Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Carbapenem-resistant organisms (CRO) have emerged as a major global public health threat, but their role in critical acute pancreatitis (CAP) is still not defined. Our study aims to investigate risk factors associated with mortality and drug resistance among CAP patients with CRO infection. METHODS: The clinical characteristics of CAP patients with CRO infection and drug resistance of causative pathogens from January 1, 2016, to October 1, 2021, were reviewed retrospectively. Independent risk factors for mortality were determined via univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULT: Eighty-two CAP patients suffered from CRO infection, with mortality of 60.0%. The independent risk factors for mortality were procalcitonin > 5 ng/L (hazard ratio = 2.300, 95% confidence interval = 1.180-4.484, P = 0.014) and lactic acid > 2 mmol/L (hazard ratio = 2.101, 95% confidence interval = 1.151-3.836, P = 0.016). The pancreas was the main site of infection, followed by lung, bloodstream and urinary tract. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii were the main pathogenic bacteria of CRO strains with extensive antibiotic resistance (> 60%) to 6 of 8 common antibiotics, except sulfamethoxazole (56.3%) and tigecycline (33.2%). CONCLUSION: CRO infection has become a serious threat for CAP patients, with high rates of mortality. Procalcitonin and lactic acid represent two independent risk factors for mortality in CAP patients with CRO infection. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii are the primary categories of CRO pathogens. Greater efforts are needed for early prevention and prompt treatment of CRO infections in CAP patients.