Avkan-Oğuz V, Çelİk M, Eren-Kutsoylu OÖ, Nazli A, Uğur YL, Taylan A, Ergan B, Irmak Ç, Duğral E, Özkütük AA. Fungal colonization and infections in patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units: A real-life experience at a tertiary-care hospital.
Respir Med Res 2022;
82:100937. [PMID:
35792466 PMCID:
PMC9249560 DOI:
10.1016/j.resmer.2022.100937]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE
To evaluate the management of patients with COVID-19 in the intensive care units (ICUs) with fungal infection/colonization and to highlight diagnostic problems in these patients.
METHODS
We included all patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis who were aged ≥18 years and followed in the ICU for the first 8 months. Patient data were obtained from medical records. We compared the risk factors, laboratory data, and outcomes of patients with fungal infection/colonization.
RESULTS
A total of 118 patients (81 men and 37 women) were included. The mean age was 70.3 ± 14.8 (35-94) years. Of the patients, 79 (66.9%) patients were ≥65 years old. Fungal infection/colonization was detected in 39 (33.1%) patients. Fungi were isolated from 34 (28.8%) patients. Ten fungal species were isolated from 51 samples (the most common being Candida albicans). Three patients (2.5%) had proven candidemia. We observed two (1.7%) possible cases of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). Eighteen patients (15.3%) underwent antifungal therapy. The risk of fungal infection/colonization increased as the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation increased. The fatality rate was 61.9% and increased with age and the use of mechanical ventilation. The fatality rate was 4.2-times-higher and the use of mechanical ventilation was 35.9-times-higher in the patients aged ≥65 years than in the patients aged <65 years. No relationship was found between fungal colonization/infection, antifungal treatment, and the fatality rate.
CONCLUSION
During the pandemic, approximately one-third of the patients in ICUs exhibited fungal infection/colonization. Candida albicans was the most common species of fungal infection as in the pre-pandemic area. Because of the cross-contamination risk, we performed diagnostic bronchoscopy and control thorax computed tomography during the ICU stay, and our patients mainly received empirical antifungal therapy.
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