Enterococcal infections predicted mortality in liver transplant recipients

PHILADELPHIA — Enterococcal infection predicted mortality in liver transplantation recipients when infection occurred within 1 year after transplant, according to data presented at IDWeek 2014.

Clinical records of 892 liver transplant recipients from Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan between 2004 and 2012 were analyzed using frequency analysis and logistic regression tests in determining the incidence and risk factors for mortality by enterococcal infection.

Mohammad Elbatta

Results indicated that enterococcal infection incidence was 18.3 per 100 transplant recipients. The most common enterococcal infections found among the patients included urinary tract infection (42%), intra-abdominal abscesses (27.6%) and bacteremia (19%). Enterococcal infection developed at a median rate of 17 days from the date of liver transplant. Eighty-six percent of patients with enterococcal infection were treated during a mean of 16 days.

A longer stay in the ICU, enterococcal infection occurring less than 1 year after liver transplant, the presence of concomitant infections and persistent infection were predictors for mortality among these patients, according to the research.

“Enterococcal infection is becoming more common,” researcher Mohammad Elbatta, MD, of the department of internal medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, told Healio.com/Hepatology. “As we see in the study, out of nearly 900 patients, 160 or so of them came with enterococcal infections over 9 years. We should consider enterococcal infections early on after liver transplant.” – by Melinda Stevens

For more information:

Elbatta M. Abstract 455. Presented at: IDWeek, Oct. 8-12, 2014; Philadelphia.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.