Liver abscesses: Clinical-epidemiological, microbiological characteristics and mortality predictors

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Microbiology

Background:

• Liver abscesses are common visceral infections with risk factors including diabetes and hepatobiliary disease.
• Diagnosis typically involves imaging and microbiological cultures.
• Understanding clinical-epidemiological and microbiological factors is key to improving patient prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical-epidemiological and microbiological characteristics of liver abscesses.
• To assess the impact of these factors on patient prognosis and mortality.
• To compare different treatment strategies for liver abscesses.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of 132 patients diagnosed with liver abscesses (2011-2022).
• Analysis of clinical, laboratory, and microbiological variables.
• Logistic and Cox regression used to identify mortality predictors and compare treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• Female sex and biliary disease are associated with multiple liver abscesses.
• Liver abscess cultures are more sensitive than blood cultures for diagnosis.
• Early percutaneous drainage and broad-spectrum antibiotics reduced hospitalization and surgical intervention.
• In-hospital mortality was 15.1%, linked to diabetes, abscess size, and polymicrobial infection; surgery posed a higher mortality risk than drainage.

Conclusions:

• Liver abscess cultures are vital for guiding antibiotic therapy due to high rates of polymicrobial infections.
• Mortality is associated with comorbidities like diabetes mellitus and polymicrobial infections.
• Timely drainage and broad-spectrum antibiotics enhance clinical outcomes and reduce mortality risk.