Risk Factors for Candida Infection among Children Admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a Tertiary Care Centre in Southern India

BACKGROUND: To describe the clinical profile, risk factors, and outcomes that are associated with candida infection among critically ill children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control study wherein 109 children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in the years between 2015 and 2017 with the growth of candida from blood, urine, endotracheal (ET) aspirate, and pus swabs were included and compared to 97 age and sex-matched controls chosen from the same time period. RESULTS: Of the 124 candida isolates from 109 children, 37% were from blood, 24% from urine, and 14% in pus; 40% of the isolates were from ET aspirate. Candida non-albicans types (70%) predominated with Candida tropicalis causing 50% of the infections. Risk factors for candida infection were neutropenia [OR 20.01, 95% CI (0.94–422.32)], mechanical ventilation [OR 5.97, 95% CI (2.44–14.62)], peritoneal dialysis [OR 5.81, 95% CI (1.27–26.50)], institution of amino acids [OR 5.41, 95% CI (0.85–34.13)], presence of central venous catheter [OR 3.83, 95% CI (1.59–9.19)], antibiotic use >5 days [OR 3.58, 95% CI (1.38–9.29)]. Candida Cases (95.4%) had a septic shock with acute kidney injury in 34% and had significantly lower survival than controls [72 (66%) of 109 vs. 74 (80%) of 92] (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of candida infection in our PICU was 4.2% of PICU admissions. The most common species was C. tropicalis. The independent risk factors for candida infection were neutropenia, antibiotic duration >5 days, peritoneal dialysis, amino acid administration, mechanical ventilation, and presence of a central venous catheter (CVC). HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Rajeshwari R, Vyasam S, Chandran J, Porwal S, Ebenezer K, Thokchom M, et al. Risk Factors for Candida Infection among Children Admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a Tertiary Care Centre in Southern India. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(6):717–722.