María Jesús Pérez-Granda

Ethanol Lock Therapy (E-Lock) in the Prevention of Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections (CR-BSI) after Major Heart Surgery (MHS): A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background Lock-therapy with antimicrobials has been used for the treatment and prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI). Experiences with Ethanol-Locks (E-locks) have included therapeutic interventions with variable results. Patients undergoing Major Heart Surgery (MHS) are a high-risk population for CR-BSI.The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerance to E-Locks in the prevention of CR-BSI of patients undergoing MHS. Methods and Findings This is an academic, prospective, randomized, non-blinded and controlled clinical trial assessing the incidence of CR-BSI of patients with E-locks (E-lock) and the tolerance to the procedure in comparison with patients receiving conventional catheter-care (CCC). Patients undergoing MHS with intravascular catheters for more than 48 hours were randomly assigned into treatment or control group by a computer-generated list of randomly assigned numbers. In the treatment group, all their catheter lumens were locked with an ethanol solution at 70% for two hours, every three days (E-Locks). The control group received conventional catheter-care (CCC). Overall, 200 patients with 323 catheters were included in the study, which was stopped after 10 months due to adverse events. Of them, 179 catheters (113 patients) had E-Locks and 144 catheters (87 patients) were CCC. Euroscore Surgical Risk in both groups was 4.04 vs 4.07 p = 0.94 respectively. The results for the E-Locks and CCC were as follows: Incidence of CR-BSI/1000 days of exposure 2.1 vs 5.2 (p = 0.33), catheter tip colonization 14 (7.8%) vs 6 (4.2%) patients (p = 0.17), median length of hospital stay, 15 vs 16 days (p = 0.77). Seven patients (6.19%), all in the ethanol branch, had to discontinue the trial due to intolerance or adverse events. Conclusions We do not recommend prophylaxis of CR-BSI with ethanol-lock on a routine basis in patients undergoing Major Heart Surgery. Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT01229592

A Prospective Monitoring Study of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Non-Immunosuppressed Critical Heart Surgery Patients.

Background Reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been reported occasionally in immnunocompetent patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The epidemiology and association of CMV infection with adverse outcome is not well defined in this population. Patients undergoing major heart surgery (MHS) are at a particularly high risk of infection. CMV infection has not been systematically monitored in MSH-ICU patients. Methods We assessed CMV plasma viremia weekly using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay in a prospective cohort of immunocompetent adults admitted to the MHS-ICU for at least 72 hours between October 2012 and May 2013. Risk factors for CMV infection and its potential association with continued hospitalization or death by day 30 (composited endpoint) were assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results CMV viremia at any level was recorded in 16.5% of patients at a median of 17 days (range, 3-54 days) after admission to the MHS-ICU. Diabetes (adjusted OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.8-17.4; p=0.003) and transfusion requirement (>10 units) (adjusted OR, 13.7; 95% CI, 3.9-47.8; p<0.001) were independent risk factors associated with CMV reactivation. Reactivation of CMV at any level was independently associated with the composite endpoint (adjusted OR, 12.1; 95% CI, 2.3-64; p=0.003). Conclusion Reactivation of CMV is relatively frequent in immunocompetent patients undergoing MHS and is associated with prolonged hospitalization or death.

Nationwide study on the use of intravascular catheters in internal medicine departments

BACKGROUND The use of intravascular catheters (IVCs) in intensive care units (ICUs) has been well assessed in recent years. However, a high proportion of these devices are placed in patients outside the ICU, particularly in internal medicine departments (IMDs), where data on the quality of care are scarce. AIM To assess the use and management of IVCs in IMDs in Spain. METHODS We performed a point prevalence study of all adult inpatients on 47 IMDs from hospitals of different sizes on one day in June 2013. A local co-ordinator was appointed to assess patients and collect data from each site. FINDINGS Out of the 2080 adult patients hospitalized on the study day, 1703 (81.9%) had one or more IVCs (95.4% of which were peripheral devices). Infection was detected at the insertion site in 92 catheters (5.0%); 87 patients (5.2%) had signs of sepsis, but only one case was considered to be catheter-related. The local co-ordinators estimated that 19% of the catheters in place were no longer necessary. A daily record of the need for a catheter was available in only 40.6% of cases. CONCLUSION Our study shows clear opportunities for improvement regarding catheter use and care in Spanish IMDs. Strategies similar to those applied in ICUs should be implemented in IMDs.

Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: can knowledge and clinical practice be simply assessed in a large institution?

