The Impact of the Types of Microorganisms Isolated from Blood and Wounds on the Results of Treatment in Burn Patients with Sepsis

Abstract

Despite development of combustiology, infections continue to be the most important cause of death among patients with burns. Sepsis is the most severe clinical presentation of infection in patients after thermal injuries who require immediate treatment. Early diagnosis and proper treatment of sepsis are important in the clinical management that is often hampered for multiple reasons, e.g. impaired patient immunity, problems with microorganisms with multi-antibacterial drug resistance. The aim of the study was to assess effect of type of a microorganism isolated from blood and wound on results of treatment of sepsis in patients with burns. Effect of type of microorganisms isolated from blood and wound on the result of treatment of sepsis was studied in 338 patients hospitalized immediately after an injury in Centre for Burn Treatment in Siemianowice Śląskie in years 2003 - 2004 (at the age of 18 - 96 years, 66 women and 272 men). Clinical symptoms of generalized infection were found in all study subjects. The study group was divided into two subgroups: cured patients and patients who died of sepsis. The following parameters were assessed in both subgroups: type of microorganism isolated from blood, type of microorganism isolated from wound as well as occurrence of the same and different infections of blood and burn wound. positive blood cultures were found in 165 patients (48.8%), 106 (64.2%) were cured, 59 (35.8%) died. The most commonly isolated microorganisms in cured patients were Gram(+) Staphylococcus epidermidis MRSE (19.81%) and Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (18.87%). Gram(-) intestinal rods were least commonly isolated from this group. The most commonly isolated microorganisms from blood of patients who were to die, included non-fermenting Gram(-) rods Acinetobacter baumannii (35.59%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.03%). Mixed bacterial flora was found in the blood of 22.03% patients. Among patients who were to die, the same microorganisms were found in the blood and in the wound in 32.2% of patients, while this rate was 17.92 in cured patients. The most commonly found bacteria in the blood and burn wound in the cured patients included Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (31.58%) and Staphylococcus aureus (21.05%). In the group of patients who were to die, the most common bacteria isolated simultaneously from the blood and burn wound included Acinetobacter baumannii (47.37%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (36.84%). 1. The patients with thermal injuries are at higher risk of death in the event of sepsis caused by Gram(-) bacteria versus Gram(+) bacteria. 2. Infection of blood and burn wound caused by the same bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumanni increases the risk of death due to sepsis in patients with burns following thermal injuries.