Gestational age as a single predictor of health care-associated bloodstream infections in neonatal intensive care unit patients.
Neonates rank among those at highest risk for health care-associated bloodstream infections (BSIs), which are linked to high morbidity and mortality rates. The importance of surveillance in preventing BSIs has been reported; however, a comparison of rates between different institution depends on methods used for risk adjustment and on factors identified as associated with infection. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of different stratification models in identifying neonates at risk for health care-associated sepsis. An observational prospective study was performed. The effectiveness of risk stratification models was assessed by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Our findings suggest the potential role of gestational age as a simple classification criteria for identifying patients at risk for BSI.
Department of Biomedical Science, Section of Hygiene, Polytechnic University of the Marches, Via Tronto 10/A, Ancona, Italy. p.barbadoro@univpm.it
Pamela
P
Barbadoro
Anne
A
Marigliano
Marcello Mario
MM
D'Errico
Virgilio
V
Carnielli
Emilia
E
Prospero
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D019370:Observation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology*