title: Antibiotic coated catheter to decrease infection: pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nosocomial catheter related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI) increase morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Central venous catheters (CVC) coated with rifampin and minocycline (RM) decrease rates of colonization and CR-BSI. However, recent trials challenged the clinical impact of such catheters. We designed this trial to compare rates of colonization and CR-BSI in RM catheters and controls in a cohort of critically ill patients in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, controlled trial conducted in one medico-surgical ICU. Patients were assigned to receive a control or RM CVC. After removal, tips were cultured in association with blood cultures. Rates of colonization and CR-BSI were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 120 catheters inserted, 100 could be evaluated, 49 in the uncoated and 51 in the coated group. Clinical characteristics of patients were similar in the two groups. Two cases of CR-BSI (3.9%) occurred in patients who received RM catheters compared with 5 (10.2%) in the uncoated group (p = 0.26). Six RM catheters (11.8%) were colonized compared with 14 (28.6%) control catheters (p = 0.036). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant differences in the risk of colonization or CR-BSI. Rates of CR-BSI were 4.7 per 1000 catheter-days in the RM coated group compared to 11.4 per 1000 catheter days in the uncoated group (p = 0.45).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this pilot study, we showed lower rates of colonization in RM coated when compared with uncoated catheters. Incidence and rates of CR-BSI were similar in the two groups.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.affiliation: Unidade Coronariana, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Fabricio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kezen
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Luis Eduardo
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Drumond
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vegni
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalichsztein
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Casa de Saúde São José.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nobre