Time to Positivity in Blood Cultures for Pneumococcal Bacteremia
Author Information
Author(s): Peralta Galo, Rodríguez-Lera María José, Garrido Jose Carlos, Ansorena Luis, Roiz María Pía
Primary Institution: Sierrallana Hospital
Hypothesis
Does the time to positivity (TTP) of blood cultures correlate with clinical parameters in patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia?
Conclusion
The study found a relationship between TTP and several clinical parameters in patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia, suggesting its potential usefulness as a surrogate marker of outcome.
Supporting Evidence
- Median TTP was 14.1 hours, with a range from 1.2 to 127 hours.
- Immunosuppressed patients had lower TTP.
- Patients with meningitis had significantly shorter TTP.
- A significant correlation was found between TTP and the number of positive blood cultures.
Takeaway
This study looked at how quickly blood cultures turn positive in patients with a certain type of bacterial infection, finding that faster results can mean more serious health issues.
Methodology
The study analyzed TTP from blood cultures of patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia taken between January 1995 and December 2004.
Potential Biases
The study's retrospective design may introduce bias due to incomplete records.
Limitations
The study is retrospective, and some data may be missing; factors like time to culture and blood volume were not recorded.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 65.9 years, with 41.9% female; 89.5% were hospitalized.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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