| Abstract: | The infection rate (IR) of central venous catheters (CVCs) used for parenteral nutrition (PN) was prospectively evaluated over a 12-month period, with emphasis on the relationship between CVC sepsis and preexisting sites of infection. Sepsis was presumed if the CVC tip or blood culture was positive, or if defervescence followed CVC removal. Four hundred seventy-three CVCs were placed for PN for a total of 5,422 patient days, with a mean length of stay of 11.5 days. Twenty two CVCs led to sepsis for an IR of 4.65% or 4.06 infections per 1000 patient days. Twenty of the 22 septic CVCs were in patients with other sites of infection. The IR was 12.0% (20/166) when other sites of infection were present and 0.65% (2/307) in the absence of a second site. The mean length of stay was 13.2 days for CVCs with other sites of infection and 10.3 days for CVCs with no other site of infection. Fifty nine percent of septic CVCs had secondary sites of infection that included urinary tract infections (UTI). Of all septic CVCs, 22.7% had no site of infection other than UTI. The presence of UTI appears to present a high risk of CVC sepsis. Appropriate identification and treatment of UTI prior to CVC insertion is recommended. |
