title: Difference in time to detection: a simple method to differentiate catheter-related from non-catheter-related bloodstream infection in immunocompromised pediatric patients.
abstract: Current methods for diagnosis of catheter-related infection (CRI) are cumbersome and may require removal of the central venous catheter (CVC). A prospective study was conducted to validate the difference in time to detection (DTD) of cultures of blood samples obtained simultaneously from a peripheral vein (PV) and from the CVC for differentiation of CRI and non-CRI. During a 15-month period, 9 episodes were categorized as CRI and 24 as non-CRI. The median DTD for patients with CRI was significantly higher than that for patients with non-CRI (457 vs. -4 min; P<.001). The optimum cutoff point for diagnosis of CRI was a DTD of > or =120 min (sensitivity, 88.9%; specificity, 100%). With pretest probability of CRI ranging from 28% to 54%, the positive predictive value of a DTD of > or =120 min for the diagnosis of CRI was 100%; the negative predictive value was 89%-96%. On the basis of findings from this study, which is the largest, to date, to involve pediatric patients with tunneled CVCs and the first to use paired quantitative blood cultures as a "criterion standard," DTD was found to be a simple, reliable tool for diagnosis of CRI in hospitals that use continuously read blood culture systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA.
authors.forename: Aditya H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gaur
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: Mary Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: Jerry L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shenep
authors.forename: Randall T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hayden
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology