Epidemiology of Multidrug Resistant Infections after Inter-ICU Transfer in India

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently acquire multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms.
• Inter-ICU patient transfers can facilitate the spread of MDR organisms, posing infection control challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the epidemiology of infections following inter-ICU patient transfer.
• To compare outcomes between multidrug-resistant (MDR) and non-MDR infections.
• To identify factors associated with mortality in MDR and non-MDR infection groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 134 consecutive patients transferred between ICUs.
• Assessed the prevalence of MDR and non-MDR infections.
• Compared patient outcomes and analyzed mortality predictors.

Main Results:

• 66.4% of patients developed infections, with 21.6% caused by MDR organisms.
• No significant difference in mortality, mechanical ventilation duration, or ICU stay between MDR and non-MDR groups.
• Longer mechanical ventilation and ICU stay (>7 days) were independently associated with mortality in the MDR group.

Conclusions:

• A high prevalence of MDR infections exists post-inter-ICU transfer.
• Patient outcomes do not differ significantly between MDR and non-MDR infections.
• Prolonged mechanical ventilation and ICU stay are key mortality predictors for MDR infections.