RESUMEN
Epidemiology and risk factors associated to bacterial resistance in solid organ cancer (SOC) patients has been barely described. This retrospective monocentric study analyzed clinical variables in SOC patients who developed bacteremia between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2022. We described rates of bacterial resistance in Gram negative bacteria (80.6%): E. coli-ESBL, K. pneumoniae-ESBL, Carbapenem-Resistant K. pneumoniae and Meropenem-Resistant P. aeruginosa, as well as antibiotic consumption, and compared these rates between the medical and oncology wards. In total, we included 314 bacteremias from 253 patients. SOC patients are frequently prescribed antibiotics (40.8%), mainly fluoroquinolones. Nosocomial bacteremia accounted for 18.2% of the cases and only 14.3% of patients were neutropenic. Hepatobiliary tract was the most frequent tumor (31.5%) and source of bacteremia (38.5%). Resistant bacteria showed a decreased rate of resistance during the years studied in the oncology ward. Both K-ESBL and K-CBP resistance rates decreased (from 45.8% to 20.0%, and from 29.2% to 20.0%, respectively), as well as MRPA, which varied from a resistance rate of 28% to 16.7%. The presence of a urinary catheter (p < 0.001) and previous antibiotic prescription (p = 0.002) were risk factors for bacterial resistance. Identifying either of these risk factors could help in guiding antibiotic prescription for SOC patients.
RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Blood culture contaminations can lead to unnecessary diagnostic procedures and treatments, increasing workload, length of stay, and costs. OBJETIVES: Development of an educational program to reduce contamination rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our study compared contamination rates (CR) between a pre-intervention period (Ppre) and post-intervention period (Ppos), where clinical charts from patients with positive blood cultures were reviewed. Intervention consisted of a questionnaire where knowledge of blood culture practice and its significance was assessed. Results are discussed and explained. RESULTS: A presentation on blood culture guidelines was discussed in every nurse station. There was a median of 64% (40.8-78.5) attendance rate. The median of correct answers was 69% in the Ppre (54.1-83.3) with 85.7% (83.3-100) in the Ppos, indicating an improvement in 85.7% of the departments that could be compared. There were 136 (4.2%) contaminants in the Ppre and 186 (6.05%) in the Ppos (P=.005). Among the different departments the average of CR varied from 5% vs 7.5% (P=.79) between 2011 and 2012. Only 2 departments reduced CR by 2% to 2.5%, the difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention failed to reduce overall contamination rates, but knowledge of blood culture practice improved. Our results identified the errors that will help us to design a successful approach in future follow-up programs.
