Pre-Disposition Factors for the Acquisition of Candida albicans in the Urinary Tract of Adult Patients Hospitalized in the Maracaibo University Hospital over the Period 1999-2001

For the purpose of studying the predisposition factors in patients in the acquisition of Candida albicans in the urinary tract, retrospective research was undertaken in the University Hospital in Maracaibo from 1999-2001. For such a purpose a sample of 53 patients was taken: 28 showing the presence of Candida albicans (Ca+) and 25 that did not show it (control), with an average overall age of 42. The variables studied were sex, time of hospitalization (TH), permanence in an intensive care unit –UCI- (IU), use of bladder catheter (SV), bladder catheter usage time (TCSV), use of antibiotics (UA), duration of the use of antibiotics (TUAB) and number of antibiotics used (NAB). The data was registered in a questionnaire type instrument. The statistical analyses of the results showed that in Ca+ patients, the variables: TH, TCSV, TUAB, NAB, IU and female (sex), were more frequent than the averages of each one of these variables in the Ca- group. The discriminative analysis for the same variables allowed for the establishment of statistically significant relation with variables TCSV, TUAB and NAB; although the last variable did not have any influence in the model when the discriminative equation was analyzed. The Ji-Square test indicated that there was dependence for the feminine sex, TCSV was greater at 10 days, NAB was greater or equal to 2, TUAB was greater at 14 days. Early removal of the bladder catheter and the adequate use of antibiotics during hospitalization, are practices that help to prevent the acquisition of C. albicans in hospitalized patients.