Cuixin Qiang,1,* Xiaoxuan Liu,1,* Pu Qin,1 Hainan Wen,2 Zhirong Li,1 Jing Yang,1 Yanan Niu,1 Weigang Wang,1 Zirou Ouyang,1 Min Zhao,1 Jiayiren Li,1 Yulian Zhang,1 Jianhong Zhao1 

1The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Jianhong Zhao, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 0311 66002711, Email zhaojh_2002@hebmu.edu.cn

Purpose: To analyze the clinical distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolated from blood specimens in 75 hospitals in Hebei Province from 2016 to 2021 to aid in the rational selection of antimicrobial drugs.
Patients and Methods: WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 24.0 were used to retrospectively analyze clinical distribution characteristics and variations in drug-resistance.
Results: Between 2016 and 2021, 2208 P. aeruginosa strains were detected in blood specimens from Hebei Province. The median age of the patients with isolated P. aeruginosa was 63 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.1:1. Predominantly, patients were in the hematology (20.7%) and critical care medicine (18.4%) departments. During the monitoring period, the resistance rate of P. aeruginosa to various antibacterial drugs, such as aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and carbapenems, decreased to varying degrees, with an average resistance rate of less than 20.0% over six years. Resistance rates were notably higher in pediatric and intensive care medicine, particularly in neonatal patients, where resistance to antimicrobial drugs, such as piperacillin/tazobactam, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin, exceeded 75%.
Conclusion: The main isolates of P. aeruginosa were from elderly and intensive care patients, with a male predominance. From 2016 to 2021, the resistance rate of P. aeruginosa isolated from blood specimens in Hebei Province to various antibiotics such as aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and carbapenems decreased to varying degrees. The resistance rates are high in pediatric and intensive care medicine, especially among neonatal patients. However, resistance to antibiotics varies with age and department, necessitating tailored antimicrobial administration. The issue of antibacterial drug resistance in newborn patients is concerning, and special attention is needed when during treatment.

Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, blood specimens, antibiotic resistance, carbapenem resistance, bloodstream infection