Increased Risk for Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Colonization in Intensive Care Units after Hospitalization in Emergency Department

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) colonization is common in hospital patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) from the emergency department. We evaluated the effect of previous hospitalization in the emergency department on CRE colonization at ICU admission. Our case–control study included 103 cases and 201 controls; cases were patients colonized by CRE at admission to ICU and controls were patients admitted to ICU and not colonized. Risk factors were emergency department stay, use of carbapenem, Simplified Acute Physiology Score, upper digestive endoscopy, and transfer from another hospital. We found that ED stay before ICU admission was associated with CRE colonization at admission to the ICU. Our findings indicate that addressing infection control problems in EDs will help to control carbapenem resistance in ICUs.