Inhospital death is a biased measure of fatal outcome from bloodstream infection

Figures & data

Figure 1 Incidence and outcomes of BSI at 30 days of follow-up, western interior of British Columbia, 2010–2017.

Abbreviation: BSI, bloodstream infection.

Table 1 Comparison of admitted patients who died during hospitalization or after discharge within 30 days of BSI

Variable	Death during hospital stay (n=242)	Death after hospital discharge (n=47)	RR (95% CI) death after discharge	P-value
Median age (IQR) (years)	72.9 (63.2–81.3)	78.5 (64.9–84.0)	–	0.035
Male	128 (53%)	31 (66%)	1.2 (1.0–1.6)	0.1
Acquisition  Hospital onset  Health care associated  Community associated	79 (33%) 117 (48%) 46 (19%)	11 (23%) 29 (62%) 7 (15%)	–	0.6
Median Charlson score (IQR)	2 (1–4)	3 (1–6)	–	0.2
Myocardial infarction	20 (8%)	5 (11%)	1.3 (0.5–3.3)	0.6
Congestive heart failure	29 (12%)	9 (19%)	1.6 (0.8–3.2)	0.2
Peripheral vascular disease	14 (6%)	3 (6%)	1.1 (0.3–3.7)	0.9
Cerebrovascular accident	28 (12%)	3 (6%)	0.6 (0.2–1.7)	0.3
Hemiplegia	3 (1%)	0	–	0.4
Chronic lung disease	49 (20%)	10 (21%)	1.1 (0.6–1.9)	0.9
Diabetes mellitus	44 (18%)	12 (26%)	1.4 (0.8–2.5)	0.2
Renal disease	27 (11%)	7 (15%)	1.1 (0.5–2.4)	0.5
Liver disease	36 (15%)	5 (11%)	0.7 (0.3–1.7)	0.4
Peptic ulcer disease	15 (6%)	2 (4%)	0.7 (.2–2.9)	0.6
Cancer	90 (37%)	21 (45%)	1.2 (0.8–1.7)	0.3
Dementia	20 (8%)	13 (28%)	3.3 (1.8–6.2)	<0.001
Rheumatic disease	14 (6%)	4 (9%)	1.5 (0.5–4.3)	0.5
HIV/AIDS	2 (1%)	0

Abbreviation: BSI, bloodstream infection.

Figure 2 All-cause case fatality rates and hospital disposition at the time of death during varying periods of follow-up, western interior of British Columbia, 2010–2017.