ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess risk factors for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) infection in neutropenic patients. METHODS: Single-centre retrospective analysis of consecutive bloodstream infection (BSI) episodes (2004-2017, Barcelona). Two multivariate regression models were used at BSI diagnosis and P. aeruginosa detection. Significant predictors were used to establish rules for stratifying patients according to MDR-PA BSI risk. RESULTS: Of 661 Gram-negative BSI episodes, 190 (28.7%) were caused by P. aeruginosa (70 MDR-PA). Independent factors associated with MDR-PA among Gram-negative organisms were haematological malignancy (OR 3.30; 95% CI 1.15-9.50), pulmonary source of infection (OR 7.85; 95% CI 3.32-18.56), nosocomial-acquired BSI (OR 3.52; 95% CI 1.74-7.09), previous antipseudomonal cephalosporin (OR 13.66; 95% CI 6.64-28.10) and piperacillin/tazobactam (OR 2.42; 95% CI 1.04-5.63), and BSI occurring during ceftriaxone (OR 4.27; 95% CI 1.15-15.83). Once P. aeruginosa was identified as the BSI aetiological pathogen, nosocomial acquisition (OR 7.13; 95% CI 2.87-17.67), haematological malignancy (OR 3.44; 95% CI 1.07-10.98), previous antipseudomonal cephalosporin (OR 3.82; 95% CI 1.42-10.22) and quinolones (OR 3.97; 95% CI 1.37-11.48), corticosteroids (OR 2.92; 95% CI 1.15-7.40), and BSI occurring during quinolone (OR 4.88; 95% CI 1.58-15.05) and ß-lactam other than ertapenem (OR 4.51; 95% CI 1.45-14.04) were independently associated with MDR-PA. Per regression coefficients, 1 point was assigned to each parameter, except for nosocomial-acquired BSI (3 points). In the second analysis, a score >3 points identified 60 (86.3%) out of 70 individuals with MDR-PA BSI and discarded 100 (84.2%) out of 120 with non-MDR-PA BSI. CONCLUSIONS: A simple score based on demographic and clinical factors allows stratification of individuals with bacteraemia according to their risk of MDR-PA BSI, and may help facilitate the use of rapid MDR-detection tools and improve early antibiotic appropriateness.