6. Epidemiology of bacterial infections in hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Background and Aims: Patients with liver cirrhosis have a high risk of developing bacterial infections. The prevalence of bacterial infections is about 25–39% in hospitalized cirrhotic cases. There is scarcity of reports on the epidemiology of bacterial infections in cirrhotics from this region. Therefore this study was carried out with an aim to evaluate the prevalence, type and etiology of bacterial infections and pattern of antibiotic resistance in these infections in hospitalized cirrhotic cases. Methods: Consecutive 60 cirrhotics with bacterial infection were included in the study. Results: Male outnumbered the females (Male: Female–3:1). Mean age of presentation was 49.73 ± 11.59 years. Most common cause of underlying cirrhosis was alcohol related (60%). Baseline CTP and MELD were 8.5 ± 1.7 and 17.75 ± 9.23 respectively. Mean duration of hospitalization was 12.38 ± 9.73 days. 53.33% cases had severe hypoalbuminemia (<2.5 gm%) and received albumin infusion. 66.66% patients had ascites. Most common bacterial infection was urinary tract infection (66.66%) with most common isolate as klebsiella pneumoniae (40%) followed by E. Coli (26.66%). Antibiotic resistance was found most commonly with cephalosporin (80%) followed by amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (60%) and quinolones (60%). Antibiotic resistance was least commonly found with tigecycline (0%), and vancomycin (0%) followed by linezolid (0.06%). Most common antibiotic prescribed in our centre was piperacillin-tazobactum (40%). All the patients responded to the antibiotics. Conclusions: Most common bacterial infection was urinary tract infection with klebsiella pneumoniae as the most common isolate with zero resistance to tigecycline and vancomycin in the hospitalized cirrhotic cases from our region. The authors have none to declare.