Impact of routine bedside infectious diseases service on clinical management and prognosis of patients with Candida fungemia – an example for Antifungal Stewardship at university level in Germany

Background: Candidemia is rare and has a high mortality rate. This study analyses the impact of bedside antifungal stewardship (AFS) on clinical management and prognosis of patients with candidemia at a university hospital in Germany. Methods: All patients with at least one positive blood culture with Candida species between 2014 and 2016 received bedside AFS with standardized recommendations. Medical records were retrospectively an- alyzed. Results from the intervention period from 2014-2016 (n=109), with focus on 2016 (n=39), were compared with those from the pre-intervention period in 2013 (n=30). Results: Bedside AFS was performed in 24/35 (69%) surviving patients in 2016 within the first 3 days after diagnosis of candidemia. All surviving patients (n=35) in 2016 received antifungal treatment compared with 24/28 (86%) in 2013 (p=0.0344). Follow-up blood cultures were performed in 25/35 (71%) in 2016 compared with 10/25 (40%) in 2013 (p=0.0046). Survival in the intervention compared with the pre- intervention group did not differ significantly (p=0.58) one year after the diagnosis of candidemia was made. However, patients with candidemia often have multiple serious comorbidities. Conclusions: Individualized bedside AFS significantly improves adherence to recommendations for pa- tients with Candida fungemia, especially guideline-oriented diagnostics and therapy. Improving the prog- nosis of patients with candidemia remains a huge challenge for AFS.