TY - JOUR
T1 - Secondary bacterial infection and empirical antibiotic use in toxic epidermal necrolysis patients
AU - Mahar, Patrick David
AU - Wasiak, Jason
AU - Cleland, Heather J
AU - Paul, Eldho
AU - Gin, Douglas
AU - Watters, David A K
AU - Marsh, Philip
AU - Padiglione, Alexander A
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The objective of this study was to determine rates of positive bacterial cultures in patients with extensive toxic epidermal necrolysis, the rate of bacteremia, whether empirical antibiotics had been commenced, and their effectiveness when commenced. The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with extensive toxic epidermal necrolysis between January 2001 and December 2012 admitted to the Victorian Adult Burns Service, Melbourne, Australia, with respect to the amount of positive cultures, number and type of organisms identified, whether empirical antibiotics had been commenced, and whether antibiotics were effective against organisms cultured. A total of 27 patients were admitted over the study period of 11 years. Seventeen of these patients developed at least one positive bacterial culture. Patients who grew positive cultures had a longer length of stay in intensive care unit and in hospital overall compared with patients who did not grow positive cultures. Thirty-five positive cultures were collected overall, with empirical antibiotics commenced in 22 cases. In terms of sensitivity, antibiotics were appropriate in 19 cases. Four patients developed bacteremia, two of whom died. This study does not dispute the generally accepted practice of avoiding prophylactic antibiotics in toxic epidermal necrolysis patients, but in the context of a relatively low rate of bacteremia in this patient population, advises appropriate and targeted empirical antibiotic use where clinical infection is suspected.
AB - The objective of this study was to determine rates of positive bacterial cultures in patients with extensive toxic epidermal necrolysis, the rate of bacteremia, whether empirical antibiotics had been commenced, and their effectiveness when commenced. The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with extensive toxic epidermal necrolysis between January 2001 and December 2012 admitted to the Victorian Adult Burns Service, Melbourne, Australia, with respect to the amount of positive cultures, number and type of organisms identified, whether empirical antibiotics had been commenced, and whether antibiotics were effective against organisms cultured. A total of 27 patients were admitted over the study period of 11 years. Seventeen of these patients developed at least one positive bacterial culture. Patients who grew positive cultures had a longer length of stay in intensive care unit and in hospital overall compared with patients who did not grow positive cultures. Thirty-five positive cultures were collected overall, with empirical antibiotics commenced in 22 cases. In terms of sensitivity, antibiotics were appropriate in 19 cases. Four patients developed bacteremia, two of whom died. This study does not dispute the generally accepted practice of avoiding prophylactic antibiotics in toxic epidermal necrolysis patients, but in the context of a relatively low rate of bacteremia in this patient population, advises appropriate and targeted empirical antibiotic use where clinical infection is suspected.
UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24988228
U2 - 10.1097/BCR.0000000000000062
DO - 10.1097/BCR.0000000000000062
M3 - Article
SN - 1559-047X
VL - 35
SP - 518
EP - 524
JO - Journal of Burn Care and Research
JF - Journal of Burn Care and Research
IS - 6
ER -