Candiduria in intensive care units: association with heavy colonization and candidaemia

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Candiduria is frequently identified in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
• It often correlates with fungal colonization at other body sites.
• Previous studies show a link between candiduria and heavy colonization in ICU settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate candiduria as a potential marker for heavy fungal colonization in ICU patients.
• To explore the relationship between candiduria, colonization, and candidaemia.
• To highlight the prognostic significance and management implications of candiduria in critical care.

Main Methods:

• Review of studies involving surgical and medical ICU patients.
• Analysis of the association between candiduria and fungal colonization.
• Evaluation of risk factors for colonization and candidaemia.
• Assessment of mortality rates in ICU patients with candiduria.

Main Results:

• Candiduria is consistently associated with heavy fungal colonization in ICU patients.
• Risk factors for heavy colonization overlap with those for candidaemia.
• Candiduria in ICU patients has a high mortality rate.
• Candidaemia occurs in up to 50% of some ICU candiduria patient groups.

Conclusions:

• Candiduria may serve as a marker for extensive fungal colonization in the ICU.
• The high mortality associated with candiduria is often linked to concurrent candidaemia.
• Therapeutic intervention is crucial for critically ill patients with candiduria and risk factors for fungal dissemination.