Prospective surveillance for surgical site infection in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the risk-adjusted incidence and predictors of surgical site infections (SSIs).


METHODS
Prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study.


METHODS
Seven surgical departments at 3 urban academic hospitals in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation.


METHODS
All patients had surgery performed between January 15 and May 12, 2000. A total of 1,453 surgical procedures were followed up. Medical records were unavailable for less than 3% of all patients; patients were not excluded for any other reason. The mean patient age was 49.3 years, 61% were female, and 34% had an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification (hereafter, "ASA classification") of at least 3. Surgery for 45% of the patients was emergent.


RESULTS
In all, 138 patients (9.5%) developed SSI, for a rate that was approximately 3.5 times the risk-stratified rates in the United States. Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.54), ASA classifications of 3 (OR, 3.7) or 4 (OR, 5.0), longer duration of surgery (OR, 2.2), and wound classes of 3 (OR, 5.5) or 4 (OR, 14.3) were associated with increased SSI risk in multivariate analysis. Endoscopic surgery was associated with a lower risk of SSI (OR, 0.23). Antibiotic prophylaxis was used in 0%-33% of operations, and 69% of uninfected patients received antibiotics after the operation.


CONCLUSIONS
The SSI rates are significantly higher than previously reported. Although this finding may be attributable to inadequate antibiotic prophylaxis, local infection control and surgical practices may also be contributors. Use of antibiotic prophylaxis should be encouraged and the effect of local practices further investigated. Active SSI surveillance should be expanded to other parts of the Russian Federation.
Brown
Samuel M
SM
Davis Center for Russian Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. Samuel.Brown@hsc.utah.edu.
Eremin
Sergey R
SR
Shlyapnikov
Sergey A
SA
Petrova
Elena A
EA
Shirokova
Ludmila V
LV
Goldmann
Donald
D
O'Rourke
Edward J
EJ
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents