Evaluation of the economic burden of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae nosocomial infection in intensive care unit patients: A propensity score--adjusted analysis.

Background: This study examines the impact of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections relative to carbapenem-sensitive Enterobacteriaceae (CSE) on the length of stay and hospitalization costs of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who developed nosocomial infections with Enterobacteriaceae bacteria while admitted to the ICU of a university-affiliated general hospital in China between January 2022 and December 2024. Using propensity score matching (PSM), matched 1:1 to analyze their length of stay and hospitalization costs. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) of matching them.

Results: Of the 346 patients, 90 had CRE infections, and 256 had CSE infections. After PSM, patients in the CRE group had an extended hospital stay (8 days longer, P < .001) and higher hospital costs (26,842.44 Yuan more, P = .039). The GLM analysis showed that CRE-infected patients had significantly higher hospital stays (OR: 1.456, 95% CI: 1.176-1.806) and hospital costs (OR: 1.303, 95% CI: 1.107-1.536).

Conclusions: CRE infections in ICU patients are associated with longer hospital stays and increased hospitalization costs. Clinicians should strengthen infection prevention and control measures to reduce the incidence of CRE infections and conserve medical resources.