Carbapenem resistance and mortality in institutionalized elderly with urinary infection.

OBJECTIVES

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant urinary pathogens represents a public health care concern. We aimed to detect antibiotic-resistance in elderly nursing home residents with urinary tract infection (UTI) and to assess the impact of carbapenem resistance on mortality.

METHODS

This cohort study of 196 patients with UTI confirmed by a positive urine culture was conducted in a nursing home in Italy. Data on 6-month mortality was obtained by nursing home records and confirmed by death certificates. Diagnosis of UTI was ascertained by urine culture. Antibiotic resistance was defined according to antibiograms performed by the same laboratory. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the adjusted association between carbapenem resistance and 6-month mortality.

RESULTS

Carbapenem resistance was found in 39/196 (20%) patients. After adjusting for potential confounders, carbapenem resistance was associated in Cox regression modeling with 6-month mortality (relative risk = 2.79; 95% confidence interval = 1.17-6.70; P = .021).

CONCLUSIONS

In elderly in-patients, UTI from carbapenem-resistant germs is an independent risk factor for 6-month mortality, irrespective of the etiologic agent. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying this association.