Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Central venous catheter CVC –related blood stream infections CRBSIs increase duration of stay in hospital, costs, morbidity, and mortality. This study was conducted to find out the rate, microorganisms, and risk factors of CRBSIs. METHODS: This study was carried out in different units of Istanbul Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital in a period of 6 months between February 1 and August 1, 2007. The followings were determined for each patient: age and gender, clinic of hospitalization, underlying disorders, patient’s condition at discharge, total parenteral nutrition TPN , use of blood products, type of surgical wound, APACHE II score, the vein where the catheter was placed, duration of catheterization, the hospital unit where the catheter was placed, isolated microorganisms, and the rate of CRBSIs per 1000 catheter days in each hospital unit.RESULTS: Of the patients 48 were males and 52 females, with a mean age of 54.3 ± 19.3. Forty-six catheters were found sterile or contaminated, 39 colonized, 10 with CRBSI, and 5 with local catheter infection. The catheter cultures yielded gram-positive cocci in 32 59.2% , gram-negative bacilli in 17 31.5% , and yeasts in 5 9.3% . The most frequently isolated microorganism was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The rates of CRBSI were found to be 6.9 in all units. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The risk factors for CRBSIs were catheter carried for longer than 10 days, total parenteral nutrition and use of blood products, the vein where CVC was placed, APACHE II score, and the predictive mortality rate. The prevention of risk factors with infection control measures may significantly decrease the rates of CRBSIs.

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