Ethanol Lock Therapy as additional treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections in pediatric patients receiving home parenteral nutrition

Background: Catheter related bloodstream infections (CRIs) are a major cause of morbidity, mortality and prolonged hospitalization in pediatric patients with home parenteral nutrition (HPN). In recent years, new prophylactic and treatment options have been evaluated to reduce the incidence of CRIs and infection related catheter removals. In children, two retrospective studies have shown the efficacy of ethanol lock treatment (ELT) in reducing the incidence of CRIs in pediatric oncology patients. However, prospective data are missing. Our aim of the present study was to evaluate prospectively the effect of ELT on the cure and recurrence rate of CRIs, duration of hospitalization and antibiotic use in HPN pediatric patients. Methods: HPN children older than three months with a clinical suspicion of a CRI were included and randomised to ELT or standard flushing treatment (heparin or taurolidine). The primary outcomes were persistence and recurrence of the bacteraemia and Central Venous Access Device (CVAD) removal. Secondary outcomes included duration of antibiotic use, duration of hospitalization and side effects. Results: Data from eight HPN children experiencing 14 suspected CRI were analysed. Seven patients had proven CRIs by positive blood cultures. Four were treated with ELT and three with their standard flushing treatment. One CRI persisted in the control group. In one single patient, bacteraemia recurred three times within 24 weeks. This patient had been enrolled in both study arms. A CVAD removal was needed in one patient because of occlusion. Conclusions: This small study showed no additional efficacy of the use of ELT on cure rate or recurrences of CRIs compared to standard therapy in HPN treated children. There were also no differences in duration of hospitalization, the use of antibiotics or CVAD removal between both groups.

Predictive value of thrombocytopenia for bloodstream infection in patients with sepsis and septic shock

BACKGROUND Thrombocytopenia is common in patients with sepsis and septic shock.AIM To analyse the decrease in the number of platelets for predicting bloodstream infection in patients with sepsis and septic shock in the intensive care unit.METHODS A retrospective analysis of patients admitted with sepsis and septic shock in Xingtai People Hospital was revisited.Patient population characteristics and laboratory data were collected for analysis.RESULTS The study group consisted of 85(39%)inpatients with bloodstream infection,and the control group consisted of 133(61%)with negative results or contamination.The percentage decline in platelet counts(PPCs)in patients positive for pathogens[57.1(41.3-74.6)]was distinctly higher than that in the control group[18.2(5.1–43.1)](P<0.001),whereas the PPCs were not significantly different among those with gram-positive bacteraemia,gram-negative bacteraemia,and fungal infection.Using receiver operating characteristic curves,the area under the curve of the platelet drop rate was 0.839(95%CI:0.783-0.895).CONCLUSION The percentage decline in platelet counts is sensitive in predicting bloodstream infection in patients with sepsis and septic shock.However,it cannot identify gram-positive bacteraemia,gram-negative bacteraemia,and fungal infection.

Knowledge of“Guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections(2011)”:A survey of intensive care unit nursing staffs in China

Aims and objectives:To evaluate intensive care unit(ICU)nurses'knowledge of the updated guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections;to identify the factors that affect the nurses'knowledge and to explore the barriers to adherence to evidence-based guidelines in clinical practice in China.Methods:Cross-sectional surveys were carried out in Chinese ICUs from January 2013 to March 2014.The nurses'demographic information,knowledge of the guidelines,and barriers to adherence were assessed by a validated questionnaire and then analyzed statistically.Results:The questionnaires were completed by 455 ICU nurses from 4 provinces of China.The mean score was 8.17 of 20,and higher scores were significantly associated with province,years of experience,and years of ICU experience.Forty-nine(10.7%)nurses had not heard of the guidelines,whereas 231(50.7%)nurses heard of the guidelines but did not receive training for them.Trained nurses'scores were higher than untrained nurses'scores.The three main barriers to compliance with the guidelines were an unfamiliarity with them,an excessive workload due to a shortage of nurses,and a lack of training.Conclusions:ICU nurses'knowledge of the updated guidelines is quite low,which could be a potential risk factor for patient safety.Multidisciplinary interventions and continuous.

