Timing of specimen collection for blood cultures from febrile patients with bacteremia.
Bloodstream infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Physician orders for blood cultures often specify that blood specimens be collected at or around the time of a temperature elevation, presumably as a means of enhancing the likelihood of detecting significant bacteremia. In a multicenter study, which utilized retrospective patient chart reviews as a means of collecting data, we evaluated the timing of blood culture collection in relation to temperature elevations in 1,436 patients with bacteremia and fungemia. The likelihood of documenting bloodstream infections was not significantly enhanced by collecting blood specimens for culture at the time that patients experienced temperature spikes. A subset analysis based on patient age, gender, white blood cell count and specific cause of bacteremia generally also failed to reveal any associations.
Riedel
Stefan
S
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Department of Pathology-Division of Microbiology, 200 Hawkins Drive, C 606 GH, Iowa City, IA 52242-1009, USA.
Bourbeau
Paul
P
Swartz
Brandi
B
Brecher
Steven
S
Carroll
Karen C
KC
Stamper
Paul D
PD
Dunne
W Michael
WM
McCardle
Timothy
T
Walk
Nathan
N
Fiebelkorn
Kristin
K
Sewell
David
D
Richter
Sandra S
SS
Beekmann
Susan
S
Doern
Gary V
GV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D003470:Culture Media