Prognostic Effects of Delayed Administration of Appropriate Antimicrobials in Bacteraemic Adults Initially Presenting with Various Body Temperatures

Purpose: To investigate the different impact of delayed administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy (AAT) on short-term mortality of bacteraemia patients initially presenting with various body temperatures (BTs). Materials and Methods: A six-year, two-center cohort consisting of adults with community-onset bacteraemia in emergency departments (EDs) was retrospectively collected. Through the multivariable analyses, clinical impacts of delayed AAT, assessed by the time gap between the first dose of AAT and ED arrival, on 30-day mortality (primary outcomes) were respectively examined in the different groups of initial BTs (iBTs). Results: Of the 3171 adults, despite the similarities of delayed AAT in six iBT categories, hourly AAT delay was associated with an average increase in 30-day mortality rates of 0.24% in the group of iBT <36.0°C, 0.40% in the 36.0°C–36.9°C group, 0.48% in the 37.0°C–37.9°C group, 0.59% in the 38.0°C–38.9°C group, 0.58% in the 39.0°C–39.9°C group, and 0.71% in the ≥40.0°C group, after respective adjusting independent predictors of mortality. Furthermore, for 589 patients who inappropriately received empirical antimicrobial treatment (ie, delayed AAT ≥ 24 hours), with a cutoff of 34.0°C, each 1°C increase in iBTs was independently associated with an average increase in 30-day mortality rates of 42%. Conclusion: For adults with community-onset bacteraemia, the iBT-related differences in the prognostic impacts of delayed administration of appropriate antimicrobials might be evident.