Klebsiella pneumoniae ranks high as a cause of adult pneumonia requiring hospitalization in Malaysia. To study whether extended-spectrum b-lactamase (ESBL) producing K. pneumoniae was linked to hospital outcomes, we retrospectively studied 441 cases of adult respiratory tract infections with microbial proven K. pneumoniae from an urban-based university teaching hospital between 2003 and 2004. 47 (10.6%) cases had ESBL. Requirement for ventilation and median length of hospital stay, were greater in ‘ESBL’ than in ‘non-ESBL’ group [34% vs. 7.4%, p<0.001; 14 days vs. 5 days, p<0.001 respectively] but not crude hospital mortality rate [21.3% vs. 12.4%, p=0.092]. There was a four-fold increased risk of requiring ventilation [4.61 (2.72-7.85)] when ESBL was present. Our findings support the association of ESBL producing K. pneumoniae with adversed hospital outcomes and reiterate the need for vigilance on the part of treating clinicians.
Extended-spectrum beta lactamase ; Hospitals ; Adult ; Respiratory ; lower case pea

INTRODUCTIONIn Malaysia, Klebsiella pneumoniae ranks high as a cause of adult pneumonia requiring hospitalisation.

PATIENTS AND METHODSWith concern over its rising microbial resistance, we explored the association of empiric antibiotics choices with the hospital outcomes of patients treated for microbial proven K. pneumoniae pneumonia in an urban-based teaching hospital.

RESULTSIn 313 eligible cases reviewed retrospectively, hospital mortality and requirement for ventilation were 14.3% and 10.8% respectively. Empiric regimes that had in vitro resistance to at least one empiric antibiotic (n = 90) were associated with higher hospital mortality (23.3% vs. 10.8%, P = 0.004) with risk increased by about two-fold [Odds ratio (OR), 2.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3 to 4.8]. Regimes (n = 84) other than the commonly recommended "standard" regimes (a beta-lactam stable antibiotic with or without a acrolide) were associated with higher ventilation rates (16.7% vs. 8.8%, P = 0.047) with similar increased risk [OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0 to 4.3].

CONCLUSIONSOur findings reiterate the clinical relevance of in vitro microbial resistance in adult K. pneumoniae pneumonia and support empiric regimes that contain beta-lactam stable antibiotics.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Community-Acquired Infections ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Hospital Mortality ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inpatients ; Klebsiella Infections ; drug therapy ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; drug effects ; Malaysia ; epidemiology ; Medical Audit ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies