A multicenter study of risk factors and outcome of hospitalized patients with infections due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

SummaryBackgroundRisk factors and outcome in patients who acquire nosocomial infections due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) are rarely investigated.MethodsA multicenter retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical and microbiological data of patients with nosocomial infections due to A. baumannii in 10 hospitals around Taiwan from May 2004 to December 2006. Comparisons were made between patients with infections due to CRAB and patients with infections due to carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii (CSAB).ResultsOne hundred and twenty-one patients carrying CRAB (infections, n=91) and 127 patients carrying CSAB (infections, n=97) were recruited for analysis. Compared with patients with CSAB infections, patients with CRAB infections had a longer duration of hospital stay before A. baumannii was isolated (median 48 vs. 21 days, p