Epidemiology, clinical features and predictors of mortality in patients with candidemia in a tertiary care hospital in Turkiye: a single-center retrospective study

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of candidemia among hospitalized patients and identify risk factors associated with mortality. Materials and methods: The medical data of 81 adult patients with candidemia who were hospitalized between May 1, 2015 and May 1, 2016 constituted the study. We recorded vital signs, clinical characteristics, ward or intensive care unit (ICU) interventions, comorbidities, and biochemistry findings. To identify factors independently associated with 30-day mortality, a forward conditional inclusion model was used in multivariable logistic regression. Results: The annual incidence of candidemia was 23 cases per 10000 individuals (0.23%). The three most frequently detected species were C. albicans (46.91%), C. parapsilosis (29.63%) and C. glabrata (8.64%). The 30-day mortality rate was 59.26% (n=48). Multivariable logistic regression showed that older age (OR: 1.037, 95% CI: 1.006 - 1.070, p=0.018), ICU admission (OR: 3.325, 95% CI: 1.132 - 9.766, p=0.029) and acute renal failure (OR: 3.383, 95% CI: 1.024 - 11.173, p=0.046) were independently associated with mortality. Conclusion: We revealed an annual candidemia incidence of 0.23% and a notably high 30-day mortality rate at our center. Older patients, individuals admitted to the ICU, and those with renal dysfunction may face an elevated risk of mortality, underscoring the importance of close monitoring in these populations. Population-based studies are required to create new approaches to prevent and treat candidemia.