Analysis of the relationship between deep venous catheter-related infection and post-operative complications in patients receiving minimally invasive esophagectomy

Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate catheter-related infection rate(CRIR)for patients receiving minimally invasive esophagectomy(MIE),to identify the optimal catheterization approach and relationship between CRIR and post-operative complications.Methods In total,168 patients with esophageal carcinoma and undergoing MIE combined with preoperative deep venous catheterization(DVC)were analyzed in our institution(Qingdao Municipal Hospital,China),from 2014 to 2018.After completing DVC,catheter-tips together with intraductal venous blood samples were sent to the microbiology lab for bacterial strain culture.CRIR was statistically evaluated for the following clinical variables:gender,age,smoking status,drinking status,past history,tumor location,histologic grade,pathological T,N,and M category,anastomotic location,anastomotic leakage,anastomotic stricture,chylothorax,pneumonia,recurrent laryngeal nerve(RLN)injury,reflux esophagitis,catheterization site,and catheter-locking days.Results Among the 144 patients recruited in our study,105 catheters were inserted into the jugular vein and 39 catheters into the subclavian vein.The median age of these patients was 63 years(range:42–79 years),and the median catheter-locking period was seven days(range:4–21 days).Four catheters were identified with three types of strain colonizations,including Staphylococcus epidermidis,Staphylococcus aureus and Blastomyces albicans.Statistical data showed that patients diagnosed with catheter-related infection were likely to incur anastomotic leakage(66.67%,P<0.001)and pneumonia(27.27%,P<0.001);features such as tumors located in the upper esophagus(13.6%,P=0.003),and over seven catheterlocking days(10.00%,P<0.001)were attributed to a high CRIR.Conclusion Although both jugular and subclavian veins can be catheterized for patients with MIE,DVC is associated with more than seven catheter-locking days and upper esophagectomy,due to high CRIR.Furthermore,catheter-related infection is related to anastomotic leakage and pneumonia.

Catheter-related infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in a patient with motor neurone disease:A case report

BACKGROUND Mycobacterium abscessus(M.abscessus)is a rapidly growing mycobacterium and ubiquitous in the environment,which infrequently causes disease in humans.However,it can cause cutaneous or respiratory infections among immunocompromised hosts.Due to the resistance to most antibiotics,the pathogen is formidable and difficult-to-treat.CASE SUMMARY Here,we present a case of catheter-related M.abscessus infections in a patient with motor neurone disease.Catheter and peripheral blood cultures of the patient showed positive results during Gram staining and acid-fast staining.The alarm time of catheter blood culture was 10.6 h earlier than that of peripheral blood.After removal of the peripherally inserted central catheter,secretion and catheter blood culture were positive.M.abscessus was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and 16S rDNA sequencing.CONCLUSION For catheter-related M.abscessus infection,rapid diagnosis and timely and adequate antimicrobial therapy are crucial.

Reducing the Prevalence of Catheter-Related Infections by Quality Improvement: Six-Year Follow-Up Study

Background: Peripheral venous catheter (PVC) insertion is a crucial nursing action during life support. Several factors that increase the risk of thrombophlebitis associated with PVCs have been reported. Objective: We wish to evaluate the impact of a quality improvement regarding PVC treatment for patients with coronary heart diseases. Method: A longitudinal, quantitative observational study was carried out in 2008 and 2013 in a hospital in southern Sweden with 360 consecutive patients suffering from acute chest pain. New routines for PVC treatment were included in the hospital with daily inspection according to a checklist. A structured observation protocol was used to survey the prevalence of thrombophlebitis between 2008 and 2013. Also, we examined the relationship between the location and luminal diameters of PVCs. Results: The student’s t-test showed significant differences between 2008 and 2013 with respect to luminal diameter of PVCs (p = 0.002), prevalence of thrombophlebitis (p = 0.003) and number of days with PVC left in situ (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings emphasize the value of using systematic daily inspections and checklists to achieve quality and safety in patients with acute chest pain having PVC-based treatment.

