Risk factors for mortality in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection

In this 2-year retrospective analysis, we evaluated the epidemiology and risk factors for mortality of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection (SaBSI). Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) was isolated in 84 (44.2%) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in 106 episodes (55.8%). The mortality rate after 21 days was 16.4%. At univariate analysis older age, no removal of central venous catheter (CVC), prosthetic heart valves, severe sepsis, septic shock and high APACHE II score were significantly associated with mortality, whereas treatment duration >48 hours, appropriate targetted therapy and prolonged treatment duration were significantly associated with survival. At multivariate analysis, prosthetic valves, septic shock and fever 48 hours after the diagnosis were significantly related to mortality. In this study, the mortality was associated with clinical rather than microbiological factors.