The data of 275 patients were received from the participating centers, but 108 of these cases were excluded from the study either because they were ineligible or due to missing data. Surgical procedures were as follows: CABG (n=131), valvular replacement (n=50), surgery of the aorta (n=7), ASD closure (n=3), heart transplantation (n=1). Eleven patients died of SSIs while an additional six patients who underwent CABG died due to causes unrelated to SSIs and were consequently excluded from the analysis. Hence, 161 patients were included and analyzed for SSI related mortality.
Types and findings of SSIs: Patients with SSIs were categorized into superficial incisional (n=115, 68.9%), deep incisional (n=32, 20.9%), and organ/space SSIs (n=20, 12%). Local findings were:
- Localized swelling, redness, heat, or fever, and the incision is opened deliberately or spontaneously dehisces (n=80, 47.9%)
- Purulent drainage from the superficial fascia (n=76, 45.5%), deep fascia (n=40, 23.9%), muscles (n=14, 8.3%), organ or space component of the surgical site (n=17, 10.2%)
- Abscess formation (n=16, 9.6%)
- Organ space infection [(n=20, 12%), mediastinitis (n=9), retrosternal infection (n=6), endocardial infection on prosthetic valves after surgery (n=2), graft infection (n=2), transplanted heart infection after surgery (n=1)].
Coexisting infections: Coexisting other foci of hospital-acquired infections were identified in 37 patients, representing 22.2% of the total cases. Pneumonia (n=17, 10.2%), catheter associated urinary tract infection (n=14, 8.3%), central line associated blood stream infections (n=10, 6%), decubitus infection (n=1, 0.6%), endocarditis (n=1, 0.6%).
Microbiological data: In 53 (31.7%) patients, no microorganism was isolated from wound cultures. Gram-negatives were recovered in 46 (27.5%) patients, while Gram-positive microorganisms were recovered in 72 (43.1%) patients. In two patients, two microorganisms were recovered (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in one, and Escherichia coli plus Enterococcus faecium in the other). The isolated microorganisms in descending order were as follows: Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CoNS) [n=30, 17.9% (Staphylococcus epidermidis; n=21), (Staphylococcus haemolyticus; n=1), (untyped CoNS; n=8)], Klebsiellae [n=16, 9.6% (Klebsiella pneumoniae; n=12), (Klebsiella aerogenes; n=3), (Klebsiella oxytoca; n=1)], E. coli (n=9), P. aeruginosa (n=7), Enterococci [n=5, 3% (Enterococcus faecalis, n=3), (E. faecium n=2)], Serratia marcescens (n=4), Corynebacterium striatum (n=3), Proteus spp [n=3, 1.8% (P. mirabilis; n=2), (P. vulgaris; n=1)], Acinetobacter baumannii (n=2), Streptococcus anginosus (n=1), Cutibacterium acnes (n=1), Morganella morganii (n=1).
Preoperative MDR colonization: In 148 patients MDR colonization were screened for vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and carbapenem resistant enteric bacteria (CRE). There were 9 (6.1%) MDR bacteria colonized patients [Vancomycin resistant E. faecium (n=2), MRSA (n=5), carbapenem resistant enteric bacteria (n=2)].
Empirical antimicrobial treatment: Single-antibiotic regimens were employed in 73 patients (43.7%), double-antibiotic combinations were administered in 94 cases (56.3%), and triple-antibiotic combinations were empirically given in 2 patients (1.2%). The antibiotics used in the empirical treatment of SSIs in descending order were piperacillin-tazobactam (n=33; 19.8%), imipenem/meropenem (n=29; 17.4%), clindamycin/lincomycin (n=29; 17.4%), ampicillin-sulbactam (n=23; 13.8%), vancomycin (n=23; 9%), cefazolin (n=14; 8.4%), ceftriaxone/cefotaxime (n=12; 7.2%), linezolid (n=11; 6.6%), gentamicin (n=10; 6%), ciprofloxacin (n=8; 4.8%), metronidazole (n=4; 2.4%), cefepime (n=3; 1.8%), ceftazidime (n=3; 1.8%), amikacin (n=3; 1.8%), cefuroxime (n=2; 1.2%), colistin/polymyxin-B (n=2; 1.2%), daptomycin (n=2; 1.2%), ertapenem (n=1; 0.6%), meropenem-vaborbactam (n=1; 0.6%), cloxacillin (n=1; 0.6%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (n=1; 0.6%), micafungin (n=1; 0.6%).
Therapeutic suitability: Appropriate treatment was given empirically in 71 (42.5%) patients while inappropriate treatment was given 43 (25.7%). In the remaining 53 (31.7%) patients, cultures were negative.
Antibiotic modification: It was done in 76 (44.5%) patients. Treatment was escalated in 52 (31.1%) patients while de-escalation was done in 24 (14.4%) patients.
Results of univariate analysis: For the 11 patients died of SSI, the average survival time was 18.6 ± 16.15 days with a median value of 11 (IQR=7-28). Table-1 illustrates the distribution of categorical features, while Table-2 presents descriptive statistics for numerical characteristics of patients who experienced mortality (n=11, 6.6%) and those who survived (n=150, 89.8%). Both tables contain comparative results of survivors and patients who died, assessed through univariate tests.
Results of multivariate logistic regression model: Significant variables with a P value of P<0.10 in Table-1 and Table-2 were examined using a multivariate logistic regression model with the Backward elimination method. This model includes the adjusted effects of variables and was used to predict the risk of death. The final model results were presented in the Table-3. Upon evaluating the results, it was seen that in individuals undergoing emergent surgery, those with valvular replacement, as the qSOFA score increases, in individuals with urinary catheter at the time of SSI, and when postoperative re-intervention done within 30 days after SSI, there was a significant increase in the risk of death (P<0.10) (Table-3).
The prediction model: In this model, the predicted probabilities of each individual are between 0-1, and when those with a probability greater than 0.10 are classified as "dead" and those with a lower probability are classified as "survived", the diagnostic success criteria were obtained as shown in Table-4.
Where;
- X1: Surgery classification is elective, otherwise this value equal to “0”
- X2: qSOFA Score
- X3: Urinary catheter is Yes, otherwise this value equal to “0”
- X4: Was postop re-intervention done within 30 days of SSI is Yes, otherwise this value equal to “0”
- X5: Age
- X6: Valvular replacement is present, otherwise this value equal to “0”
The nomogram of the logistic regression model, which makes it easier for researchers to calculate the death risk of any person was provided (Figure-1). ROC curve of predicted probabilities from the logistic regression were shown in Figure-2. When the cut-off value of the predictions of death probabilities obtained from the final model was accepted as 0.10 due to the unbalanced distribution in the number of survivors and deaths, the numbers of correctly and incorrectly classified patients and model performance metrics are presented in the Table-4. Ten of 11 (90.9%) patients who actually died were classified as dead according to the logistic regression model. Of the 150 patients who were actually alive, fifteen (10%) were predicted to have died also according to the logistic regression model.