Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes

Basic patient demographics were collected from the medical charts, including age, sex, weight, comorbid conditions, history of chemotherapy, and prior use of corticosteroids. Microbiologic identification, site of IFI confirmatory culture, and antifungal sensitivities were collected as reported by the abstracting physician. Antifungal therapy treatment patterns were collected in detail to include drug, dose, route, timing (days to start antifungal treatment), and changes in therapy.

Data collection for patterns of health care resource use included the following: pathological tests, microbiological/virological tests, laboratory tests, radiological/imaging tests, procedures such as days of mechanical ventilation and dialysis/renal replacement therapy, and length of hospital stay, overall and by location (emergency department, ICU, regular ward, intermediate care/high dependency unit).

Clinical outcomes collected included overall in-hospital mortality (IFI related and non-IFI related), relapse and/or rehospitalization for IFI or rehospitalization for any reason within 30 days post discharge, and clinical response of IFI cases at the time of discharge (clinical cure, improvement, failure, indeterminate).