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Infant mortality, morbidity similar for ampicillin-susceptible, ampicillin-resistant E. coli
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Data from a recent study showed there were no clinically relevant differences in mortality and morbidity among infant patients diagnosed with blood stream infections caused by either ampicillin-susceptible or ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli.
Researcher Stephen P. Bergin, MD, of Duke University School of Medicine, and colleagues compiled a cohort of 258 infant patients discharged from one of 77 U.S. neonatal ICUs. Ampicillin resistance was identified in 48% of the infants with E. coli bloodstream infections; the remainder were infected with ampicillin-susceptible E. coli.
The 30-day mortality rate was 9% in infants with ampicillin-resistant E. coli and not significantly different than the rate among the 5% of infants with ampicillin-susceptible E. coli. (adjusted OR = 1.37; 95% CI, 0.39-4.77).
Furthermore, the results showed that among the infants with ampicillin-resistant E. coli, those treated with at least one active empiric antimicrobial therapy had no significant difference in mortality than those not treated with antimicrobial therapy. (aOR = 1.5; 95% CI, 0.07-33.6). The researchers said these findings could help to further explain changes in the origin and causes of bloodstream infections.
“Continued monitoring of antimicrobial resistance patterns and further prospective studies are needed to better evaluate risk factors for infection with drug-resistant E. coli and the optimal empiric antimicrobial strategy to employ in this important clinical entity,” Bergin and colleagues wrote. – by David Costill
Disclosure: Bergin reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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