Prevention of central venous catheter-related infection in ICU with cluster nursing intervention: a meta-analysis

Objective:To systematically evaluate the clinical effects of cluster nursing intervention in preventing central venous catheter-related infection in intensive care unit.Methods:A randomized controlled study was searched from China National Knowledge Internet(CNKI),Wanfang,Chinese Scientific Journals Database(VIP),Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System(SinoMed),PubMed,Embase and Cochrane library databases from the establishment to May 1,2020.Two reviewers independently evaluated and cross checked the quality of the study.Revman 5.3 was used to conduct the meta-analysis.Results:A total of 21 randomized controlled trials with 6,030 patients were included.Meta-analysis showed that the incidence of central venous catheter-related infection(relative risk(RR)=0.29,95%confidence interval(CI)[0.23,0.37]),the incidence of catheter plugging(RR=0.25,95%CI[0.16,0.39])and catheter prolapse(RR=0.18,95%CI[0.11,0.29])were significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion:Cluster nursing intervention could prevent central venous catheter-related infection in intensive care unit.

Urgent call for attention to diabetes-associated hospital infections

In this editorial,we discuss the recent article by Zhao et al published in the World Journal of Diabetes,which highlights the importance of recognizing the risk indicators associated with diabetes mellitus(DM).Given the severe implications of healthcare-associated infections(HAIs)in hospitalized individuals-such as heightened mortality rates,prolonged hospitalizations,and increased costs-we focus on elucidating the connection between DM and nosocomial infections.Diabetic patients are susceptible to pathogenic bacterial invasion and subsequent infection,with some already harboring co-infections upon admission.Notably,DM is an important risk factor for nosocomial urinary tract infections and surgical site infections,which may indirectly affect the occurrence of nosocomial bloodstream infections,especially in patients with DM with poor glycemic control.Although evidence regarding the impact of DM on healthcare-associated pneumonias remains inconclusive,attention to this potential association is warranted.Hospitalized patients with DM should prioritize meticulous blood glucose management,adherence to standard operating procedures,hand hygiene practices,environmental disinfection,and rational use of drugs during hospitalization.Further studies are imperative to explore the main risk factors of HAIs in patients with DM,enabling the development of preventative measures and mitigating the occurrence of HAIs in these patients.

Molecular Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae Bloodstream Infections in Wuhan,China

Objective:The clinical characteristics and microbiological data of patients with K.pneumoniae bloodstream infections(BSI)from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed to study the molecular epidemiology of Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP).We also aimed to identify the risk factors for the development of CRKP BSI.Methods:This retrospective study was conducted at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2018 to December 2020.The date of non-duplicate K.pneumoniae isolates isolated from blood samples was identified using the microbiology laboratory database.The data from patients diagnosed with K.pneumoniae BSI were collected and analyzed.

High mortality associated with gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection in liver transplant recipients undergoing immunosuppression reduction

