Risk factors for central venous catheter related bloodstream infections

ABSTRACT Objective: Central venous catheters (CVC) are widely used for different indications in various wards including primarily intensive care units (ICU). Bloodstream infections, one of the most prominent causes of the complications related to the CVCs, increase the length of the hospital stay, the burden of the health professionals, the treatment cost, and also lead to high rates of mortality. The aim of the present study is to determine the risk factors for the catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI) Patients and Methods: The data related to the CVCs inserted in our hospital were collected prospectively during a nine-month period. The risk factors between the group that develop CR-BSI and the control group were compared. Results: A total of 5667 catheter days were calculated based on the 356 CVCs inserted to 281 patients. The mean duration of catheterisation was 15.9 ± 12.7 days. CR-BSI was observed in 46 patients (12.9). The rate of CR-BSI was calculated as 8.12 in 1000 catheter days. The multivariate analysis has pointed out advanced age and longer duration of catheterisation as independent risk factors for CR-BSI development. The most frequently isolated agents were coagulase-negative staphylococci (15.2 %), Candida spp. (13 %), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (13 %). Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that advanced age and longer duration of catheterisation are independent risk factors for the development of CR-BSI. The observation of preventable risk factors has underlined the importance of the training of the healthcare personnel and the intervention performed. Keywords: central venous catheter, bacteremia, infection, risk factors