Question about VRE

flightnurse2b, LPN · Dec 27, 2007

I've been searching for any statistics regarding the mortality of a VRE infection - especially if it spreads to the blood. If anyone either can point me to an article or share their own observations, I would appreciate it. ...And this is definitely not a thinly-disguised attempt at getting medical advice - I'm just seeing more VRE lately and am wondering about other nurses' experiences.
Thanks!

we took an inservice on VRE a few years at the hospital since it was spreading like wildfire... risk mgmt nurse said that VRE is much less common than MRSA, but is usually nosocomial, and about 30-40% of patients will die from VRE bacteremia or co-infection. i'm going to google it. you have me curious now, too.

ETA: heres what i just found on google.com

from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&uid=8953064&cmd=showdetailview&indexed=google

Previous studies have shown that bacteremia due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species (VRE) is associated with mortality of 17%-100%, but comorbid conditions may have confounded the estimates. We designed a historical cohort study to determine the mortality attributable to VRE bacteremia. Twenty-seven patients with VRE bacteremia were identified as cases. Within 7 days of the onset of bacteremia, severe sepsis developed in 12 patients (44%) and septic shock developed in 10 (37%). Case patients were closely matched to control patients without VRE bacteremia (1:1) by time of hospitalization, duration of exposure, underlying disease, age, gender, and surgical procedure. The mortality was 67% among cases and 30% among matched controls (P = 0.1). Thus, the mortality attributable to VRE bacteremia was 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10%-64%) and the risk ratio for death was 2.3 [CI, 1.2-4.1). We conclude that VRE bacteremia is associated with high rates of severe sepsis and septic shock. The attributable mortality approaches 40%, and patients who have VRE bacteremia are twice as likely to die than closely matched controls.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Dec 27, 2007

http://www.uspharmacist.com/oldformat.asp?url=newlook/files/Feat/apr00vir.cfm&pub_id=8&article_id=516

Here's a study that answers your mortality rate question. Did your facility recently start testing certain patients for VRE? If testing has increased, then your rates will seem to have increased. I've seen a study that found that about 50% of VRE found in ICU patients was colonized, and a higher number of VRE positive patients were receiving dialysis.