The microbiological profile of isolates recovered from ICU patients with traumatic brain injuries at a tertiary care center, Southern Region, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Traumatic head injury THI is a Neurosurgical condition in which brain function is interrupted as a result of blunt (motor vehicle accidents MVA, falls, and assaults) or penetrating trauma. Nearly half of all injuries are caused by head trauma. Head traumas are a leading cause of death and organ loss in young people, where this population accounts for the vast majority of TBI patients. Methodology: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Asir Central Hospital, KSA with data from 2015 to 2019. Records of bacterial cultures and outcomes such as length of stay in the hospital were analyzed. In addition, treatment outcomes were also analyzed. Results: A total of 300 ICU patient samples (69 patients) were included. Patients’ ages ranged from 13 to 87 years with a mean age of 32.4 ± 17.5 years old. The most frequently reported diagnosis was RTA (71 %), followed by SDH (11.6 %), The most isolated organisms from the recovered samples were Klebsiella pneumoniae (27 %), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.7 %). Regarding susceptibility, Tigecycline was the most sensitive (44 %), followed by Gentamicin (43.3 %). A total of 36 (52.2 %) patients stayed for less than one month, 24 (34.8 %) stayed for 1–3 months, and 7 (10.1 %) stayed for 3–6 months. The mortality rate in our study population was (40.6 %) as 28 patients died. Conclusion: The prevalence of pathogens in TBI needs to be determined in different institutions for the establishment of effective empiric antibiotic treatment following infections in traumatic brain injuries. This will ultimately help to improve treatment outcomes. In neurosurgical patients undergoing cranial procedures after trauma, a hospital-standardized antibiotic policy is effective in achieving low rates of bacterial infections especially MDR infections.