<it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it> liver abscess in diabetic patients: association of glycemic control with the clinical characteristics

Abstract

Abstract Background Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess (KPLA) has been reported with increasing frequency in East Asian countries in the past 3 decades, especially in Taiwan and Korea. Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for KPLA and highly associated with septic metastatic complications from KPLA. We investigated the association of glycemic control in diabetic patients with the clinical characteristics of KPLA in Taiwan. Methods Adult diabetic patients with KPLA were identified retrospectively in a medical center from January 2007 to January 2012. Clinical characteristics were compared among patients with different levels of current hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Risk factors for metastatic infection from KPLA were analyzed. Results Patients with uncontrolled glycemia (HbA1c ≥ 7%) were significantly younger than those with controlled glycemia (HbA1c 1c value >; 10%) after adjustment with age. HbA1c level and abscess Conclusions Glycemic control in diabetic patients played an essential role in the clinical characteristics of KPLA, especially in metastatic complications from KPLA.