Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection and associated factors in intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infection is an urgent threat to public health. The impact of CRE infection includes increased difficulty in treatment, and a high risk of death. intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly vulnerable to CRE infection due to severe illness and comorbidities,. This study aims to determine the prevalence of CRE infection and identify associated factors in the ICU setting. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary-level hospital, utilizing patient medical records to gather data. The study population included patients aged 18 and above who were treated in the ICU between July and December 2022. The data includes epidemiological and clinical characteristics, and CRE infection. During this period, 451 patients were included in the analysis. The key findings regarding the prevalence of CRE infection and associated factors are as follows. Prevalence of CRE infection among the patients was 28.8%. Patients with surgical site infection had a 1.40 times higher prevalence of CRE infection (p<0.007, 95% CI 1.09–1.77). For every 1 unit increase in hospitalization time within the last 3 months, APACHE II score, and hospitalization time, the prevalence of CRE infection increased by 1%–3%. For every 1 unit increase in sequential organ failure assessment score, the prevalence of CRE infection decreased by 8% with p=0.042 (95% CI 0.85–0.99). This high prevalence underscores the significant threat CRE poses in critical are settings and emphasized the urgent need for stringent infeciton control practices, including a prompt assessment of the patient’s health condition before admission to the hospital.