Does vancomycin resistance increase mortality in Enterococcus faecium bacteraemia after orthotopic liver transplantation? A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: The relevance of vancomycin resistance in enterococcal blood stream infections (BSI) is still controversial. Aim of this study was to outline the effect of vancomycin resistance of Enterococcus faecium on the outcome of patients with BSI after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

Methods: The outcome of OLT recipients developing BSI with vancomycin-resistant (VRE) versus vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium (VSE) was compared based on data extraction from medical records. Multivariate regression analyses identified risk factors for mortality and unfavourable outcomes (defined as death or prolonged intensive care stay) after 30 and 90 days.

Results: Mortality was similar between VRE- (n = 39) and VSE- (n = 138) group after 30 (p = 0.44) or 90 days (p = 0.39). Comparable results occurred regarding unfavourable outcomes. Mean SOFANon-GCS score during the 7-day-period before BSI onset was the independent predictor for mortality at both timepoints (HR 1.32; CI 1.14-1.53; and HR 1.18; CI 1.08-1.28). Timely appropriate antibiotic therapy, recent ICU stay and vancomycin resistance did not affect outcome after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion: Vancomycin resistance did not influence outcome among patients with Enterococcus faecium bacteraemia after OLT. Only underlying severity of disease predicted poor outcome among this homogenous patient population.

Trial registration: This study was registered at the German clinical trials register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00013285).

Keywords: Bacteraemia; Enterococci; Liver transplantation; Mortality; Vancomycin resistance.