BACKGROUND Immunosuppression is an important factor in the incidence of infections in transplant recipient.Few studies are available on the management of immunosuppression(IS)treatment in the liver transplant(LT)recipients complicated with infection.The aim of this study is to describe our experience in the management of IS treatment during bacterial bloodstream infection(BSI)in LT recipients and assess the effect of temporary IS withdrawal on 30 d mortality of recipients presenting with severe infection.AIM To assess the effect of temporary IS withdrawal on 30 d mortality of LT recipients presenting with severe infection.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted with patients diagnosed with BSI after LT in the Department of Liver Surgery,Renji Hospital from January 1,2016 through December 31,2017.All recipients diagnosed with BSI after LT were included.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis of risk factors for 30 d mortality was conducted in the LT recipients with Gram-negative bacterial(GNB)infection.RESULTS Seventy-four episodes of BSI were identified in 70 LT recipients,including 45 episodes of Gram-positive bacterial(GPB)infections in 42 patients and 29 episodes of GNB infections in 28 patients.Overall,IS reduction(at least 50%dose reduction or cessation of one or more immunosuppressive agent)was made in 28(41.2%)cases,specifically,in 5(11.9%)cases with GPB infections and 23(82.1%)cases with GNB infections.The 180 d all-cause mortality rate was 18.5%(13/70).The mortality rate in GNB group(39.3%,11/28)was significantly higher than that in GPB group(4.8%,2/42)(P=0.001).All the deaths in GNB group were attributed to worsening infection secondary to IS withdrawal,but the deaths in GPB group were all due to graft-versus-host disease.GNB group was associated with significantly higher incidence of intra-abdominal infection,IS reduction,and complete IS withdrawal than GPB group(P<0.05).Cox regression showed that rejection(adjusted hazard ratio 7.021,P=0.001)and complete IS withdrawal(adjusted hazard ratio 12.65,P=0.019)were independent risk factors for 30 d mortality in patients with GNB infections after LT.CONCLUSION IS reduction is more frequently associated with GNB infection than GPB infection in LT recipients.Complete IS withdrawal should be cautious due to increased risk of mortality in LT recipients complicated with BSI.

Central line-associated bloodstream infection among children with biliary atresia listed for liver transplantation

BACKGROUND Pre-transplant nutrition is a key driver of outcomes following liver transplantation in children.Patients with biliary atresia(BA) may have difficulty achieving satisfactory weight gain with enteral nutrition alone,and parenteral nutrition(PN) may be indicated.While PN has been shown to improve anthropometric parameters of children with BA listed for liver transplantation,less is known about the risks,particularly infectious,associated with this therapy among this specific group of patients.AIM To describe the incidence,microbiology,and risk factors of central line-associated bloodstream infection(CLABSI) among children with BA listed for liver transplantation.METHODS Retrospective review of children aged ≤ 2-years of age with BA who were listed for primary liver transplantation at Texas Children's Hospital from 2008 through2015(n = 96).Patients with a central line for administration of PN(n = 63) were identified and details of each CLABSI event were abstracted.We compared the group of patients who experienced CLABSI to the group who did not,to determine whether demographic,clinical,or laboratory factors correlated with development of CLABSI.RESULTS Nineteen of 63 patients(30%,95%CI:19,43) experienced 29 episodes of CLABSI during 4800 line days(6.04 CLABSI per 1000 line days).CLABSI was predominantly associated with Gram-negative organisms(14/29 episodes,48%)including Klebsiella spp.,Enterobacter spp.,and Escherichia coli.The sole polymicrobial infection grew Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae.Grampositive organisms(all Staphylococcus spp.) and fungus(all Candida spp.)comprised 9/29(31%) and 6/29(21%) episodes,respectively.No demographic,clinical,or laboratory factors were significantly associated with an increased risk for the first CLABSI event in Cox proportional hazards regression analysis CONCLUSION There is substantial risk for CLABSI among children with BA listed for liver transplantation.No clinical,demographic,or laboratory factor we tested emerged as an independent predictor of CLABSI.While our data did not show an impact of CLABSI on the short-term clinical outcome,it would seem prudent to implement CLABSI reduction strategies in this population to the extent that each CLABSI event represents potentially preventable hospitalization,unnecessary healthcare dollar expenditures,and may exact an opportunity cost,in terms of missed allograft offers.

