Clinical significance of the detection of Candida albicans germ tube-specific antibodies in critically ill patients

Clin Microbiol Infect. 2009 Jun;15(6):592-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02794.x. Epub 2009 May 11.

Abstract

The present study, comprising a prospective multicentre study including 53 non-neutropenic patients from intensive care units (ICU) in six Spanish tertiary-care hospitals, was carried out to determine the clinical significance and influence on mortality of Candida albicans germ tube-specific antibodies (CAGTA). There were 22 patients (41.5%) for whom the CAGTA results were positive, although none of had a blood culture positive for Candida. The intra-ICU mortality rate was significantly lower (p = 0.004) in CAGTA-positive patients (61.2% vs. 22.7%). Multivariate analysis confirmed that a positive CAGTA result was the only protective factor to be independently associated with ICU mortality (beta coefficient = -0.3856; 95% confidence interval = -0.648 to -0.123).

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Fungal / blood*
  • Antigens, Fungal / immunology*
  • Candida albicans / immunology*
  • Critical Illness
  • Female
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mortality
  • Spain

Substances

  • Antibodies, Fungal
  • Antigens, Fungal