Epidemiological investigation of non-fermentative bacterial infection in cirrhotic patients

Background: This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of NFGNB in patients with cirrhosis as well as the risk factors for short-term mortality.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in patients with cirrhosis and NFGNB infections from 2011 to 2016 .

Results: 144 episodes in 134 patients with liver cirrhosis and NFGNB infections were found in total. Of these, 81.2% were hospital-acquired or healthcare- associated infections, while only 18.8% of NFGNB infections originated from the community. A. baumannii were the most frequently isolated bacteria (39 episodes), followed by S. maltophilia (38 episodes) and P. aeruginosa (31 episodes). MDR- and non-MDR-NFGNB comprised 62.5% and 37.5% of infections respectively. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed no significant difference between MDR and non-MDR NFGNB patients (74.1% vs 75.5%, P = 0.811). Neither MDR or the subgroup of common NFGNB (P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, S. maltophilia) was associated with the 28-day mortality (all P >0.05). Low albumin levels and high Tbil levels were both independent risk factors for 28-day mortality (HR = 0.930, 95%CI (0.869, 0.995), P = 0.035; HR = 1.003, 95%CI (1.002, 1.005), P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: Diabetes increased 28-day mortality significantly, however, MDR status, site of infection and bacteria type did not.