Bloodstream Infection with Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii:a Case Report

IN the presence of septic shock, every hour in delaying the administration of effective antibiotics is associated with a measurable increase in mortality. This is especially true for neutropenic patients with septic shock. As there is a higher incidence of involving multi-drug resistant pathogens for neutropenic patients, the decision on antibiotics regime remains a challenge for physicians.2 Immunosuppression and previous antibacterial use are factors that promote the spread of multi-drug resistant pathogens, and the possibility of co-existing multi-drug resistant pathogens should be suspected when treating patients with these risk factors who developed refractory shock. Here we present a case with neutropenic fever and refractory shock whose blood culture yielded multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and carbapenem- resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Development and validation of an emergency bloodstream infection score for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with community-acquired bloodstream infections

BACKGROUND:Community-acquired bloodstream infections(CABSIs)are common in the emergency departments,and some progress to sepsis and even lead to death.However,limited information is available regarding the prediction of patients with high risk of death.METHODS:The Emergency Bloodstream Infection Score(EBS)for CABSIs was developed to visualize the output of a logistic regression model and was validated by the area under the curve(AUC).The Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis(MEDS),Pitt Bacteremia Score(PBS),Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA),quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(qSOFA),Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI),and McCabe–Jackson Comorbid Classification(MJCC)for patients with CABSIs were computed to compare them with EBS in terms of the AUC and decision curve analysis(DCA).The net reclassification improvement(NRI)index and integrated discrimination improvement(IDI)index were compared between the SOFA and EBS.RESULTS:A total of 547 patients with CABSIs were included.The AUC(0.853)of the EBS was larger than those of the MEDS,PBS,SOFA,and qSOFA(all P<0.001).The NRI index of EBS in predicting the in-hospital mortality of CABSIs patients was 0.368(P=0.04),and the IDI index was 0.079(P=0.03).DCA showed that when the threshold probability was<0.1,the net benefit of the EBS model was higher than those of the other models.CONCLUSION:The EBS prognostic models were better than the SOFA,qSOFA,MEDS,and PBS models in predicting the in-hospital mortality of patients with CABSIs.

Cefoperazone-sulbactam and ornidazole for Gardnerella vaginalis bloodstream infection after cesarean section:A case report

BACKGROUND Gardnerella vaginalis(G.vaginalis)is a facultative anaerobic bacteria known to cause bloodstream infections.However,cases are very rare in clinics.There is very limited clinical experience in the treatment of bloodstream infections caused by G.vaginalis.Therefore,there is an urgent need for effective antibacterial drugs to treat patients with bloodstream infections caused by G.vaginalis.CASE SUMMARY A woman who underwent a cesarean section presented with a sudden onset of high fever 1-d post-surgery.The blood cultures suggested an infection due to G.vaginalis,and treatment with cefoperazone-sulbactam was started.After 5 d of treatment,there was a decrease in the hemogram;however,the temperature and C-reactive protein levels remained high.Based on clinical experience and a review of literature,the treatment was modified to include ornidazole in combination with cefoperazone-sulbactam.Following a week of treatment,the temperature,hemogram and C-reactive protein levels returned to normal,and blood cultures turned negative,suggesting a therapeutic effect of the combination treatment.CONCLUSION This case highlighted the effective use of cefoperazone-sulbactam combined with ornidazole for bloodstream infection caused by G.vaginalis following a cesarean section.

Bloodstream Infections Caused by Enterococcus spp：A 10-year Retrospective Analysis at a Tertiary Hospital in China

In order to discover the risk factors for 30-day mortality in bloodstream infections（BSI） caused by Enterococcus spp.strains,we explored the clinical and therapeutic profile of patients with Enterococcus spp.BSI and the characteristics of this condition.A total of 64 patients with BSI caused by Enterococcus spp.who were treated in our hospital between 2006 and 2015 were included in the study.The clinical features of patients,microbiology,and 30-day mortality were collected from the electronic medical records database and analyzed.The results showed that there were 38 patients infected by Enterococcus faecalis（E.faecalis）,24 by Enterococcus faecium（E.faecium）,1 by Enterococcus casseliflavus（E.casseliflavus）,and 1 by Enterococcus gallinarum（E.gallinarum）.A Charlson comorbidity score ≥5,corticosteroid treatment,placement of catheters or other prosthetic devices and history of antibiotic use were found more frequently in E.faecium BSI patients than in E.faecalis patients（P=0.017,P=0.027,P=0.008 and P=0.027,respectively）.Furthermore,the univariate and multivariate analysis showed that corticosteroid treatment（OR=17.385,P=0.008）,hospital acquisition（OR=16.328,P=0.038）,and vascular catheter infection（OR=14.788,P=0.025） were all independently associated with 30-day mortality.Our results indicate that E.faecalis and E.faecium are two different pathogens with unique microbiologic characteristics,which cause different clinical features in BSI,and the empiric antimicrobial treatments are paramount for patients with enterococcal BSI.

