Introduction

The 2009 IDSA Treatment Guidelines for Candidiasis favor an echinocandin for initial treatment of candidemia in patients with severe illness. In a prospective, randomized study anidulafungin resulted in improved global response (GR) and a trend toward improved survival compared with fluconazole [1].

Methods

Retrospective analysis in patients classified as severely ill at study entry: treatment initiated in an ICU (Group 1), APACHE II score ≥15 (Group 2) or presence of severe sepsis (Group 3). Within groups, anidulafungin was compared with fluconazole for GR rate at the end of intravenous therapy and 14-day and 28-day mortality.

Results

In Group 1 (n = 89), GR was 63.3% vs 45.0% (95% CI: -2.2 to 38.8); Group 2 (n = 113), GR was 68.3% vs 46.0% (95% CI: 4.3 to 40.2); and Group 3 (n = 118), the GR was 67.7% vs 51.8% (95% CI: -1.6 to 33.5), in patients with MOD (n = 45), the GR was 76.2% vs 29.2% (95% CI: 21.3 to 72.8) anidulafungin versus fluconazole, respectively. Across groups, an association with anidulafungin use and lower day 14 mortality was suggested (12.2% to 14.3% for patients receiving anidulafungin vs 19.6% to 28.0% for those receiving fluconazole) (P = NS). See Figure 1.

Figure 1
figure 1

Global response to treatment.

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Conclusions

In patients with severe illness, anidulafungin was associated with greater GR than fluconazole, significantly so for those with APACHE II score ≥15 or with MOD, supporting the IDSA Guidelines.