Analysis of Risk Factors Associated with Candidemia Among Patients with or without COVID-19 in Intensive Care Units During the Pandemic Process: A Multicenter Study

Introduction: The objective of this study was to compare the risk factors and mortality rates of candidemia among patients with and without COVID-19 in the intensive care units (ICU).Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective multicenter observational study, in ICUs of 12 hospitals (eight tertiary and four secondary hospitals) in Tarkiye. All adult patients (>18 years) hospitalized in ICUs and developed candidemia between 01.01.2020-31.12.2021 were included. The following data were collected: age, gender, nasopharyngeal swab SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, species of Candida (Candida albicans or non-albicans Candida), comorbidities, ICU stay, antibiotic use, corticosteroid, and anti-cytokine therapy, central venous catheter (CVC), abdominal surgery, parenteral nutrition, mechanical ventilation (MV), other cultures isolated Candida spp., echocardiography (ECO), mortality. Data from patients with or without COVID-19 were compared.Results: A total of 188 patients, 66 COVID-19 and 122 non-COVID-19, were included in the study. The median age of the patients was 69.5 and there were no differences between the groups. 185 (98.4%) patients had a history of antibiotic use. Sixteen patients, all from the COVID-19 group, had a history of anti-cytokine therapy. Corticosteroid use was higher in COVID-19 patients (p< 0.001). Intraabdominal surgery was higher in the non-COVID-19 group (p< 0.014). C. albicans was isolated from 36.7% of total patients and the remaining were non-albicans Candida species. The overall mortality was higher in COVID-19 patients (p= 0.014). Alzheimer's and malignancies were higher in non-COVID-19 patients. Intraabdominal surgery, MV, and CVC were higher in tertiary care hospitals whereas parenteral nutrition was higher in secondary care hospitals.Conclusion: Immunosuppressive treatments administered to COVID-19 patients pose a risk in terms of candidemia. Risk factors may differ between secondary and tertiary care hospitals. Preventable risk factors should be determined on a hospital basis and appropriate infection control measures should be taken.