Archives of Critical Care Medicine

Background: Cancer patients are susceptive to infection. Catheter-related bloodstream infections are the first cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections in intensive care units. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the type of central intravenous catheter and bloodstream infection in post-operative cancer surgery patients at surgery intensive care units (ICU).

Methods: In a randomized, non-blind study, 66 cancer surgery patients were studied. The primary aim was rate of central venous catheter-related infection by type of catheter. The patients were enrolled in three groups: simple catheter (n = 23) (without antimi[1]crobial), impregnated catheter in the internal part (n = 28), and AGB + catheter (n = 15) (impregnated catheter in external and internal part); all catheters were triple lumen, polyurethane (arrow, chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine, USA). Insertion of catheters was done in full sterile conditions based on the center for disease control (CDC) guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter[1]related infection. Catheter related infection was confirmed by positive blood culture of blood samples of central catheter. The chi square or Fisher’s exact test was used to compare base values and difference in rate of colonization and bloodstream catheter-related infection. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Sixty-six patients participated in this study in three groups. There was no significant difference regarding the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients between groups (P > 0.05). Distributions of surgery types were statistically the same in the three groups (P = 0.323). Impregnated catheters had no significant effect on colonization (P = 0.565) or bloodstream infection prevention (P = 0.490).

Conclusions: Compared to standard catheters, impregnated catheters had no effect on colonization or bloodstream infection pre[1]vention.