%0 Journal Article
%T Do written diagnosis-treatment recommendations on microbiological test reports improve the management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia? A single-center, retrospective, observational study.
%A Schneider SM
%A Schaeg M
%A Gärtner BC
%A Berger FK
%A Becker SL
%J Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis
%V 98
%N 4
%D Dec 2020
%M 32911296
%F 2.983
%R 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2020.115170
%X The objective of this study was to assess the impact of microbiological test reports that provide specific written recommendations on the appropriate management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). We performed a retrospective analysis of laboratory and clinical data of all SAB patients treated at one German University hospital, 2012-2015. Among 467 included patients, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) accounted for 15.2% of all SAB cases. All-cause in-hospital mortality was 25.2%, and was significantly elevated in individuals aged >55 years, in MRSA bacteremia and if the source of infection remained unidentified. Focus identification was achieved in 71.1%, with the most prevalent foci being catheter-associated bloodstream infection (23.1%), soft tissue infection (15.4%), osteomyelitis (5.1%) and endocarditis (4.9%). Standardized written recommendations on microbiological test reports led to a significant increase of transesophageal echocardiography, additional imaging studies for focus identification and more frequent follow-up blood cultures, but no significant effect on mortality was observed.