OBJECTIVE: User-friendly scores to assess knowledge of guidelines for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are scarce and have mainly evaluated nurses, but not students or physicians. Gaps between knowledge and actual clinical practice have not been sufficiently analyzed. We assessed knowledge of and adherence to guidelines for prevention of VAP among physicians, nurses, and students in adult ICUs. METHODS: All adult ICU healthcare workers were invited to complete a 20-point questionnaire. The first part assessed personal knowledge of international guidelines for prevention of VAP; the second part assessed daily clinical practice. Personal knowledge and daily practice were scored from 0 to 10 points. RESULTS: We invited 257 ICU healthcare workers to participate in the study, and 167 (65%) accepted (32/54 physicians, 108/176 nurses, and 27/27 students). The median (IQR) personal knowledge scores for physicians, nurses, and students were 6 (5–7), 5 (4–6), and 5 (4–7), respectively. The median scores for daily clinical practice for physicians and nurses were 5 (4–6) and 4 (3–5), respectively. Healthcare workers with more than 1 year of ICU experience scored significantly better in personal knowledge than those with less experience: 6 (5–7) versus 4 (3–6), P = .004. CONCLUSIONS: A simple, easy-to-complete questionnaire enabled us to rapidly evaluate personal knowledge and reported clinical practice in prevention of VAP in large teaching institutions. These scores will be used as baseline figures to assess the impact of educational and intervention campaigns.

A prevalence survey of intravascular catheter use in a general hospital

Purpose Survey of intravascular catheter management is an essential step in the control and prevention of catheter-related infection. In recent years, most surveillance studies only included catheters from intensive care units (ICUs). Data regarding the level of care and adherence to international guidelines in a whole general institution are scarce. Our objective was to evaluate the care situation of intravascular catheters in our adult units of a General Hospital. Methods We surveyed adults hospitalized in non-psychiatric/maternity wards. In a week, a nurse visited all the adult hospitalized patients. Data were registered in a protocol that included variables, such as no. of catheters, location of catheter, type of catheter, date of placement and the need of an indication of each catheter in the visit day. Results We included in the study a total of 753 adult patients. Of them, 653 (86.7%) had one or more inserted catheters at the moment of the study visit (total: 797 catheters). Of all the catheters, 144 (18.0%) were central venous catheters and 653 (81.9%) were peripheral lines. The hospitalization units where the patients were admitted were ICU, 52 (6.9%); and non-ICU, 601 (92.0%). There were 183 (22.9%) catheters with no need to remain in place in the day of the study. Overall, we found 464 (71.0%) patients with one or more opportunities for catheter care improvement. Conclusions A rapid survey of the care situation of intravascular catheters is feasible and easy to do with our methodology. The data show great opportunity for improvement, mainly in the non-ICU areas.

Evaluation of the Xpert Carba-R (Cepheid) Assay Using Contrived Bronchial Specimens from Patients with Suspicion of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia for the Detection of Prevalent Carbapenemases.

There is a critical need for rapid diagnostic methods for multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens in patients with a suspicion of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The Xpert Carba-R detects 5 targets for carbapenemase-producing organisms (blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM, blaOXA-48, and blaIMP-1). Our objective was to evaluate the performance of this assay directly on bronchial aspirates and to correlate the cycle number for a positive result (Ct) with the bacterial count. Bronchial aspirates from patients with a suspicion of VAP were spiked with a dilution of 1 of 4 MDR organisms carrying the resistance genes detected by the test prepared to a final concentration of 102−105 cfu/mL. We used a ROC curve and provided areas under the curve (AUC) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI). A point of maximum sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) was derived and validity indices were calculated. One hundred contrived tests were performed. Se and Sp were 100% for all bacterial counts. A positive sample with a Ct ≤24.7 corresponded to a count ≥105 cfu/mL; if the Ct was within the range >24.7-≤26.9, this corresponded to a count ≥104 cfu/mL. When the Ct was >26.9, this corresponded to a count <104 cfu/mL. The Xpert Carba-R detects carbapenemase-producing organisms directly in contrived bronchial aspirates. Still, an important issue to consider is that the number of gene copies may vary according to many factors in vivo. If confirmed in further studies, the strong correlation observed between Ct values and the results of semiquantitative cultures suggests this test could serve to differentiate between infection and colonization in routine clinical practice.

Does biomass production correlate with metabolic activity in Staphylococcus aureus

We assessed agreement between the crystal violet binding assay and the XTT assay in the classification of biofilm production in 492 Staphylococcus aureus strains from bacteremic patients. We found that the overall correlation between the procedures was 46.5%. Biomass production and metabolic activity must be assessed simultaneously.

Nationwide Study on Peripheral Venous Catheter Associated–Bloodstream Infections in Internal Medicine Departments

BACKGROUND The use of peripheral venous catheters (PVCs) has increased outside intensive care units, as has the rate of PVC-associated-bloodstream infection (PVC-BSI). PVCs are widely used in internal medicine departments (IMDs), but data on the incidence of PVC-BSI and its characteristics in IMDs are scarce. AIM To assess the incidence of PVC-BSI episodes detected in IMDs in Spain. METHODS A one-year multi-centre prospective observational cohort study in 14 Spanish IMDs was undertaken. Adult patients admitted with at least one PVC and bacteraemia were included in the study. Demographic and clinical data were provided by local coordinators. FINDINGS Seventy episodes of PVC-BSI were recorded, representing an overall rate of 1.64 PVC-BSI episodes/1000 IMD admissions. The mean age of patients was 67.44 (standard deviation 16.72) years. It was estimated that 25.7% of PVCs were no longer necessary. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated micro-organism (41.7%). Phlebitis was clinically evident in 44 (62.9%) episodes, and proved to be an independent predictor of catheter insertion in emergency departments (odds ratio 5.44). The crude and attributable mortality rates were 12.9% and 5.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS PVCs carry a significant risk for bacteraemia in Spanish IMDs. Phlebitis is not always clinically evident in patients with bacteraemia in this population. The study findings support the need for educational and interventional preventive measures in both IMDs and emergency departments to reduce the rate of PVC-BSI and associated comorbidities, and costs.

Cultures of Needleless Connectors Are Useful for Ruling Out Central Venous Catheter Colonization

ABSTRACT Semiquantitative cultures of skin surrounding intravascular catheter entry sites and catheter hubs have high negative predictive values for catheter tip colonization. However, culturing samples from the inner side of the hub requires the catheter to be manipulated, thus increasing the risk of migration of microorganisms into the bloodstream. Today, hubs are closed using needleless connectors (NCs). Cultures of NCs could predict catheter colonization. Our objective was to compare the yield of NC sonicate cultures for prediction of catheter colonization with that of hub cultures. For 6 months, we prospectively collected all short-term central lines and systems removed from patients admitted to the cardiac surgery postoperative care unit, irrespective of the reason for withdrawal. Hub cultures were obtained immediately before withdrawal and were cultured using a semiquantitative method. Catheter tips were cultured using the roll-plate technique and sonication, and NCs were cultured using a semiquantitative technique after sonication. We considered NCs to be colonized when ≥1 culture was positive. We collected a total of 75 central systems. The catheter colonization rate was 10.7%. The rates for hub and NC colonization were 6.7% and 12.0%, respectively. The validity values for hubs and NCs for prediction of catheter colonization were as follows: sensitivity, 25.0% and 87.5%; specificity, 95.5% and 97.0%; positive predictive value, 40.0% and 77.8%; negative predictive value, 91.4% and 98.5%; validity index, 88.0% and 96.0%, respectively. Cultures of closed NCs can be used to rule out catheter tip colonization and are superior to hub cultures in ruling out short-term central venous catheter colonization.

A simple and easy in vitro model to test the efficacy of IV lines' needleless connectors against contamination

BackgroundHub colonization after manipulation is responsible for 29% to 60% of catheter-related bloodstream infections (C-RBSI). Prevention can be achieved by the use of hub connectors, but its efficacy is generally based on instillation of high concentrations of microorganisms, which do not reflect the real contamination in daily practice. Our purpose was to create an in vitro model lasting long enough to be used for the comparison of the efficacy between various connectors against contamination simulating the real daily handling.MethodsThe model consisted of 40 blood culture bottles with an inserted cannula with a needle-free closed connector. Twice a day, each line was manipulated while instilling 1 mL of two different fluids (saline and propofol). We manipulated the bottles as follows: ten bottles with clean gloves and disinfecting connectors with alcohol (controls), ten bottles with hands (no gloves), ten bottles with gloves impregnated with a 0.5 McFarland (MF) solution of Staphylococcus aureus (SA), and ten bottles with gloves impregnated with a 0.05 MF solution of SA. The bottles were incubated in a BACTEC System at 37°C under continuous agitation up to 10 days. When a bottle turned positive, 100 μL of the fluid was cultured and incubated followed by microorganism identification using standard procedures.ResultsOverall, all bottles in the control group were negative at the end of the incubation time. In the three contamination experiments, almost all (38/40) bottles were positive during the incubation time. We only found differences regarding the median time to positivity (interquartile range (IQR)) between saline and propofol in the manipulation with SA 0.05 MF: 240 h (154.82 to 360.00) vs. 66 h (58.01 to 69.11), p = 0.008.ConclusionsA daily connector handling with 0.05 McFarland S. aureus solution while instilling saline proved to be a useful model lasting long enough to be used for the comparison of the efficacy of different types of closed needleless connectors against contamination.