Epidemiology and risk factors for multidrug-resistant bacteria in critically ill patients with liver disease

The critically ill patients with liver disease are vulnerable to infections in both community and hospital settings. The nosocomial infections are often caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. The present observational study was conducted to describe the epidemiology, course, and outcome of MDR bacterial infection and identify the risk factors of such infection in critically ill patients with liver disease.

A retrospective observational study was conducted on 106 consecutive critically patients with liver disease admitted in the Intensive Care Unit between March 2015 and February 2017. The MDR and non-MDR (non-MDR) groups were compared and the risk factors identified by multivariate analysis.

Out of the 106 patients enrolled in the study, 23 patients had infections caused by MDR bacteria. The MDR-infected patients had severe liver disease (Child-Pugh score 11 ± 2.3 vs. 7 ± 3.9; P = 0.04), longer duration of antibiotic usage (6 ± 2.7 days vs. 2 ± 1.5 days; P = 0.04), greater use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) (73.9% vs. 62.6%; P = 0.04), and more concurrent antifungal administration (60.8% vs. 38.5%; P = 0.04). The mortality was higher in MDR group (hazard ratio = 1.86; P < 0.05). The independent predictors of MDR bacterial infection were Child-Pugh score >10, prior carbapenem use, antibiotic use for more than 10 days, TPN use, and concurrent antifungal administration.

The study demonstrated a high prevalence of MDR bacterial infection in critically ill patients with a higher mortality over non-MDR bacterial infection and also identified the independent predictors of such infections.