Table 1.
Cohort characteristics
| Variable |
N (%) (n = 70)a |
|---|---|
| Demographics | |
| Male:Female | 46:24 |
| Age, median (IQR) years | 37 (32–41) |
| Temporary accommodation or no fixed abode | 20 (28.6) |
| Substance use | |
| Alcohol excess | 10 (14.3) |
| Heroin only | 29 (41.4) |
| + Cocaine | 26 (37.1) |
| + Benzodiazepines | 26 (37.1) |
| + Cannabis | 9 (12.9) |
| + New psychoactive substance | 5 (7.1) |
| + Others | 6 (8.6) |
| Blood borne viruses | |
| HIV positive | 0 |
| Active HBV | 2 (2.9) |
| Active HCV | 22 (31.4) |
| Prior cleared HCV | 15 (21.4) |
| Presentation | |
| Symptom duration prior to admission, median (IQR) days | 4.5 (3–7) |
| Vital signs, median (IQR) | |
| Pulse, beats/min | 102 (85–118) |
| Systolic BP, mmHg | 113 (90–123) |
| SpO2, % | 97 (95–99) |
| Temperature, °C | 38.4 (37.5–39) |
| Respiratory rate, breaths/min | 17 (16–19) |
|
Antimicrobial durations, median (IQR) daysb |
|
| Intravenous | 18 (7–29) |
| Oral follow-on (n = 54) | 14 (14–27) |
| Combined | 29 (28–43) |
| Surgical intervention | |
| Abscess drainage | 13 (18.6) |
| Pseudoaneurysm ligation | 4 (5.7) |
| Complications | |
| Bacteraemia | 39/66 (59.1)c |
| Septic pulmonary emboli | 27 (38.6) |
| Groin abscess | 24 (34.3) |
| Arterial involvement | 8 (11.4) |
| Pseudoaneurysm | 6 (8.6) |
| Splenic emboli | 3 (4.3) |
| Infective endocarditis | 3 (4.3) |
| Outcomes | |
| Clinical cure | 62 (88.6) |
| Microbiological cure | 38/39 (97.4) |
| Substance-use related admission in year after discharge | 32 (45.7) |
Data shown as n (%) unless otherwise stated
aDenominator = 70 unless otherwise stated
bData available for n = 68
cBlood cultures obtained in n = 66
IQR interquartile range, HIV human immunodeficiency virus, HBV hepatitis B virus, HCV hepatitis C virus, BP blood pressure, SpO2 oxygen saturations