Emerging Infections Program conducted active population-based candidemia surveillance at 9 US sites using a standardized case definition. We assessed factors associated with initial antifungal treatment for the first candidemia case among adults using multivariable logistic regression models. To identify instances of potentially inappropriate treatment, we compared the first antifungal drug received with species and antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) results from initial blood cultures. RESULTS: Among 1835 patients who received antifungal treatment, 1258 (68.6%) received an echinocandin and 543 (29.6%) received fluconazole as initial treatment. Cirrhosis (adjusted odds ratio = 2.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-3.29) was the only underlying medical condition significantly associated with initial receipt of an echinocandin (versus fluconazole). More than one-half (n = 304, 56.0%) of patients initially treated with fluconazole grew a non-albicans species. Among 265 patients initially treated with fluconazole and with fluconazole AFST results, 28 (10.6%) had a fluconazole-resistant isolate. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of patients with candidemia were initially treated with fluconazole, resulting in potentially inappropriate treatment for those involving non-albicans or fluconazole-resistant species. Reasons for nonadherence to IDSA guidelines should be evaluated, and clinician education is needed.

Spectrum and Antifungal Resistance of Candidemia in Neonates With Early- and Late-Onset Sepsis in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal candidemia leads to high morbidity and mortality in developing countries. We studied the trends, spectrum and antifungal resistance in neonatal candidemia isolates from the year 2014 to 2019. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Aga Khan University, Pakistan. Neonates with positive blood cultures with Candida species were retrospectively identified from the laboratory database (2014-2018) and prospectively in 2019 where clinical information was also collected as part of routine laboratory reporting. RESULTS: We identified 669 neonates with Candida species in blood cultures. Three hundred forty-six neonates had early-onset disease (EOD age ≤7 days) and 323 had late-onset disease (LOD age >7 days). Non-albicans Candida species (86.7%) were predominant versus C. albicans (13.3%; P-value 0.024) with Candida tropicalis being most common in both EOD and LOD. Candida pelliculosa and Candida guilliermondii were associated with EOD and C. albicans with LOD. Isolation of fluconazole nonsusceptible non-albicans Candida species was significantly higher in early-onset (5.9%) versus late-onset (2%) neonatal candidemia (P-value 0.005; crude odds ratio [COR] 2.73, 95% CI: 1.34-5.53). LOD in neonates was more likely associated with the use of vancomycin (COR 3.89, 95% CI: 1.39-10.89). EOD was more likely seen in patients with vaginal delivery (COR 4.16, 95% CI: 1.42-12.23) and in neonates with respiratory distress leading to intensive care unit admission (COR 3.31, 95% CI: 1.05-10.42). CONCLUSIONS: Non-albicans Candida species were increasingly isolated from neonates with candidemia during recent years from Pakistan. Amphotericin remains first-line option for neonatal candidemia in our setting as fluconazole nonsusceptible Candida species are commonly isolated.

Current fluconazole treatment regimens result in under-dosing of critically ill adults during early therapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate current fluconazole treatment regimens in critically ill adults over the typical treatment course. METHODS: Data from critically ill adults treated with fluconazole (n=30) were used to develop a population pharmacokinetic model. Probability of target attainment (PTA) (fAUC24/MIC >100) was determined from simulations for four previously proposed treatment regimens: (i) 400 mg once daily, (ii) an 800 mg loading dose followed by 400 mg once daily, (iii) 400 mg twice daily, and (iv) a 12 mg/kg loading dose followed by 6 mg/kg once daily. The effect of body weight (40, 70, 120 kg) and renal function (continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT); 20, 60, 120, 180 mL/min creatinine clearance) on PTA was assessed. RESULTS: Early (0-48 h) fluconazole target attainment for infections with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 mg/L was highly variable. PTA was highest with an 800 mg loading dose for underweight (40 kg) patients and with a 12 mg/kg loading dose for the remainder. End-of-treatment PTA was highest with the 400 mg twice daily maintenance dosing for patients who were under- or normal weight and 6 mg/kg maintenance dosing for overweight (120 kg) patients. None of the fluconazole regimens reliably attained early targets for MICs of ≥4 mg/L. CONCLUSION: Current fluconazole dosing regimens do not achieve adequate early target attainment in critically ill adults, particularly in those who are overweight, have higher creatinine clearance, or are undergoing CRRT. Current fluconazole dosing strategies are generally inadequate to treat organisms with an MIC of ≥4 mg/L.

