To estimate the excess length of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) due to a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), using a multistate model that accounts for the timing of infection.

A cohort of 3,560 patients followed up for 36,806 days in ICUs.

Eleven ICUs in 3 Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

All patients admitted to the ICU during a defined time period with a central line in place for more than 24 hours.

The average excess length of stay due to a CLABSI increased in 10 of 11 ICUs and varied from -1.23 days to 4.69 days. A reduction in length of stay in Mexico was probably caused by an increased risk of death due to CLABSI, leading to shorter times to death. Adjusting for patient age and Average Severity of Illness Score tended to increase the estimated excess length of stays due to CLABSI.

CLABSIs are associated with an excess length of ICU stay. The average excess length of stay varies between ICUs, most likely because of the case-mix of admissions and differences in the ways that hospitals deal with infections.

Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) account for the majority of hemodialysis-related infections. There are no published data on the efficacy of the chlorhexidine-impregnated foam dressing at reducing the rate of CRBSI among patients undergoing hemodialysis.

A prospective, nonblinded, crossover intervention trial to determine the efficacy of a chlorhexidine-impregnated foam dressing to reduce the rate of CRBSI among patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Two outpatient dialysis centers.

A total of 121 patients who underwent dialysis through tunneled central venous catheters received the intervention during the trial.

The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of CRBSI. A nested cohort study of all patients who received the chlorhexidine-impregnated foam dressing was also conducted. Backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors for development of CRBSI.

Thirty-seven CRBSIs occurred in the intervention group, for an incidence of 6.3 CRBSIs per 1,000 dialysis sessions, and 30 CRBSIs occurred in the control group, an incidence of 5.2 CRBSIs per 1,000 dialysis sessions (risk ratio, 1.22 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.75-1.97]; P = .46). The chlorhexidine-impregnated foam dressing was well tolerated, with only 2 patients (<2%) experiencing dermatitis that led to its discontinuation. The only independent risk factor for development of CRBSI was dialysis treatment at one dialysis center (adjusted odds ratio, 4.4 [95% CI, 1.77-13.65]; P = .002). Age of at least 60 years (adjusted odds ratio, 0.28 [95% CI, 0.09-0.82]; P = .02) was associated with lower risk of CRBSI.

The use of a chlorhexidine-impregnated foam dressing did not decrease the incidence of CRBSI among patients with tunneled central venous catheters who were undergoing hemodialysis.

To examine the mechanical integrity of hemodialysis catheters after exposure to the combination of N-acetylcysteine, ti-gecycline, and heparin, compared with that of catheters exposed to heparin alone.

We used 3 types of hemodialysis catheters: polyurethane, silicone, and carbothane catheters. Catheter segments were incubated in vitro for various time intervals of up to 2 weeks either in a novel catheter lock solution (novel CLS), which consisted of N-acetylcysteine, tigecycline, and heparin, or in heparin alone (as a control). At the time of testing, each segment was rinsed and cut longitudinally into 2 sections. All catheter sections were scanned using an optical dissecting microscope to check for surface abnormalities and to measure wall thickness. We also carried out tensile strength testing of another set of catheters using a universal testing machine. Tested parameters included stress at yield, strain at yield, stress at break, strain at break, modulus of elasticity, and force at break.

The surfaces of catheters in both groups appeared similar by microscopy. The mean thickness of the catheter wall was not significantly different for the catheters exposed to the novel CLS and the catheters exposed to heparin (P >.05). Results for most of the tensile strength parameters tested were similar in the 2 groups of catheters at the end of 2 weeks of incubation. In particular, the force-at-break value of all tested catheters remained much greater than that recommended by industry standards.

The use of the novel catheter lock solution did not impair the mechanical integrity or increase the propensity for fracture of hemodialysis catheters.

Patients undergoing orthopedic surgery are susceptible to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, which can result in increased morbidity, hospital lengths of stay, and medical costs. We sought to estimate the economic value of routine preoperative MRSA screening and decolonization of orthopedic surgery patients.

A stochastic decision-analytic computer simulation model was used to evaluate the economic value of implementing this strategy (compared with no preoperative screening or decolonization) among orthopedic surgery patients from both the third-party payer and hospital perspectives. Sensitivity analyses explored the effects of varying MRSA colonization prevalence, the cost of screening and decolonization, and the probability of decolonization success.

