Differences in clinical characteristics of early- and late-onset neonatal sepsis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae

To identify differences in the clinical characteristics of early- and late-onset sepsis (EOS and LOS) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and to describe the risk factors for multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae (MDR-KP) infection. Infants with K. pneumoniae-induced sepsis who were admitted to a children’s Hospital between Jan 2000 and Dec 2019 were included. All infants were divided into EOS and LOS groups, as well as MDR-KP and non-MDR-KP groups. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and risk factors were compared between the two groups. One hundred eighty infants (66 with EOS and 114 with LOS) were further analyzed, accounting for 36.8% of sepsis cases caused by MDR-KP. The frequency of respiratory failure, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and intraventricular hemorrhage were more common in the LOS group and a higher rate of acute respiratory distress syndrome was more common in infants in the EOS group (P < 0.05). K. pneumoniae showed a low sensitivity to penicillin, beta-lactams and cephalosporins, and it showed a high sensitivity to levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and amikacin. Prematurity, low birth weight, longer antibiotic exposure time, long duration of peripheral catheter insertion, long mechanical ventilation time, and long parenteral nutrition time were associated with an increased rate of MDR-KP infection by univariate analysis (P < 0.05). The regression analysis identified a long antibiotic exposure time (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.01–1.89) and long parenteral nutrition time (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.01–1.89) as independent risk factors for a MDR-KP infection, and a greater gestational age and birth weight were associated with a lower risk of MDR-KP infection (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.40–0.79). LOS caused by K. pneumoniae may lead to a higher frequency of complications. The risk factors for MDR-KP infection were longer duration of antibiotic exposure and parenteral nutrition. A greater gestational age and larger birth weight may decrease the risk of MDR-KP infection.