Prospective cohort study of central venous catheters among internal medicine ward patients. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: Central venous catheter (CVC) use is less well described for patients outside the intensive care unit. We evaluated CVCs and the associated bloodstream infection rate among patients admitted to the general medical service. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of patients who had a CVC on admission or inserted during their stay on the general medical service in a public teaching hospital, November 15, 2004, to March 31, 2005. RESULTS: We identified 106 CVCs, 52 were present on admission and 54 were inserted; there were 682 catheter-days. The primary bloodstream infection rate was 4.4 per 1000 catheter-days (95% CI: 0.9-13): highest for catheters inserted in the emergency department compared with those inserted on other units (24 vs 1.7 per 1000 catheter-days), P = .045. By multivariable analysis, inadequate dressings were more likely among patients with a body mass index > or =30 kg/m(2), adjusted odds ratio, 3.4 (95% CI: 1.4-8.0). CONCLUSIONS: Many CVCs had previously been inserted in the emergency department or intensive care unit; therefore, strategies to reduce bloodstream infections that focus on ward insertion practices may not dramatically reduce bloodstream infection rates. Intervention strategies should target improved dressing care and consideration of early removal or replacement of catheters inserted in the emergency department.

publication date

  • December 1, 2006

Research

keywords

  • Bacteremia
  • Catheterization, Central Venous
  • Catheters, Indwelling
  • Cross Infection
  • Hospital Departments
  • Internal Medicine

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 33845228615

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.ajic.2006.02.008

PubMed ID

  • 17161738

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 34

issue

  • 10