Preoperative MRSA screening and decolonization was strongly cost-effective (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio less than $6,000 per quality-adjusted life year) from the third-party payer perspective even when MRSA prevalence was as low as 1%, decolonization success was as low as 25%, and decolonization costs were as high as $300 per patient. In most scenarios this strategy was economically dominant (ie, less costly and more effective than no screening). From the hospital perspective, preoperative MRSA screening and decolonization was the economically dominant strategy for all scenarios explored.

Routine preoperative screening and decolonization of orthopedic surgery patients may under many circumstances save hospitals and third-party payers money while providing health benefits.

Determining risk factors for acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospitals is important for defining infection-control measures that may lead to fewer hospital-acquired infections.

To determine patient-associated risk factors for acquisition of MRSA in a tertiary care hospital with the goal of identifying modifiable risk factors.

A retrospective matched case-control study was performed. Case patients who acquired MRSA during hospitalization and 2 matched control patients were selected among inpatients admitted to target units during the period from 2001 through 2008. The odds of exposure to potential risk factors were compared between case patients and control patients, using matched univariate conditional logistic regression. A single multivariate conditional logistic regression model identifying independent patient-specific risk factors was generated.

A total of 451 case patients and 866 control patients were analyzed. Factors positively associated with MRSA acquisition were as follows: target unit stay before index culture; primary diagnosis of respiratory disease, digestive tract disease, injury or trauma, or other diagnosis compared with cardiocirculatory disease; peripheral vascular disease; mechanical ventilation with pneumonia; ventricular shunting or ventriculostomy; and ciprofloxacin use. Factors associated with decreased risk were receipt of a solid-organ transplant and use of penicillins, cephalosporins, rifamycins, daptomycin or linezolid, and proton pump inhibitors.

Among the factors associated with increased risk, few are modifiable. Patients with at-risk conditions could be targeted for intensive surveillance to detect acquisition sooner. The association of MRSA acquisition with target unit exposure argues for rigorous application of hand hygiene, appropriate barriers, environmental control, and strict aseptic technique for all procedures performed on such Patients. Our findings support focusing efforts to prevent MRSA transmission and restriction of ciprofloxacin use.

An improved understanding of the transmission dynamics of multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria and the mechanism of acquisition in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) could aid in the development of prevention strategies specific to LTCFs. We thus investigated the incidence of acquisition of these pathogens among an LTCF population.

Prospective cohort study.

Three separate wards at a 600-bed LTCF in metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts, during the period October 31, 2006, through October 22, 2007.

One hundred seventy-two LTCF residents.

A series of rectal samples were cultured to determine acquisition of MDR gram-negative bacteria, defined as absence of MDR gram-negative bacterial colonization at baseline and de novo recovery of MDR gram-negative bacteria from a follow-up culture. Molecular typing was performed to identify genetically linked strains. A nested matched case-control study was performed to identify risk factors associated with acquisition.

Among 135 residents for whom at least 1 follow-up culture was performed, 52 (39%) acquired at least 1 MDR gram-negative organism during the study period. Thirty-two residents (62%) had not been colonized at baseline and had acquired at least 1 MDR gram-negative species at follow-up culture, and 20 residents (38%) were colonized at baseline and had acquired at least I MDR gram-negative species at follow-up culture. The most common coresistance pattern was resistance to extended-spectrum penicillins, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin (57 isolates [42.5%]). Genetically related strains of MDR gram-negative bacteria were identified among multiple residents and between roommates. On conditional logistic regression analysis, antibiotic exposure during the study period was significantly associated with acquisition of MDR gram-negative bacteria (odds ratio, 5.6 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-28.7]; P = .04).

Acquisition of MDR gram-negative bacteria occurred frequently through resident-to-resident transmission. Existing infection control interventions need to be reevaluated.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)–producing strains of bacteria have become a major public health concern. In the present study, the incidence of carriage of ESBL-producing strains was analyzed for general trends and seasonality.

Monthly data on ESBL-producing strains were collected retrospectively at 2 large university hospitals in Germany. The mean monthly temperatures for the 2 settings were collected from Germany's national meteorological service. Multivariable time series analyses were performed to explain variations in the monthly incidence densities of carriage of ESBL-producing bacteria (number of cases involving ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and/or Klebsiella species per 1,000 patient days). For the final models, we incorporated variables for the ascending linear trends and other variables representing the mean monthly temperature.

Our models demonstrated that there was an increasing trend in the incidences of carriage of ESBL-producing bacteria. In addition, the incidences of carriage of all ESBL-producing bacteria responded positively to the mean temperature, meaning that during the summer, more cases involving ESBL-producing bacteria were detected than during the winter. The same methodology was also applied to the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage, but no association was found with the mean temperature.

