BACTEREMIA DUE TO COAGULASE-NEGATIVE STAPHYLOCOCCUS

From october 1989 to october 1990, 44 patients (29 male - 15 female) e xhibiting bacteremia due to coagulase negative staphylococcus were col lected by the Groupe d'Etudes sur les Infections Severes a Staphylocoq ue. Infection was hospital-acquired in 30 cases. According to Mac Cabe 's classification, 32 patients had ultimately or rapidly fatal underly ing diseases. Immunosuppression was frequent (n = 26). Invasive proced ures such as intravascular devices were associated with bacteremia in 33 patients. Although staphylococcus was resistant to meticillin in on ly 15 cases, initial antimicrobial therapy, most often empirically ins taured (n = 28), was based on glycopeptides for 29 patients. The overa ll death rate was 25 %. Underlying diseases, respiratory and neurologi cal status, and initial antimicrobial therapy were statistically signi ficant parameters in relation to mortality.