Factors Associated with Adverse Outcomes among Febrile Young Infants with Invasive Bacterial Infections.

OBJECTIVE

To determine factors associated with adverse outcomes among febrile young infants with invasive bacterial infections (IBIs) (ie, bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis).

STUDY

DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective cohort study (July 2011-June 2016) of febrile infants ≤60 days of age with pathogenic bacterial growth in blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid. Subjects were identified by query of local microbiology laboratory and/or electronic medical record systems, and clinical data were extracted by medical record review. Mixed-effect logistic regression was employed to determine clinical factors associated with 30-day adverse outcomes, which were defined as death, neurologic sequelae, mechanical ventilation, or vasoactive medication receipt.

RESULTS

Three hundred fifty infants met inclusion criteria; 279 (79.7%) with bacteremia without meningitis and 71 (20.3%) with bacterial meningitis. Forty-two (12.0%) infants had a 30-day adverse outcome: 29 of 71 (40.8%) with bacterial meningitis vs 13 of 279 (4.7%) with bacteremia without meningitis (36.2% difference, 95% CI 25.1%-48.0%; P < .001). On adjusted analysis, bacterial meningitis (aOR 16.3, 95% CI 6.5-41.0; P < .001), prematurity (aOR 7.1, 95% CI 2.6-19.7; P < .001), and ill appearance (aOR 3.8, 95% CI 1.6-9.1; P = .002) were associated with adverse outcomes. Among infants who were born at term, not ill appearing, and had bacteremia without meningitis, only 2 of 184 (1.1%) had adverse outcomes, and there were no deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

Among febrile infants ≤60 days old with IBI, prematurity, ill appearance, and bacterial meningitis (vs bacteremia without meningitis) were associated with adverse outcomes. These factors can inform clinical decision-making for febrile young infants with IBI.