Epidemiology, risk factors, treatment and outcome of Candida bloodstream infections because of Candida albicans and Candida non-albicans in two district general hospitals in the United Kingdom.

INTRODUCTION: Bloodstream infections caused by Candida species, known as candidemia are on the rise because of increasing complexity of surgical procedures, patient's underlying co-morbidities and shift in patient's demographics. This study was conducted to evaluate the epidemiology, risk factors, co-morbidities, antifungal treatment and outcomes of candidemia in Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Candida non-albicans (C. non-albicans) in East Sussex Healthcare Trust (ESHT), England. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective and prospective study was performed during January 2006 to June 2017. RESULT: A total of 102 episodes of candidemia on 100 patients (55 males) were identified. C. non-albicans were predominant (55%). All isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B, caspofungin and voriconazole while one C. albicans and five C. non-albicans isolates were resistant to fluconazole. The risk factors in C. albicans and C. non-albicans groups were comparable which included intensive care unit (ICU) stay (15% vs 10%), the presence of intravascular line (35% vs 42%), previous antibiotic exposure (39% vs 49%), surgical intervention (19% vs 19%), mechanical ventilation (5% vs 8%), total parenteral nutrition (30% vs 27%) and urinary catheters (33 vs 38). The comorbidities in both groups (C. albicans and C. non-albicans) were solid organ cancer (15&14), haematology malignancy (1&3), steroid use (14&13), diabetes (9&7) and chemotherapy (2&4). Main sources of candidemia in C. albicans were line (12), respiratory (10) and urinary tracts (6) while line (26) and urinary tract (9) were predominant in C. non-albicans group. Only a small number of patients underwent echocardiography (30%) and ophthalmology reviews (20%). A total of 45 fatal cases were recorded (C. albicans 23). The highest mortality was seen in patients with C. albicans and among them the risk factors were elderly age group > 65 years (17/23), surgical intervention (9/23) and the history of ICU stay (7/23). CONCLUSION: C. albicans candidemia, >65 years of age and surgical procedure is associated with significant mortality, however, the use of fluconazole has shown the increased survival rate. This study suggests the surveillance of candidemia, and antifungal susceptibility pattern in current practice and the treatment.

Evaluation of the effect of antibiotics used during parenteral nutrition treatment on Candidemia.

OBJECTIVE: Parenteral nutrition is an important risk factor for candidemia. In this risk analysis study, the effect of previous antibiotic administration apart from the length of hospital stay, duration of Parenteral nutrition treatment, and Candida score parameters on developing candidemia was evaluated in the non-neutropenic patients receiving Parenteral nutrition treatment. METHODS: In this double center, retrospective, and cross-sectional study, the data of patients who received Parenteral nutrition treatment were collected. Patients with or without candidemia after the initiation of Parenteral nutrition treatment were compared in terms of demographic features, Candida score, length of hospital stay, duration of Parenteral nutrition treatment, and previous use of antibiotics. Then, predictor factors affecting the probability of candidemia during Candida growth time were determined by the Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 148 patients (59.5% males) were included and 16 (10.81%) of these had candidemia after initiation of parenteral nutrition treatment. The median (min-max) duration of parenteral nutrition treatment was 11 (4-72) days and the Candida growth time was 13 (7-29) days. Statistically significant differences were found between patients with or without candidemia groups in terms of length of hospital stay (p<0.001), duration of parenteral nutrition treatment (p<0.001), and Candida score (p<0.001). To determine the effect of these variables and antibiotics on candidemia, length of hospital stay [Hazard Ratio 1.030; p=0.021] and piperacillin-tazobactam (Hazard Ratio 5.626; p=0.030) were found significant and independent risk factors on the development of candidemia. CONCLUSION: There are some well-known risk factors including length of hospital stay, duration of Parenteral nutrition treatment, and Candida score; the potential impact of piperacillin-tazobactam administration should also be considered since they may be effective on the development of candidemia.

