Risk factors for negative blood cultures in adult medical inpatients--a retrospective analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The identification of clinical factors associated with negative blood cultures could help to avoid unnecessary blood cultures. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a well-established inflammation marker commonly used in the management of medical inpatients.

Methods

We studied the association of clinical factors, CRP levels and changes of CRP documented prior to blood culture draws with the absence of bacteremia for hospitalized medical patients.

Results

In the retrospective analysis of 710 blood cultures obtained from 310 medical inpatients of non-intensive-care wards during one year (admission blood cultures obtained in the emergency room were excluded), the following retrospectively available factors were the only independent predictors of blood cultures negative

SUBMITTER: Ehrenstein BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2582035 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature