Mortality attributable to carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2016 Mar 23;5(3):e27. doi: 10.1038/emi.2016.22.

Abstract

Whether carbapenem resistance is associated with mortality in patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia is controversial. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis based on cohort studies. We searched PubMed and Embase databases to identify articles (up to April 2015). The DerSimonian and Laird random-effect model was used to generate a summary estimate of effect. Associations were evaluated in subgroups based on different patient characteristics and study quality criteria. Seven studies with a total of 1613 patients were finally included, of which 1 study had a prospective design, and the other 6 were retrospective. Our meta-analysis showed patients with carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa bacteremia were at a higher risk of death compared with those with carbapenem-susceptible P. aeruginosa bloodstream infections (pooled odds ratio (OR) from three studies reporting adjusted ORs: 3.07, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.60-5.89; pooled OR from 4 studies only reporting crude ORs: 1.46, 95% CI, 1.10-1.94). The results were robust across a number of stratified analyses and a sensitivity analysis. We also calculated that 8%-18.4% of deaths were attributable to carbapenem resistance in four studies assessing the outcome with 30-day mortality, and these were 3% and 14.6%, respectively, in two studies using 7-day mortality or mortality during bacteremia as an outcome of interest. Carbapenem resistance had a deleterious impact on the mortality of P. aeruginosa bacteremia; however, the results should be interpreted cautiously because only three studies reporting adjusted ORs were included. More large-scale, well-designed prospective cohorts, as well as mechanistic studies, are urgently needed in the future.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacteremia / microbiology*
  • Bacteremia / mortality*
  • Carbapenems / pharmacology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Odds Ratio
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pseudomonas Infections / microbiology
  • Pseudomonas Infections / mortality*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Carbapenems