Attributable mortality rate and duration of hospital stay associated with enterococcal bacteremia

The mortality rate of patients with cases of enterococcal bacteremia is hig h, although it has often been related to the patients' underlying condition s rather than to the infection itself. To analyze the attributable prognosi s of enterococcal bacteremia (assessed by its attributable mortality rate a nd duration of hospital stay), a prospective, matched case-control study wa s done. All adults with an episode of enterococcal bacteremia without endoc arditis were included. A control patient was randomly selected for every ca se patient and matched by sex, age and hospital ward. Univariate and multiv ariate analyses were performed. A total of 122 pairs were included, and inc idence of enterococcal bacteremia was 2.3 episodes/1000 discharges. Crude 3 0-day mortality rates for case patients and control patients were 23% and 1 7%, respectively (P = .29); thus, the estimated attributable mortality rate was 6% (95% confidence interval, -4% to 16%). The mean duration of hospita l stay of case patients and control patients were 38 and 17 days, respectiv ely (P<.001); thus, the estimated attributable duration of hospital stay wa s 21 days (95% CI, 7-32 days). Enterococcal bacteremia without endocarditis does not increase risk of death by itself but extends the duration of hosp ital stay of patients who develop it.