RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Risk factors for mortality among patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a single-centre retrospective cohort study JF CMAJ Open FD Canadian Medical Association SP E352 OP E359 DO 10.9778/cmajo.20140018 VO 2 IS 4 A1 Ram Venkatesh Anantha A1 Januvi Jegatheswaran A1 Daniel Luke Pepe A1 Fran Priestap A1 Johan Delport A1 S.M. Mansour Haeryfar A1 John K. McCormick A1 Tina Mele YR 2014 UL http://www.cmajopen.ca/content/2/4/E352.abstract AB Introduction Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Given the paucity of recent Canadian data, we estimated the mortality rate associated with S. aureus bacteremia in a tertiary care hospital and identified risk factors associated with mortality. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of adults with S. aureus bacteremia admitted to a tertiary care centre in southwestern Ontario between 2008 and 2012. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between predictor variables and all-cause, in-hospital, and 90-day postdischarge mortality. Results Of the 925 patients involved in the study, 196 (21.2%) died in hospital and 62 (6.7%) died within 90 days after discharge. Risk factors associated with in-hospital and all-cause mortality included age, sepsis (adjusted hazard ratio [adjusted HR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08–2.06, p = 0.02), admission to the intensive care unit (adjusted HR 3.78, 95% CI 2.85–5.02, p < 0.0001), hepatic failure (adjusted HR 3.36, 95% CI 1.91–5.90, p < 0.0001) and metastatic cancer (adjusted HR 2.58, 95% CI 1.77–3.75, p < 0.0001). Methicillin resistance, hepatic failure, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and metastatic cancer were associated with postdischarge mortality. Interpretation The all-cause mortality rate in our cohort was 27.9%. Identification of predictors of mortality may guide empiric therapy and provide prognostic clarity for patients with S. aureus bacteremia.