Risk factors for invasive candidiasis in infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

Most important risk factors

Prematurity and low birth weight; the risk is highest among ELBW neonates

Exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics

Presence of invasive devices (eg, central venous or arterial catheters, endotracheal tubes, urinary catheters)

Other reported risk factors

Perinatal asphyxia and/or low five-minute Apgar score (<5)

Maternal intra-amniotic infection (also called chorioamnionitis)

Hemodynamic instability and/or shock

Necrotizing enterocolitis

Surgery (especially if surgical drains are in place)

Parenteral nutrition and/or intralipid infusion

Antenatal glucocorticoids

Gastric acid suppressing drugs (eg, H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors)

Skin breakdown

High density of Candida colonization and/or multiple sites of colonization

Prolonged NICU stay

Neutropenia

This table summarizes risk factors for invasive Candida infections in neonates admitted to the NICU. Candida infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the NICU setting, particularly among ELBW infants. Many of the risk factors listed above are not specific to candidiasis; they are general risk factors for hospital-acquired infections in the NICU.

ELBW: extremely low birth weight.

Graphic 144790 Version 1.0

خرید پکیج

Risk factors for invasive candidiasis in infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)