Central venous catheter infections in AIDS patients receiving daily home therapy for cytomegalovirus disease

We studied the infection rate of long-term intravenous access used fordaily home treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in 61 AIDS patientswho had 75 central venous catheters implanted for antiviral maintenancetherapy between February 1989 and December 1994. In 39 patients (64%) therisk factor for AIDS was intravenous drug abuse. Sixty-three catheters wereHickman type and 12 were totally implanted ports. The cumulative follow-uptime was 19000 catheter-days (52 patient-years), with median duration ofplacement of 249 days. The infection rate was 0.22 infections per 100catheter days. The probability of remaining free of catheter-related sepsiswas 58% at 6 months. In 25 cases (61%) antimicrobial therapy withoutcatheter removal was successful. Three patients died because of a catheter-related infection (mortality rate 7.3%). Infection-free survival time wasnot related to the risk factor for AIDS (p = 0.44) or type of device (p =0.41). The total infection rate in these patients receiving daily homemaintenance therapy for CMV disease through a long-term catheter wassimilar to that in other AIDS patients receiving weekly treatment inhospital facilities.