Prognostic factors associated with improved outcome of Escherichia coli bacteremia in a Finnish university hospital.

All cases of bacteremia caused solely by Escherichia coli in 1977-1979, 1987-1989, and 1993-1994 in a Finnish university hospital were reviewed retrospectively to determine the clinical manifestations, the outcome, and the prognostic factors. In 332 episodes, mortality during the month after the first positive blood culture was 17%. This figure diminished during the study period from 23% in the 1970s to 9% in the 1990s (p = 0.028). Mortality was lowest among patients treated with a combination of antibiotics, 7% versus 18% among those treated otherwise (p = 0.034). The use of acetaminophen increased during the study period from 18 to 55%. Mortality among patients who received acetaminophen within a period < 24 h to 48 h of the first positive blood culture was 10% versus 22% among others (p = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis showed six factors predictive of a fatal outcome: pneumonia, no known focus, shock, CNS disorder, thromboembolism, and rapidly fatal underlying disease. Appropriate antibiotic therapy predicted survival. In the analysis, replacement of appropriate antibiotic therapy by acetaminophen revealed that this drug was significantly associated with survival.