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Blacks at twofold increased risk for candidemia infections
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CHICAGO — The incidence for candidemia was twice as high among black patients vs. white patients in Atlanta and Baltimore. Robyn N. Fanfair, MD, a CDC epidemic intelligence service officer, and colleagues said “socioeconomic disadvantage and several clinical risk factors for invasive fungal disease may account for this disparity.”
In the population-based surveillance study, researchers assessed racial differences in demographic, clinical, treatment and outcome factors in candidemia cases in Atlanta and Baltimore from 2008 to 2010. Race-specific incidence rates were calculated with 2009 census data.
Results indicated that the candidemia incidence was 29.2/100,000 for blacks compared with 14.5/100,000 for whites across gender and all ages.
When compared with white patients, blacks were more likely to receive Medicaid (RR=1.95; 95% CI, 1.67-2.28) and were more likely to have HIV/AIDS (RR=7.02; 95% CI, 1.66-29.69), renal disease (RR=1.42; 95% CI, 1.14-1.78) and diabetes (RR=1.20; 95% CI, 1.05-1.38). Conversely, black patients were less likely to have a malignancy when compared with whites (RR=0.65; 95% CI, 0.54-0.79).
“Research is needed to understand how these factors can be used in candidemia prevention strategies among blacks,” they wrote.
For more information:
- Fanfair RN. #M-1511. Presented at: the 2011 ICAAC; Sept. 17-20; Chicago.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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