Retrospective analysis of epidemiology and prognostic factors for candidemia at a hospital in China, 2000-2009.

The incidence of candidemia has increased in recent years. This paper reports a retrospective analysis of 270 cases of candidemia occurring from January 2000 to December 2009 at a teaching hospital in China. Demographic and clinical data were collected from patient medical records and the hospital's laboratory database. Candida albicans (35.9%) was the most prevalent species isolated, followed by C. tropicalis (21.8%) and C. glabrata (13.0%). Antifungal susceptibilities to fluconazole, flucytosine, and amphotericin B tended to decline over the study period. The most common risk factors were the presence of central venous catheters, endotracheal intubation, hypoproteinemia, renal failure, and concurrent bacteremia. In the 181 (67.0%) patients who died during hospitalization, endotracheal intubation, hypoproteinemia, and C. albicans were the major factors associated with mortality. This study highlights the importance of considering the possibility of invasive Candida infection in patients exposed to these risk factors.