The risk factors for mortality and septic shock in liver transplant recipients with ESKAPE bacteremia.

Background/aims: Although bacteremias due to the six ESKAPE pathogens have recently been identified as a serious emerging problems in solid organ transplant (SOT), no information in liver transplant recipients is available. We sought to investigate the risk factors for mortality and septic shock in liver transplant recipients with ESKAPE bacteremia.

Methodology: A retrospective analysis of bacteremia after liver transplantation was reviewed. Risk factors for mortality and septic shock caused by ESKAPE bacteremia were identified.

Results: Forty-nine episodes ofbacteremia in 37 liver transplant recipients were due to ESKAPE strains. The only factor for bacteremia-related mortality independently associated with ESKAPE was septic shock (odds ratio [OR] = 67.500, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.464-538.300, P < .001). The factors for septic shock independently associated with ESKAPE were white blood cells count > 15,000/mm3 (OR = 15.205, 95% CI = 2.271-101.799, P = .005) and temperature of 39 °C or greater (OR = 10.959, 95% CI = 1.592-75.450, P = .015).

Conclusions: To improve the results of liver transplantation, more effectively therapeutic treatments are of paramount importance when liver transplant recipients with ESKAPE bacteremia present with septic shock, elevated white blood cells count and high body temperature.