Diabetes does not affect outcome in patients with Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia.

Background: There is limited information about the effect of diabetes on the prognosis of patients with bacterial infections. We performed a retrospective cohort study to investigate possible correlations between diabetes and prognosis in patients with Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia.

Methods: We reviewed the medical charts of 1112 patients who were treated at a community teaching hospital for Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia from January 1997 through June 2007. Factors associated with in-hospital mortality were analyzed by logistic regression analysis.

Results: Among the 1112 patients with Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia, 181 (16.3%) were diabetic patients; 90 patients (8.1%) died while in the hospital. Compared to non-diabetic patients, diabetic patients were older (75.4 +/- 11.9 years vs. 70 +/- 16.6 years, p < 0.001) and had more comorbidities. However, mortality among diabetic and non-diabetic patients was not different [7.2% vs. 8.2%, RR 1.13; 95% CI (0.67-1.9); p = 0.39]. In a multivariate analysis, the variables associated with in-hospital mortality were age, the origin of the bacteremia, and the presence of immunosuppression. Diabetes was not associated with outcome.

Conclusion: In this cohort of patients with Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia, diabetes was not associated with a poorer prognosis.