Assessment of pathogens and risk factors associated with bloodstream infection in the year after pediatric liver transplantation

BACKGROUND Bloodstream infection(BSI)is one of the most significantly adverse events that can occur after liver transplantation(LT)in children.AIM To analyze the profile of BSI according to the postoperative periods and assess the risk factors after pediatric LT.METHODS Clinical data,collected from medical charts of children(n=378)who underwent primary LT,were retrospectively reviewed.The primary outcome considered was BSI in the first year after LT.Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for BSI and respective odds ratios(ORs).RESULTS Of the examined patients,106(28%)experienced 162 episodes of pathogen-confirmed BSI during the first year after LT.There were 1.53±0.95 episodes per children(mean±SD)among BSIcomplicated patients with a median onset of 0.4 mo post-LT.The most common pathogenic organisms identified were Coagulase-negative staphylococci,followed by Enterococcus spp.and Streptococcus spp.About half(53%)of the BSIs were of unknown origin.Multivariate analysis demonstrated that young age(≤1.3 year;OR=2.1,P=0.011),growth failure(OR=2.1,P=0.045),liver support system(OR=4.2,P=0.008),and hospital stay of>44 d(OR=2.3,P=0.002)were independently associated with BSI in the year after LT.CONCLUSION BSI was frequently observed in patients after pediatric LT,affecting survival outcomes.The profile of BSI may inform clinical treatment and management in high-risk children after LT.

Fatal community-acquired bloodstream infection caused by Klebsiella variicola:A case report

BACKGROUND Klebsiella pneumoniae(K.pneumoniae)is an infective microorganism of worldwide concern because of its varied manifestations and life-threatening potential.Genetic analyses have revealed that subspecies of K.pneumoniae exhibit higher virulence and mortality.However,infections with Klebsiella subspecies are often misdiagnosed and underestimated in the clinic because of difficulties in distinguishing K.pneumoniae from its subspecies using routine tests.This case study reports the rapid and fatal effects of K.pneumoniae subspecies.CASE SUMMARY A 52-year-old male patient was febrile and admitted to hospital.Examinations excluded viral and fungal causes along with mycoplasma/chlamydia and parasitic infections.Bacterial cultures revealed blood-borne K.pneumoniae sensitive to carbapenem antibiotics,although corresponding treatment failed to improve the patient’s symptoms.His condition worsened and death occurred within 72 h of symptom onset from sepsis shock.Application of the PMseq-DNA Pro high throughput gene detection assay was implemented with results obtained after death showing a mixed infection of K.pneumoniae and Klebsiella variicola(K.variicola).Clinical evidence suggested that K.variicola rather than K.pneumoniae contributed to the patient’s poor prognosis.CONCLUSION This is the first case report to show patient death from Klebsiella subspecies infection within a short period of time.This case provides a timely reminder of the clinical hazards posed by Klebsiella subspecies and highlights the limitations of classical laboratory methods in guiding anti-infective therapies for complex cases.Moreover,this report serves as reference for physicians diagnosing similar diseases and provides a recommendation to employ early genetic detection to aid patient diagnosis and management.

