Intravascular catheter associated sepsis: a common problem

Peter J. Collignon, Australian Study on Intravascular Catheter Associated Sepsis, T Gehrig, C Inglis, Thomas Gottlieb, Iain Gosbell, D McGechie, R McCann, B Mayall, P Taylor, G Nimmo, D Looke, D Cameron, I Lim, R Benn, J Robson, C Golledge, E Reiss-Levy, B Rees, S HilleryA McGregor, K Wise, P Newton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

154 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract


Abstract
Objective
To estimate the number of episodes of intravascular catheter associated sepsis that occur in Australia per year.

Design and setting
Data were collected from 15 Australian hospitals (mainly tertiary referral hospitals). All positive results of blood cultures were followed up and the primary sepsis site identified and recorded. The average study period was 1.2 years.

Results
Eight hundred and nine episodes of systemic sepsis associated with intravascular catheters were identified from 4957 separate episodes of bacteraemia or fung‐aemia. Of those in which the catheter site was known, there were 491 episodes of sepsis associated with central vein catheters and 233 with peripheral vein catheters. Systemic sepsis with peripheral vein catheters occurred with 0.36 of every 1000 catheters purchased, but with central vein catheters it was 23 episodes per 1000 catheters (relative risk, 64; 95% confidence interval, 54‐76). In these hospitals, 8.2 episodes of intravascular catheter associated sepsis occurred annually per 100 beds and 1.5 episodes per 1000 admissions. From these figures, at least 3000 cases of intravascular sepsis may occur per year in Australia.

Conclusions
Intravascular catheter sepsis is common. Central vein catheters cause more sepsis than peripheral vein catheters. With the greater use of catheters this problem is likely to increase.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)374-378
Number of pages5
JournalMedical Journal of Australia
Volume161
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 1994
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Intravascular catheter associated sepsis: a common problem'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this