title: Antiseptic-impregnated central venous catheters: their evaluation in burn patients.
abstract: Central venous catheter-related infections are an important source of morbidity and mortality in burn patients. Antiseptic impregnated catheters have been recommended to prevent infections related to central venous lines in high-risk patients who require short-term catheters. This prospective, randomized, and controlled study compared the efficacy of standard and antiseptic devices in reducing catheter-related infections in burn patients. Twenty-two patients were included in the study with an average age of 47.6 yr and an average burned total body surface area of 38.7%. Thirty-eight silver-sulphadiazine, chlorhexidine catheters were compared with 40 non-antiseptic catheters. No differences in bacteraemia or colonization rates were observed between standard and antiseptic-coated catheters. Antiseptic catheters were more effective in reducing S. epidermidiscolonization than standard catheters (4% vs 31%, p < 0.01). However, Gram-negative bacilli were responsible more often than Gram-positive cocci for catheter tip colonization (53% vs 46%) and they were responsible for all the bacteraemias (5.1%) related to catheters in the present study. We conclude that antiseptic-impregnated catheters could be more effective for Gram-positive cocci and could therefore be less effective in patients with high Gram-negative bacilli bloodstream infection prevalence, as burn patients are.
authors: Burns Unit (C.E.P.A.Q.), Benaim Foundation, German Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Ramos
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bolgiani
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Patiño
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Prezzavento
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Guastavino
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Durlach
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Fernandez Caniggia
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Benaim