Empiric Antifungal Therapy Is Not Associated with Improved Infectious Outcomes in Penetrating Upper Gastrointestinal Injuries: A Subgroup Analysis of the Surgical Infection Society Multi-Center Observational Study

BACKGROUND: The role of empiric antifungal therapy in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) perforations because of penetrating trauma remains unclear. Existing literature suggests minimal benefit in non-traumatic GI perforations. This study aimed to evaluate the association between empiric antifungal use and post-operative infectious complications in patients with upper GI perforations because of penetrating trauma. METHODS: This was a prospective, multi-center cohort study conducted across 15 institutions between August 2021 and January 2024. We included adult patients with upper GI perforations because of penetrating trauma. The primary outcome was organ/space surgical site infection (SSI) within 30 days. Secondary outcomes included superficial and deep SSI, any SSI (superficial, deep, or organ/space), sepsis, pneumonia, return to the operating room, acute kidney injury (AKI), and in-hospital mortality. Multi-variable logistic regression was used to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients were included, of whom 23.1% (n = 40) received empiric antifungals. There was no significant difference in the rate of organ/space SSI between patients who received antifungals and those who did not (17.5% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.180). Antifungal use was also not associated with any significant difference in superficial, deep, or any SSI rates. On multi-variable analysis, antifungal therapy was not independently associated with reduced risk of organ/space SSI (odds ratio 1.72, 95% confidence interval 0.58-5.07). Patients who received antifungals had higher rates of sepsis, pneumonia, AKI, return to the operating room, and in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Empiric antifungal therapy was not associated with a reduction in organ/space SSI or any SSI, among patients with penetrating upper GI injuries. Trauma patients with upper GI injuries do not appear to benefit from empiric antifungal coverage.