In the present study, we demonstrated that the monthly incidence of carriage of ESBL-producing bacteria was highly correlated with the mean monthly temperature, a fact that should be considered in experimental studies as an additional parameter influencing the incidence of ESBL-producing bacteria.

Assessments of infectious disease spread in hospitals seldom account for interfacility patient sharing. This is particularly important for pathogens with prolonged incubation periods or carrier states.

We quantified patient sharing among all 32 hospitals in Orange County (OC), California, using hospital discharge data. Same-day transfers between hospitals were considered “direct” transfers, and events in which patients were shared between hospitals after an intervening stay at home or elsewhere were considered “indirect” patient-sharing events. We assessed the frequency of readmissions to another OC hospital within various time points from discharge and examined interhospital sharing of patients with Clostridium difficile infection.

In 2005, OC hospitals had 319,918 admissions. Twenty-nine percent of patients were admitted at least twice, with a median interval between discharge and readmission of 53 days. Of the patients with 2 or more admissions, 75% were admitted to more than 1 hospital. Ninety-four percent of interhospital patient sharing occurred indirectly. When we used 10 shared patients as a measure of potential interhospital exposure, 6 (19%) of 32 hospitals “exposed” more than 50% of all OC hospitals within 6 months, and 17 (53%) exposed more than 50% within 12 months. Hospitals shared 1 or more patient with a median of 28 other hospitals. When we evaluated patients with C. difficile infection, 25% were readmitted within 12 weeks; 41% were readmitted to different hospitals, and less than 30% of these readmissions were direct transfers.

In a large metropolitan county, interhospital patient sharing was a potential avenue for transmission of infectious agents. Indirect sharing with an intervening stay at home or elsewhere composed the bulk of potential exposures and occurred unbeknownst to hospitals.

Adherence to hand hygiene among healthcare workers (HCWs) is widely believed to be a key factor in reducing the spread of healthcare-associated infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted intervention to increase rates of adherence to hand hygiene among HCWs and to assess the effect on the incidence of hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization.

Cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Thirty hospital units in 3 tertiary care hospitals in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

After a 3-month baseline period of data collection, 15 units were randomly assigned to the intervention arm (with performance feedback, small-group teaching seminars, and posters) and 15 units to usual practice. Hand hygiene was observed during randomly selected 15-minute periods on each unit, and the incidence of MRSA colonization was measured using weekly surveillance specimens from June 2007 through May 2008.

We found that 3,812 (48.2%) of 7,901 opportunities for hand hygiene in the intervention group resulted in adherence, compared with 3,205 (42.6%) of 7,526 opportunities in the control group (P < .001; independent t test). There was no reduction in the incidence of hospital-acquired MRSA colonization in the intervention group.

Among HCWs in Ontario tertiary care hospitals, the rate of adherence to hand hygiene had a statistically significant increase of 6% with a multifaceted intervention, but the incidence of MRSA colonization was not reduced.

Because extensive antibiotic use by inpatients has been associated with the development of multidrug-resistant organisms, we aimed to determine which variables were associated with the use of antibiotics after viral respiratory tract infection diagnosis among adult patients admitted to the hospital with respiratory symptoms.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at 2 affiliated urban hospitals in Pennsylvania. We identified all adult patients admitted to the hospital during the period from November 1, 2005, through August 1, 2007, with a viral assay positive for influenza A or B, parainfluenza, adenovirus, or respiratory syncytial virus. Among these patients, we identified those who received antibiotics after the diagnosis of viral RTL Data on demographics; comorbidities; and physical examination, laboratory, and radiographic findings were ascertained to identify risk factors for antimicrobial use among these patients.

A total of 196 hospitalized patients with positive viral assay results were included; 125 of 131 patients administered antibiotics continued to receive them after viral RTI diagnosis. Among 52 patients with an abnormal chest radiograph, 46 continued antibiotic therapy. An abnormal chest radiograph was independently associated with continued antibiotic use (adjusted odds ratio, 4.28 [95% confidence interval, 1.71-10.77]; P = .002). However, the majority of patients (79 of 125 [63%]) who continued antibiotic therapy had normal chest imaging findings. Eight patients (6%) who continued antibiotic therapy and no patients who stopped developed C. difficile infection (95% CI, 1.5-00; p = .05), but there was no significant difference in length of stay or mortality.

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat hospitalized patients with known acute viral RTIs. Continued use is strongly associated with abnormal radiograph findings at admission. However, the reasons for continuation of antibiotics in the treatment of the majority of patients with normal radiographs are unclear and may represent inappropriate use.