COAGULASE-NEGATIVE STAPHYLOCOCCAL BACTEREMIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SEPTIC SHOCK - EXPERIENCE IN AN INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT

During a period of 4.5 years, 48 patients with bacteraemia due to coag ulase-negative staphylococci were studied prospectively in order to ev aluate their clinical profile, management and outcome. There were 25 m ales and 23 females with ages ranging between 13 and 100 years. Over 6 0 % of patients belonged to the age group 30 to 69 years. Shock was re corded in 23 (48 %) of the 48 patients. Of the shocked patients, 16 we re immunocompromised and also had abnormal coagulation. Their mortalit y was 44% By contrast, none of the immunocompromised patients without shock died. Abnormal coagulation was found in 17 patients without sept ic shock. Their mortality was 5.9% The commonest underlying disease wa s respiratory failure especially in shocked patients. The source of in fection was identified in the majority of cases. In addition, most pat ients had an indwelling intravascular catheter especially an arterial one. The overall mortality was 16.7 % (8/48). It was significantly hig her in patients with shock than in those without shock (30.4 % vs 4.0 %, P < 0.05).