Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in children: Analysis of trends in prevalence, antibiotic resistance -and prognostic factors

Objective. To determine the factors predisposing to Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia as well as the prevalence, source of infection, outcome and prognostic factors in pediatric patients. Methods. Retrospective review of pediatric patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia, at a large tertiary care hospital during a 6.5-year period. Results. Seventy patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia were identified. The annual rate of P. aeruginosa bacteremia remained unchanged during the study period. Antibiotic susceptibility remained unchanged except for two patients with extensive burns who developed resistant strains. Underlying diseases were malignancy (50%), prematurity (6%), burns (7%) and others (37%). The overall mortality associated with P. aeruginosa bacteremia was 20%. The fatality rate was higher among the young infants (compared with older children) and those who received previous antibiotic therapy (P = 0.02). Mortality rate was higher in nosocomial than in community-acquired infections (25% compared with 11.5%). The mortality rate of low birth weight and burns patients was significantly higher when compared with oncology patients or other patients, 75 and 40% compared with 11 and 19%, P = 0.01. Multiple regression analysis revealed a correlation only between the underlying disease and mortality (P = 0.02). In the oncology patients the only significant risk factor for mortality was absolute neutrophil count ≤ 0.1 x 10⁹/l (P = 0.06). Conclusion. P. aeruginosa bacteremia, although apparently not increasing in incidence and antibiotic resistance, is still a common serious complication in immunocompromised children with a high mortality rate. We conclude that the underlying disease is the main determinant of the clinical outcome.