TY - JOUR AU - Gurlek Gokcebay, Dilek AU - Yarali, Nese AU - Isik, Pamir AU - Bayram, Cengiz AU - Ozkaya-Parlakay, Aslinur AU - Kara, Abdurrahman AU - Tunç, Bahattin PY - 2016/03/01 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - CANDIDA ASSOCIATED BLOODSTREAM INFECTIONS IN PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY PATIENTS: SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE JF - Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases JA - Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis VL - 8 IS - 0 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.4084/mjhid.2016.018 UR - https://www.mjhid.org/mjhid/article/view/2016.018 SP - e2016018 AB - <p><strong>Background and Objectives:</strong><em> Candida</em>-associated bloodstream infections are frequent and potentially life-threatening conditions in hematology patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the characteristics, risk factors, and outcome of <em>Candida</em>-associated bloodstream infections in children with hematological diseases at a children’s hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> The medical records of the patients with hematological diseases and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients who were diagnosed as <em>Candida</em>-associated bloodstream infection between February 2010 and February 2014 were reviewed retrospectively.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Thirty episodes of candidemia involving 26 patients (38% female, and 62% male) with median age of 7 years (range; 1 to 17) were noted. Infections with non-<em>albicans Candida</em> spp. occurred more frequently (63%) and <em>C. krusei</em> was the predominant microorganism among non-<em>albicans</em> <em>Candida</em> spp. (37%). <em>Candida albicans </em>was isolated from 11 of the 30 episodes (37%). Twenty-three of the patients (88%) had central venous catheter (CVC) prior to candidemia, and they were removed in 16 of the 30 episodes (53%). Isolated <em>Candida</em> spp, underlying disease and status of the disease, presence of mucositis, neutropenia, using of broad spectrum antibiotics, corticosteroids or total parenteral nutrition were not identified as predictors of outcome. However patients whose CVCs had not been removed were more likely to die than those whose had been removed (54% vs. 6%, respectively; p=0.012).</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> <em>Candida</em>-associated bloodstream infections in children with hematological diseases and HSCT recipients were common particularly in patients with CVCs. Beside appropriate antifungal therapy, CVC removal improves the outcome of candidemia<em> </em>in children with hematological disease. </p> ER -