Serum Cholesterol Levels at the Onset of Bloodstream Infection Have Prognostic Value

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the changes in serum cholesterol levels at the onset of bloodstream infection (BSI) and to determine whether serum cholesterol levels were associated with patients’ clinical backgrounds and the prognosis of BSI;Methods: A retrospective chart review was done to collect demographic information and the subjects’ medical history, invasive procedures, and medications;Patients and Methods: From April 2003 to March 2006, all patients aged ≥20 years with positive blood cultures in the University of Tokyo Hospital (a tertiary teaching hospital with 1200 beds) were enrolled;Results: Average cholesterol levels before the onset of BSI were 166.5 ± 46.5 mg/dL, and, at the onset of BSI, they decreased to 134.4 ± 45.0 mg/dL (p < 0.001). Thirty-day survivors had higher cholesterol levels both before and at the onset of BSI than non-survivors. Cholesterol levels at the onset of BSI were associated with the organisms of BSI. Patients with lower cholesterol levels tended to have higher 30-day mortality rates and longer medical treatment than patients with higher cholesterol levels (13% vs 3%, p = 0.12;24.3 days vs 18.4 days, p = 0.15);Conclusion: Cholesterol levels at the onset of BSI could be used as a prognostic marker in patients with BSI.

Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection in Adult Intensive Care Unit Population—Changes in Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Prevention, and Addition of New Technologies

Background: Intensive care units (ICUs) have an increased risk of Central line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) due to the prevalence of invasive procedures, devices, immunosuppression, comorbidity, frailty, and elderly patients. We have seen a successful reduction in Central line associated bloodstream infection related the past decade. In spite of this, Intensive care unit-Catheter related bloodstream infections remain high. The emergence of new pathogens further complicates treatment and threatens patient outcomes in this context. In addition, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic served as a reminder that an emerging pathogen poses a challenge for adjusting prevention measures regarding both the risk of exposure to caregivers and maintaining a high level of care. ICU nurses play an important role in the prevention and management of CLABSI as they are involved in basic hygienic care, quality improvement initiatives, microbiological sampling, and aspects of antimicrobial stewardship. Microbiological techniques that are more sensitive and our increased knowledge of the interactions between critically ill patients and their microbiota are forcing us to rethink how we define CLABSIs and how we can diagnose, treat, and prevent them in the ICU. The objective of this multidisciplinary expert review, focused on the ICU setting, is to summarize the recently observed occurrence of CLABSI in ICU, to consider the role of modern microbiological techniques in their diagnosis, to examine clinical and epidemiological definitions, and to redefine several controversial preventive measures including antimicrobial-impregnated catheters, chlorhexidine-gluconate impregnated sponge, and catheter dressings.

Adding vortexing to the Maki technique provides no benefit for the diagnosis of catheter colonization or catheter-related bacteremia

BACKGROUND A previous study compared vortexing and Maki techniques for the diagnosis of catheter-related bloodstream infection(CRBSI),and concluded that vortexing was not superior to Maki method.AIM To determine whether the combined use of vortexing and Maki techniques provides profitability versus the Maki technique for the diagnosis of catheter tip colonization(CTC)and CRBSI.METHODS Observational and prospective study carried out in an Intensive Care Unit.Patients with suspected catheter-related infection(CRI)and with one central venous catheter for at least 7 days were included.The area under the curve(AUC)of the Maki technique,the vortexing technique and the combination of both techniques for the diagnosis of CTC and CRBSI were compared.RESULTS We included 136 episodes of suspected CRI.We found 21 cases of CTC of which 10 were also CRBSI cases.Of the 21 CTC episodes,18(85.7%)were diagnosed by Maki technique and vortexing technique,3(14.3%)only by the technique of Maki,and none only by technique of vortexing.Of the 10 CRBSI episodes,9(90.0%)were diagnosed by the techniques of Maki and vortexing,1(10.0%)was diagnosed only by the technique of Maki,and none only by the technique of vortexing.We no found differences in the comparison of AUC between the technique of Maki and the combination of Maki and vortexing techniques for the diagnosis of CTC(P=0.99)and CRBSI(P=0.99).CONCLUSION The novel finding of our study was that the combined use of vortexing and Maki techniques did not provide profitability to the technique of Maki alone to CRBSI diagnosis of.