Risk factors and diagnostic markers of bacteremia in Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A cohort study of 176 patients.

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is the main cause of death in Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to identify admission risk factors predictive of bacteremia and the accompanying clinical or biochemical markers associated with positive blood cultures.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study over a 14-year period (2003-2016) was performed.

RESULTS

The study included 176 patients with SJS (n = 59), SJS-TEN overlap (n = 51), and TEN (n = 66). During hospitalization, bacteremia developed in 52 patients (29.5%), who experienced poorer outcomes, including higher intensive care unit admission (P < .0005), longer length of stay (P < .0005), and higher mortality (P < .0005). There were 112 episodes of bacteremia, and isolates included Acinetobacter baumannii (27.7%, n = 31) and Staphylococcus aureus (21.4%, n = 24). On multivariate analysis, clinical factors present at admission that were predictive of bacteremia included hemoglobin ≤10 g/dL (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, confidence interval [CI] 2.2-2.6), existing cardiovascular disease (OR 2.10, CI 2.0-2.3), and body surface area involvement ≥10% (OR 14.3, CI 13.4-15.2). The Bacteremia Risk Score was constructed with good calibration. Hypothermia (P = .03) and procalcitonin ≥1 μg/L (P = .02) concurrent with blood culture sampling were predictive of blood culture positivity.

LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study performed in a reference center.

CONCLUSION

Hemoglobin ≤10 g/dL, cardiovascular disease, and body surface area involvement ≥10% on admission were risk factors for bacteremia. Hypothermia and elevated procalcitonin are useful markers for the timely detection of bacteremia.