CATHETER RELATED BACTERAEMIA AND EFFECTIVENESS OF UNIVERSAL MEASURES: 11-YEAR PROSPECIVE STUDY

Abstract Background and Aims Tunnelled catheter-related bacteraemia (BRC) of the patient in chronic hemodialysis program results in high morbidity and mortality. Antibiotic catheter lock has been suggested to reduce the incidence of BRC in clinical trials. Aim: To demonstrate the effectiveness of universal aseptic measures in obtaining an optimal BRC rate in a long-term single-centre study. Method Design: Prospective cohort study, single-centre. Follow-up time: 11 years (2008-2018) Tunneled catheters: Optiflow, Hemostar, Hemosplit, Equistream, Hemoglide (Bard Access Systems, New Jersey, USA) and Palindrome (Covidien, - Medtronic, Mansfield, Massachusets, USA). Days / catheter analyzed: 207,320. Catheter placement: Ultrasound-guided interventional radiology equipment, with fluoroscopy and universal aseptic measures + 1 single dose of Vancomycin / cefazolin. Follow-up: Nursing and Nephrology and Infectious physicians. Universal aseptic measures. Heparin lock. BRC is considered to be the presence of a positive blood culture after discarding another focus and related to the negative catheter or blood culture with no other focus than the catheter. All available samples at the time of bacteraemia are analyzed: blood, sputum, urine, faeces, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, exudates, smears etc, and their results. The BRC rate x 1000 days / catheter is evaluated Results Results BRC 2008 to 2018: 0.57, 0.47, 0.31, 0.1, 0.43, 0.37, 0.42, 0.16, 0.2, 0.18 and 0.04 respectively. The evaluated catheters, follow-up days, catheter-related bacteraemias, germ typing and treatment are analyzed: antibiotic vs. catheter removal in Table 1. Conclusion 1. The use of universal measures only, without the use in the antibiotics lock or anticoagulants other than heparin, can achieve a bacteraemia rate related to the optimal catheter, being cost / effective and avoiding possible resistance to antibiotics and side effects of other anticoagulant drugs. 2. Antibiotic sealing should be reserved for cases of difficult epidemiological control of BRC.