VASCULAR CATHETER CULTURES FOR SUSPECTED CATHETER-RELATED BLOODSTREAM INFECTION IN THE ICU: A TRADITION WHOSE TIME HAS PASSED?

摘要

Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) associated with central venous catheters is estimated to occur in 80,000 intensive care unit (ICU) patients each year in the USA. While traditional epidemiological criteria require matching catheter and blood culture (ex) organisms, more recent criteria only require bacteremia and the absence of an identified alternative source. Clinically, bacteremia from any known pathogen necessitates antimicrobial therapy, regardless of catheter ex results. We sought to expand our previous database and explore the clinical utility of vascular catheter exs in critically ill patients