Incidence and risk factors for COVID-19 associated candidemia (CAC) in ICU patients

Abstract

Background: Critically ill COVID-19 patients have a high risk for the development of candidemia due to being exposed to both well-defined classical risk factors and COVID-19-specific risk factors in ICU. Objectives: In this study, we investigated the incidence of candidemia in critically COVID-19 patients, and the independent risk factors for candidemia. Patients/methods: COVID-19 patients hospitalised in ICU during 1-year period (August 2020 to August 2021) were included. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of all COVID-19 patients, applied treatments, and invasive procedures that may predispose to candidemia were recorded. Results: Of 1229 COVID-19 patients, 63 developed candidemia. Candidemia incidence rate was 4.4 episodes per 1000 ICU days. The most common species was Candida albicans (52.3%). Only 37 patients (58.7%) received antifungal therapy. The presence of central venous catheter (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.8–12.2, p