Importance: The incidence of invasive infections caused by group B Streptococcus (GBS) continues to increase in the United States. Although diabetes is a key risk factor for invasive GBS, the influence of long-term glycemic control is not well characterized; other risk factors and mortality rates associated with specific types of invasive GBS infections are unknown.
Objective: To investigate risk factors and mortality rates associated with specific invasive GBS infectious syndromes.
Design, setting, and participants: This cohort study used US Veterans Health Administration data to assess active users of the Veterans Affairs health care system between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2017. Data analysis was conducted from April 2018 to August 2019.
Exposures: Invasive GBS infections.
Main outcomes and measures: The specific types of infectious syndromes and comorbid conditions among patients with an invasive GBS infection were evaluated.
Results: Between 2008 and 2017, 5175 patients in the Veterans Affairs health care system experienced 5497 invasive GBS infections (5027 [97.1%] men, 3737 [72.2%] white, and 4545 [87.8%] non-Latino); all-cause 30-day mortality was 8.7% (451 of 5175). The most frequently observed infections were osteomyelitis (1171 [21.3%]), bacteremia without focus (1009 [18.4%]), skin or soft-tissue infections (919 [16.7%]), and pneumonia or empyema (694 [12.6%]). All-cause 30-day mortality following the index infection for each patient was highest among patients with peritonitis (38 of 138 [27.5%]) and pneumonia or empyema (116 of 664 [17.5%]) and lowest among those with osteomyelitis (15 of 1075 [1.4%]) or joint infection (17 of 501 [3.4%]). The most common comorbid conditions among patients with invasive GBS infections were diabetes (3364 [65.0%]), obesity (2669 [51.6%]), and chronic heart conditions (1633 [31.6%]). From 2008 to 2017, the incidence of invasive GBS infections increased from 9.23 to 11.67 cases per 100 000 person-years (P = .049). Stratification by body mass index showed the highest incidence of infections among patients at the extremes of body mass index (body mass index <18.5, 25.1 cases per 100 000 person-years; body mass index ≥40, 31.0 cases per 100 000 person-years). The incidence among patients with diabetes and poor long-term glycemic control (ie, hemoglobin A1c ≥9.5%) was 4-fold greater than among patients with diabetes and good glycemic control (ie, hemoglobin A1c <7.5%) (78.3 cases vs 19.0 cases per 100 000 person-years; unadjusted incident rate ratio, 4.1; 95% CI, 3.7-4.4; P < .001).
Conclusions and relevance: In this cohort study, comorbid conditions and 30-day mortality varied among types of invasive GBS infections. Obesity and poor long-term glycemic control were associated with invasive GBS infections. Efforts to reverse the trend of an increased incidence of invasive GBS infections should continue to support reducing obesity and focus on improving glycemic control.