The epidemiology and attributable outcomes of candidemia in adults and children hospitalized in the United States: a propensity analysis.

BACKGROUND: Candida species are the fourth most common cause of bloodstream infection and are the leading cause of invasive fungal infection among hospitalized patients in the United States. However, the frequency and outcomes attributable to the infection are uncertain. This retrospective study set out to estimate the incidence of candidemia in hospitalized adults and children in the United States and to determine attributable mortality, length of hospital stay, and hospital charges related to candidemia. METHODS: We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2000 for adult patients and the Kids' Inpatient Database 2000 for pediatric patients. We matched candidemia-exposed and candidemia-unexposed patients by the propensity scores for the probability of candidemia exposure, which were derived from patient characteristics. Attributable outcomes were calculated as the differences in estimates of outcomes between propensity score-matched patients with and without candidemia. RESULTS: In the United States in 2000, candidemia was diagnosed in an estimated 1118 hospital admissions of pediatric patients and 8949 hospital admissions of adult patients, yielding a frequency of 43 cases per 100,000 pediatric admissions (95% confidence interval [CI], 35-52 cases per 100,000 pediatric admissions) and 30 cases per 100,000 adult admissions (95% CI, 26-34 cases per 100,000 adult admissions). In pediatric patients, candidemia was associated with a 10.0% increase in mortality (95% CI, 6.2%-13.8%), a mean 21.1-day increase in length of stay (95% CI, 14.4-27.8 days), and a mean increase in total per-patient hospital charges of 92,266 dollars (95% CI, 65,058 dollars-119,474 dollars). In adult patients, candidemia was associated with a 14.5% increase in mortality (95% CI, 12.1%-16.9%), a mean 10.1-day increase in length of stay (95% CI, 8.9-11.3 days), and a mean increase in hospital charges of 39,331 dollars (95% CI, 33,604 dollars-45,602 dollars). CONCLUSION: The impact of candidemia on excess mortality, increased length of stay, and the burden of cost of hospitalization underscores the need for improved means of prevention and treatment of candidemia in adults and children.

Discharge disposition of adolescents admitted to medical hospitals after attempting suicide.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that discharge disposition for adolescents admitted to medical hospitals after attempting suicide varies as a function of hospital type and geographic region. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. SETTING: The nationally representative Kids' Inpatient Database for 2000. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 10 to 19 years with a diagnosis of suicide attempt or self-inflicted injury.Main Outcome Measure Likelihood of transfer to another facility vs discharge to home. RESULTS: Care for 32 655 adolescents who attempted suicide was provided in adult hospitals (83% of hospitalizations), children's units in general hospitals (10%), and children's hospitals (4%). More than half (66%) of medical hospitalizations ended with discharge to home, 21% with transfer to a psychiatric, rehabilitation, or chronic care (P/R/C) facility, 10% with transfer to a skilled nursing facility, intermediate care facility, or short-term acute care hospital facility, and 2% with death or departure against medical advice. After adjustment for individual patient characteristics, children's units were 44% more likely than adult hospitals to transfer adolescent patients to a P/R/C facility (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.94). Patients cared for outside the Northeast were significantly less likely to be transferred to a P/R/C facility (South: OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65-0.97; Midwest: OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.49-0.80; West: OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.22-0.38). CONCLUSIONS: Most adolescents admitted to a medical hospital after a suicide attempt are discharged to home, and the likelihood of transfer to another facility appears to be influenced by the geographic location of the admitting hospital and whether it caters to children.

S-100beta protein-serum levels in healthy children and its association with outcome in pediatric traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: To describe normal serum levels of S-100beta in healthy children and determine whether serum S-100beta levels after traumatic brain injury are associated with outcome. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Urban, tertiary care, children's teaching hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 136 healthy children and 27 children with traumatic brain injury. METHODS: Serum S-100beta levels were measured in 136 healthy children. A total of 27 children with traumatic brain injury had S-100beta levels collected within 12 hrs of injury. Other indices of severity of injury measured were admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, and Pediatric Risk of Mortality score at 24 hrs (PRISM 24). Outcome was measured by the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) score at hospital discharge and 6 months postinjury or at death. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: S-100beta levels in healthy children had a mean of 0.3 microg/L (90% confidence interval, 0.03-1.47) and inversely correlated with age, (r = -.32, p <.001). In children with traumatic brain injury, 6-month postinjury outcome inversely correlated with Glasgow Coma Scale score (r = -.47, p =.01) and correlated with PRISM 24 score (r =.83, p <.001) and S-100beta levels (r =.75, p <.001). Six months postinjury, comparing good outcome (PCPC < or = 3, n = 20) vs. poor outcome (PCPC > or = 4, n = 7), median admission Glasgow Coma Scale scores were 8 (range, 3-15) and 3 (range, 3-7, p =.01), median PRISM 24 scores were 7 (range, 0-19) and 30 (range, 18-35, p <.001), and median S-100beta levels were 0.85 microg/L (range, 0.08-4.8 microg/L) and 3.6 microg/L (range, 1.4-20 microg/L, p <.001), respectively. A serum S-100beta level of > or =2.0 microg/L is associated with poor outcome, with a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 95%. The area under the receiver operating curve for S-100beta was 0.94 (+/-0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum S-100beta levels in healthy children have a moderate inverse correlation with age. After traumatic brain injury in children, the acute assessment of serum S-100beta levels seems to be associated with outcome.