Impact of echinocandins as first-choice therapy in cardiothoracic high-risk patients with candidemia

Invasive candidemia is a major cause of increased mortality among ICU patients. Antifungal agents like liposomale amphotericin B and azoles could not accomplish the claim to be first choice in the treatment of invasive fungal infection (IFI) because of side effects and effectiveness. Especially, cardiothoracic surgery patients as a group of high-risk patients are in a focus for new strategies and agents. A new class of antimycotic agents, the echinocandins, with a low profile of side effects, low interactive potential and high effectiveness in the treatment of candidemia, is a powerful option in the treatment of IFI. We report our single-center experience with a modified clinical treatment approach based on clinical score of Leon and using echinocandins as first-line therapy for proven and suspected fungal infection.