Association of blood culture with carbapenem use in pyogenic liver abscess: a two-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Highly empiric use of carbapenem in pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is widespread problem. However, few studies have examined the association between blood culture and carbapenem use in patients with PLA in China. Thus, we conducted this observational study. METHODS: The data of patients diagnosed with PLA at two comprehensive tertiary care centers from 2014 to 2020 were retrospectively collected. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the association between blood culture and carbapenem use. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore whether the effect is different in sepsis. RESULTS: Blood culture was performed in 110 (46.0%) patients, of whom 44 (40.0%) patients had positive results for bacterial culture. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive blood culture isolates were detected in 8 (7.3%) patients. The positivity rate of blood culture in sepsis was higher than in non-sepsis (58.1% vs. 32.9%, P = 0.015). Fewer patients who had a blood culture received carbapenem treatment in comparison to patients without blood culture (19.1% vs. 31.8%, P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis showed that blood culture was independently associated with less carbapenem exposure (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16–0.68, P = 0.003), and this effect remained significant in the sepsis subgroup (adjusted OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.05–0.53, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Blood culture had a high positivity rate and was associated with less carbapenem use in PLA, especially those who developed sepsis. More attention should be paid to performing early blood culture and less carbapenem use in PLA. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12873-021-00442-2.