TY - JOUR
T1 - The risk of infection associated with intra-arterial catheters for cancer chemotherapy
AU - Raad, Issam
AU - Abi-Said, Dima
AU - Carrasco, Cesar H.
AU - Umphrey, Jan
AU - Hill, Lou Anne
PY - 1998/9
Y1 - 1998/9
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of, and risk factors for, infections associated with intra-arterial catheters used for cancer chemotherapy. METHODS: Between September 1992 and September 1995, we conducted a surveillance study of all 807 intra-arterial catheters placed for chemotherapy at our center. The insertion site was disinfected with povidone iodine and alcohol, and the arterial catheter was placed using maximal sterile barrier precautions. Upon removal, all intravascular segments were submitted for semi-quantitative culture. RESULTS: No episodes of catheter-related bloodstream infection (95% confidence interval [CI95], 0%-1.6%) were observed. However, the risk of colonization (>15 colony-forming units) of arterial catheters was 15% (CI95, 12%-17%). Retrospective risk-factor analysis conducted on 224 intra-arterial catheters placed for chemotherapy in 1993 showed that colonization was associated significantly with duration of catheterization (median of 1 day for culture-negative catheters vs median of 4 days for culture-positive catheters, P<.001). Age, gender, prior radiotherapy, underlying cancer, neutropenia, and hypoalbuminemia were not associated with catheter colonization. CONCLUSION: Intra-arterial catheters for cancer chemotherapy placed under maximal sterile barrier precautions for a short period of time are associated with a very low risk of bloodstream infection.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of, and risk factors for, infections associated with intra-arterial catheters used for cancer chemotherapy. METHODS: Between September 1992 and September 1995, we conducted a surveillance study of all 807 intra-arterial catheters placed for chemotherapy at our center. The insertion site was disinfected with povidone iodine and alcohol, and the arterial catheter was placed using maximal sterile barrier precautions. Upon removal, all intravascular segments were submitted for semi-quantitative culture. RESULTS: No episodes of catheter-related bloodstream infection (95% confidence interval [CI95], 0%-1.6%) were observed. However, the risk of colonization (>15 colony-forming units) of arterial catheters was 15% (CI95, 12%-17%). Retrospective risk-factor analysis conducted on 224 intra-arterial catheters placed for chemotherapy in 1993 showed that colonization was associated significantly with duration of catheterization (median of 1 day for culture-negative catheters vs median of 4 days for culture-positive catheters, P<.001). Age, gender, prior radiotherapy, underlying cancer, neutropenia, and hypoalbuminemia were not associated with catheter colonization. CONCLUSION: Intra-arterial catheters for cancer chemotherapy placed under maximal sterile barrier precautions for a short period of time are associated with a very low risk of bloodstream infection.
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U2 - 10.2307/30141526
DO - 10.2307/30141526
M3 - Article
C2 - 9778160
AN - SCOPUS:0032161645
SN - 0899-823X
VL - 19
SP - 640
EP - 642
JO - Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
JF - Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
IS - 9
ER -