Impact of tolerance to fluconazole on treatment response in Candida albicans bloodstream infection.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of Candida albicans bloodstream infection with fluconazole is associated with significant mortality despite in vitro susceptibility to the drug. OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether tolerance to fluconazole is predictive of treatment failure. METHODS: We reviewed patients with monomicrobial C albicans bloodstream infection who received primary monotherapy with fluconazole. Tolerance to fluconazole, defined as the fraction of growth above the MIC, was quantified using the disc diffusion assay and digital image analyses. Survival analyses were performed with host and treatment factors as predictive variables. RESULTS: Among 44 patients included in the study, all-cause mortality was 29.5% at 30 days and 43.1% at 12 weeks. Forty-one isolates (93%) were susceptible to fluconazole (MIC50, 0.5 mg/L). Fluconazole tolerance was strongly associated with death for patients treated with fluconazole within 24 h of candidemia onset (33.3% vs 0%; p = .007), but not among patients whose treatment was started later. MIC did not correlate with survival, regardless of treatment delay. A Cox regression model including time to treatment, tolerance to fluconazole, fluconazole exposure and Pitt bacteraemia score provided good prediction of treatment outcome (area under the receiver-operator curve, 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with C albicans bloodstream infection, tolerance testing was predictive of fluconazole efficacy if the drug was started early. Further study is required to validate the utility of this metric to guide treatment choices.

Impact of biofilm production by Candida species and antifungal therapy on mortality of patients with candidemia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Few studies have investigated the clinical outcomes of patients with candidemia caused by Candida species with different levels of biofilm formation. We aimed to investigate the impact of antifungal therapy on the outcome of candidemia caused by Candida species that were categorised as low biofilm formers (LBFs), moderate biofilm formers (MBFs), and high biofilm formers (HBFs). METHODS: Adults with candidemia caused by LBF and HBF/MBF Candida species that were susceptible to fluconazole and caspofungin were included to investigate the impact of treatment with fluconazole vs an echinocandin on 30-day crude mortality. RESULTS: In total, 215 patients with candidemia received fluconazole and 116 patients received an echinocandin. In multivariate analysis, Pittsburgh bacteremia score ≥ 4 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-4.41), malignancy (AOR = 3.45; 95% CI, 1.83-6.51), not removing the central venous catheter within 48 hours of a positive blood culture (AOR = 4.69; 95% CI, 2.61-8.45), and treatment with fluconazole for candidemia due to HBF/MBF Candida spp. (AOR = 2.23; 95% CI, 1.22-4.06) were independent factors associated with 30-day mortality. Of the 165 patients infected by HBF/MBF Candida isolates, those who received azole therapy had a significantly higher sepsis-related mortality rate than those who received echinocandin therapy (44.9% [49/109] vs 26.8% [15/56], P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: There was a trend of an independent association between fluconazole treatment and poor outcomes in the patients infected by HBF/MBF Candida strains.

Attributable mortality of candidemia after introduction of echinocandins.

OBJECTIVES: Candidemia is among the most frequent nosocomial bloodstream infections. Landmark case-control studies on amphotericin B and fluconazole estimated attributable mortality rates of 38% and 49%, respectively. After introduction of echinocandins, these may have decreased. METHODS: In a case-control design, 100 consecutive, hospitalised patients with candidemia were enrolled at the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany between 2014 and 2017. Controls were patients without candidemia matched for age, sex, year and duration of hospitalisation, main admission diagnosis and Patient Clinical Complexity Level (PCCL). Main data captured were risk factors for candidemia, attributable mortality rates and diagnostic and therapeutic adherence according to the EQUAL Candida score. RESULTS: Overall mortality rates for cases and controls were 43% and 17% (P < .001), respectively; day 30 mortality rates were 38% and 11% (P = .03), accounting for an attributable mortality of 26% and 27%. Guideline adherence was higher in surviving vs non-surviving patients: while survivors reached a median of 17 (IQR: 16-19) points, non-surviving cases reached a median 16 (IQR: 14-18) points out of 22 maximum achievable points (P = .028). Risk factors for candidemia were more frequent in cases compared to control patients, especially chronic pulmonary disease (25% vs 16%; P = n.s.), chronic liver disease (21% vs 6%; P = .002), stay on intensive care unit (70% vs 64%; P = n.s.), respiratory failure (56% vs 50%; P = n.s.) and central venous catheter (97% vs 35%; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Attributable mortality of nosocomial candidemia is still substantial but has decreased compared to previous studies with similar design.

