Abstract
Invasive fungal infections, especially candidemia and systemic candidiasis, have become a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the last few decades. This comes in parallel with the major advances made in intensive care. Patients who are critically ill, in medical or surgical ICUs are especially at risk for Candida infections. Invasive candidiasis accounts for up to 15 to 30% of all nosocomial infections in critically ill patients. Management of these severe infections has been challenging due to a lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic methods, leading to delays in initiating appropriate antifungal therapy. However, some notable improvements have been made in diagnostics with improved culturing methods, rapid species identification, and detection of fungemia with newer antigen assays. Newer classes of antifungals have recently become available with broader antifungal activity, fewer drugdrug interactions, and improved tolerability when compared with the older antifungal agents. Despite these advancements, the mortality rates associated with candidiasis remain excessively high, with an overall mortality in the range of 30 to 50% and an attributable mortality of ∼30%. In addition to this high case-fatality rate, candidemia is also associated with a substantial economic burden, primarily due to an extended length of stay. Strategies to evaluate either the prevention, early diagnosis, or initiation of appropriate therapy should yield both clinical and socioeconomic benefits.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 79-86 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 22 2010 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Antifungals
- Candidiasis
- ICU
- Outcomes
- Systemic fungal infections
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
Cite this
Invasive fungal infections in the intensive care unit. / Vazquez, Jose Antonio.
In: Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol. 31, No. 1, 22.02.2010, p. 79-86.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Invasive fungal infections in the intensive care unit
AU - Vazquez, Jose Antonio
PY - 2010/2/22
Y1 - 2010/2/22
N2 - Invasive fungal infections, especially candidemia and systemic candidiasis, have become a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the last few decades. This comes in parallel with the major advances made in intensive care. Patients who are critically ill, in medical or surgical ICUs are especially at risk for Candida infections. Invasive candidiasis accounts for up to 15 to 30% of all nosocomial infections in critically ill patients. Management of these severe infections has been challenging due to a lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic methods, leading to delays in initiating appropriate antifungal therapy. However, some notable improvements have been made in diagnostics with improved culturing methods, rapid species identification, and detection of fungemia with newer antigen assays. Newer classes of antifungals have recently become available with broader antifungal activity, fewer drugdrug interactions, and improved tolerability when compared with the older antifungal agents. Despite these advancements, the mortality rates associated with candidiasis remain excessively high, with an overall mortality in the range of 30 to 50% and an attributable mortality of ∼30%. In addition to this high case-fatality rate, candidemia is also associated with a substantial economic burden, primarily due to an extended length of stay. Strategies to evaluate either the prevention, early diagnosis, or initiation of appropriate therapy should yield both clinical and socioeconomic benefits.
AB - Invasive fungal infections, especially candidemia and systemic candidiasis, have become a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the last few decades. This comes in parallel with the major advances made in intensive care. Patients who are critically ill, in medical or surgical ICUs are especially at risk for Candida infections. Invasive candidiasis accounts for up to 15 to 30% of all nosocomial infections in critically ill patients. Management of these severe infections has been challenging due to a lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic methods, leading to delays in initiating appropriate antifungal therapy. However, some notable improvements have been made in diagnostics with improved culturing methods, rapid species identification, and detection of fungemia with newer antigen assays. Newer classes of antifungals have recently become available with broader antifungal activity, fewer drugdrug interactions, and improved tolerability when compared with the older antifungal agents. Despite these advancements, the mortality rates associated with candidiasis remain excessively high, with an overall mortality in the range of 30 to 50% and an attributable mortality of ∼30%. In addition to this high case-fatality rate, candidemia is also associated with a substantial economic burden, primarily due to an extended length of stay. Strategies to evaluate either the prevention, early diagnosis, or initiation of appropriate therapy should yield both clinical and socioeconomic benefits.
KW - Antifungals
KW - Candidiasis
KW - ICU
KW - Outcomes
KW - Systemic fungal infections
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=76749097678&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=76749097678&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1055/s-0029-1246289
DO - 10.1055/s-0029-1246289
M3 - Review article
VL - 31
SP - 79
EP - 86
JO - Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
JF - Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
SN - 1069-3424
IS - 1
ER -