TABLE 1.
E. lenta bacteremia patient characteristics and clinical featuresa
| Patient clinical characteristic | Values |
|---|---|
| Demographics | |
| Mean age ± SD (median, range) | 62.4 ± 23.9 (68, 11–95) |
| Male sex | 17 (52%) |
| Mean no. of days of stay ± SD (median, range) | 23.6 ± 26.3 (11, 1–94) |
| Admission to intensive care, no. (%) | 10 (30.3) |
| Admitting unit | |
| Medical, no. (%) | 16 (48.5) |
| Surgical, no. (%) | 13 (39.4) |
| Other, no. (%) | 4 (12.1) |
| Onset | |
| Community, no. (%) | 21 (63.6) |
| Health care associated, no. (%) | 2 (6.1) |
| Nosocomial, no. (%) | 10 (30.3) |
| Microbiological characteristics | |
| Anaerobic bottle only, no. (%) | 33 (100) |
| Mean day blood culture flagged positive± SD (median, range) | 2.85 ± 1.09 (3, 1–5) |
| Mean time to positivity (h) ± SD (median, range) | 72.5 ± 25.2 (65.6, 40.1–122.6) |
| Polymicrobial bacteremia, no. (%) | 13 (39.4) |
| Symptoms | |
| Fever, no. (%) | 27 (81.8) |
| Abdominal pain, no. (%) | 21 (63.6) |
| Vomiting, no. (%) | 12 (36.4) |
| Diarrhea, no. (%) | 8 (24.2) |
| Severity scores | |
| Mean simplified acute physiology score (SAPS II) ± SD (median, range) | 27 ± 12.2 (25, 6–64) |
| Mean Pitt bacteremia score ± SD (median, range) | 2.15 ± 1.9 (2, 0–8) |
| Medical comorbidities | |
| Diverticular disease, no. (%) | 8 (24.2) |
| Colonic polyps, no. (%) | 5 (15.2) |
| Gastrointestinal malignancy, no. (%) | 4 (12.1) |
| Inflammatory bowel disease, no. (%) | 1 (3) |
| Chronic liver disease, no. (%) | 1 (3) |
| Gastrointestinal instrumentation or surgery within 30 days, no. (%) | 5 (15.2) |
| Any chronic gastrointestinal pathology, no. (%) | 19 (57.6) |
| Immunosuppression, no. (%) | 5 (15.2) |
| Diabetes, no. (%) | 9 (27.3) |
| Renal failure, no. (%) | 12 (36.4), including 3 (9.1) dialysis |
| Nongastrointestinal malignancy, no. (%) | 4 (12.1) |
| No significant comorbidities, no. (%) | 5 (15.1) |
| Mean Charlson comorbidity score ± SD (median, range) | 2.45 ± 2.25 (2, 0–7) |
| Likely source | |
| Hepatobiliary (liver, pancreas, gallbladder, biliary), no. (%) | 3 (9.1) |
| Upper gastrointestinal tract, no. (%) | 5 (15.2) |
| Colon, no. (%) | 10 (30.3) |
| Bowel (unable to localize), no. (%) | 5 (15.2) |
| Appendix, no. (%) | 4 (12.1) |
| Skin or soft tissue, no. (%) | 3 (9.1) |
| Other, no. (%) | 3 (9.1) |
| Investigations | |
| Mean hemoglobin level (g/liter) ± SD (median, range) (RR, 119–160 g/liter) | 112 ± 24 (112, 77–167) |
| Mean white cell count (× 109/liter) ± SD (median, range) (RR, 4.0–11.0 × 109/liter) | 14.9 ± 8.7 (3.2–39) |
| Mean albumin level (g/liter) ± SD (median, range) (RR, 35–45 g/liter) | 27 ± 6.8 (26, 14–39) |
| C-reactive protein level (mg/liter) ± SD (median, range) (RR, 0–5 mg/liter) | 138.5 ± 107.1 (26, 14–39) |
| Abdominal CT, no. (%) (tested/abnormal) | 17 (51.5)/13 (39.4) |
| Abdominal ultrasound, no. (%) (tested/abnormal) | 9 (27.3)/6 (18.2) |
| Treatment | |
| No directed treatment, no. (%) | 5 (15.2%) |
| Antibiotic therapy, no. (%) | 28 (84.8%) |
| Mean duration of antibiotics if treated (days) ± SD (median, range) | 36.7 ± 56.2 (21.5, 2–301) |
| Surgical procedure, no. (%) | 12 (36.4) |
| Radiological procedure, no. (%) | 3 (9.1) |
| Endoscopy performed (diagnostic and/or therapeutic), no. (%) | 11 (33.3) |
| Outcome | |
| 7-day mortality, no. (%) | 2 (6.1) |
| 30-day mortality, no. (%) | 4 (12.1) |
| 1-yr mortality, no. (%) | 11 (33.3) |
| Readmission | |
| Within 3 mos, no. (%) | 11 (33.3) |
| Within 12 mos, no. (%) | 16 (48.5) |
a
n = 33 patients. CT, computed tomography; RR, reference range; SD, standard deviation.