Effect of initial antifungal therapy on mortality among patients with bloodstream infections with different Candida species and resistance to antifungal agents: A multicentre observational study by the Turkish Fungal Infections Study Group.

This study aimed to describe the effect of initial antifungal therapy on patient mortality and to detail the current distribution and resistance patterns of Candida spp. among patients with candidaemia. A prospective observational study was performed among consecutive patients with candidaemia from 10 Turkish medical centres between January 2015 and November 2018. The primary outcome was 10-day mortality. Species were identified using MALDI-TOF/MS. A total of 342 patients with candidaemia were included, of which 175 (51.2%) were male and 68 (19.9%) were aged <18 years. The most common species were Candida albicans (47.4%), Candida parapsilosis (26.6%), Candida tropicalis (9.6%) and Candida glabrata (7.6%). Among all Candida spp., the 10-day case fatality rate (CFR) was 32.2%. The CFR was highest in patients with C. albicans (57.3%) and lowest in patients with C. parapsilosis (21.8%). The resistance rate to fluconazole was 13% in C. parapsilosis, with no significant effect on mortality. No resistance to echinocandins was detected. In the multivariate analysis, being in the ICU [OR = 2.1 (95% CI 1.32-3.57); P = 0.002], renal failure [OR = 2.4 (1.41-3.97); P = 0.001], total parenteral nutrition [OR = 2 (1.22-3.47); P = 0.006], C. albicans infection [OR = 1.7 (1.06-2.82); P = 0.027] and echinocandin as primary agent [OR = 0.6 (0.36-0.99); P = 0.047] were significantly associated with mortality. Candidaemia is a deadly infection. Fluconazole resistance is emerging, although it was not significantly related to mortality. Using an echinocandin as the primary agent could be life-saving.

A multicenter retrospective analysis of the antifungal susceptibility patterns of Candida species and the predictive factors of mortality in South Korean patients with candidemia.

As detection rates of non-albicans Candida species are increasing, determining their pathogen profiles and antifungal susceptibilities is important for antifungal treatment selection. We identified the antifungal susceptibility patterns and predictive factors for mortality in candidemia.A multicenter retrospective analysis of patients with at least 1 blood culture positive for Candida species was conducted. Candida species were classified into 3 groups (group A, Candia albicans; group B, Candida tropicalis, and Candida parasilosis; group C, Candida glabrata and Candida krusei ) to analyze the susceptibility patterns, first-line antifungal administered, and mortality. Univariate and multivariate comparisons between outcomes were performed to identify mortality risk factors.In total, 317 patients were identified, and 136 (42.9%) had recorded mortality. Echinocandin susceptibility was higher for group A than group B (111/111 [100%] vs 77/94 [81.9%], P < .001). Moreover, group A demonstrated higher fluconazole susceptibility (144/149 [96.6%] vs 39/55 [70.9%], P < .001) and lower mortality (68 [45.3%] vs 34 [61.8%], P = .036) than those of group C. In the multivariate analysis, the sequential organ failure assessment score (odds ratio OR 1.351, 95% confidence interval 1.067-1.711, p = 0.013) and positive blood culture on day 7 of hospitalization (odds ratio 5.506, 95% confidence interval, 1.697-17.860, P = .004) were associated with a higher risk of mortality.Patients with higher sequential organ failure assessment scores and sustained positive blood cultures have an increased risk of mortality.