Needle-free connectors catheter-related bloodstream infections: a prospective randomized controlled trial

In vitro assessment of isopropanol leakage from antiseptic barrier caps into commonly used needleless connectors

BACKGROUND

Needleless connectors (NCs) can be disinfected using antiseptic barrier caps (ABCs) to reduce the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections. However, recent evidence suggests that isopropanol can leak from the ABC into the NC, posing concern about their safe use. We sought to determine in vitro which ABC and NC parameters influence the leakage of isopropanol through the infusion circuit.

METHODS

We assessed 13 NCs and 4 ABCs available in the European market. In vitro circuits consisting of an isopropanol cap, a NC, and an 11-cm catheter line were created. The circuits were left in place for 1 to 7 days at room temperature to assess the kinetics of isopropanol leakage. Isopropanol content in ABC and in circuit flushing solutions (5 mL NaCl 0.9%) after exposure to the cap were measured using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector.

RESULTS

The leakage of isopropanol from the cap to the NC was dependent on the NC, but not the cap. The NC mechanism did not predict the leakage of isopropanol. The Q-Syte NC exhibited the most isopropanol leakage (7.01±1.03 mg and 28.32±2.62 mg at 24 hours and 7 days, respectively), whereas the Caresite NC had the lowest isopropanol leakage at 7 days (1.69±0.01 mg).

CONCLUSION

The use of isopropanol ABCs can cause isopropanol leakage into the catheter circuit according to NC parameters. Caution should be exercised when using these devices, especially in the pediatric and neonatal population.

Risk, Predictive, and Preventive Factors for Noninfectious Ventriculitis and External Ventricular Drain Infection

BACKGROUND

External ventricular drain (EVD) is used for monitoring intracranial pressure or diverting cerebrospinal fluid. However, confirmation of an infection is not immediate and requires obtaining culture results, often leading to the excessive use of antibiotics. This study aimed to compare noninfectious ventriculitis and EVD infection in terms of the risk factors, predictors, prognosis, and effectiveness of care bundle interventions.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted at a medical center with 1,006 beds in northern Taiwan between January 2018 and July 2022. Standard EVD insertion protocols and care bundles have been implemented since 2018, along with the initiation of chlorhexidine.

RESULTS

In total, 742 EVD cases were identified. Noninfectious ventriculitis typically presents with fever approximately 8 days following EVD placement, whereas EVD infection typically manifests as fever after 20 days. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage was strongly associated with the development of noninfectious ventriculitis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-4.4). Alcoholism (adjusted OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.1-12.3) and arteriovenous malformation (adjusted OR 13.1, 95% CI 2.9-58.2) significantly increased the risk of EVD infection. The EVD infection rate significantly decreased from 3.6% (14 of 446) to 1.0% (3 of 219) (p = 0.03) after the implementation of chlorhexidine gluconate bathing.

CONCLUSIONS

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage or fever with neuroinflammation within 2 weeks of EVD placement is indicative of a higher likelihood of noninfectious ventriculitis. Conversely, patients with arteriovenous malformation, alcoholism, or fever with neuroinflammation occurring after more than 3 weeks of EVD placement are more likely to necessitate antibiotic treatment for EVD infection. Chlorhexidine gluconate bathing decreases EVD infection.

Effectiveness of Chlorhexidine-Impregnated Central Venous Catheter Dressing for Preventing Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study

Objective The study's objective was to use meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of a dressing impregnated with chlorhexidine in preventing catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) in pediatric patients.

Methods The study was conducted and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. A comprehensive search of 18 databases was conducted up to 5 March 2020 to identify related studies. Following the evaluation of the methodological quality, 8 studies, 1,584 catheters in 1,556 patients were added to the meta-analysis. The odds ratio and Hedge's G effect size value were employed to analyze the data. Either a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model was used to compute the effect size value with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The heterogeneity of effect sizes was investigated using Cochrane Q statistics, I 2, and Tau2 tests. To test for publication bias, funnel plot, Orwin's safe n number, Begg and Mazumdar rank correlation, Egger test, and Duval and Tweedie's trim and fill procedures were all utilized.

Results The catheter colonization risk was lowered by 50.7% by the chlorhexidine-impregnated (C-I) dressing (odds ratio [OR] = 0.493 [%95 CI: 0.360–0.675]; p < 0.001). The use of C-I dressing was associated with a trend toward a decrease in CRBSIs, while this association was not statistically significant (OR = 0.858 [%95 CI: 0.567–1.300]; p = 0.471).

Conclusion The use of C-I dressing can effectively reduce the risk of catheter colonization, and it is also a helpful tactic in lowering CRBSIs in pediatric patients with central venous catheters, according to the findings of this meta-analysis.

[Update of the recommendations of the Bacteraemia Zero Project]

El proyecto Bacteriemia Zero (BZ) fue el primero de los Proyectos Zero que se implementó en las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI), consiguiendo una disminución de las tasas de infección relacionadas con catéter por debajo de las recomendadas por los estándares de calidad de las sociedades científicas. A raíz de la pandemia causada por el SARS-CoV-2 en las UCI, se ha observado un incremento importante de estas tasas de infección. El incremento de las tasas de infección y la necesidad de incorporar en la práctica clínica la mejor evidencia disponible, justifica la necesidad de actualizar las recomendaciones del proyecto BZ. Se constituyó un grupo de trabajo formado por miembros de las diferentes sociedades científicas que consideró que el paquete de medidas obligatorias del proyecto no debía modificarse debido a su eficacia demostrada y decidió incorporar, después de su revisión, las siguientes medidas opcionales: uso de catéteres impregnados con antimicrobianos, uso de apósitos impregnados con clorhexidina, uso de tapones con solución antiséptica en los conectores e higiene corporal diaria con clorhexidina.

Needle-free connectors to prevent central venous catheter occlusion at a tertiary cardiac center: A prospective before and after intervention study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of needle-free connectors to maintain Central Venous Catheter-CVC patency.

BACKGROUND

Loss of patency is a common complication associated with CVC. For patients, this can be stressful and painful, and can result in a delay in infusion therapy. Pressure-activated anti-reflux needle-free connectors are one of the most modern devices; however, no studies have compared this connector with the open-system three-way stopcock in terms of the incidence of CVC occlusion.

METHODS

This study is a prospective before and after intervention study. From March to August 2018, an observation phase was conducted with the three-way stopcock as the standard central venous catheter hub and closure system (phase 1). After implementation of needle-free connectors (phase 2), post-intervention observations were made from September 2019 to January 2020 (phase 3).

RESULTS

Of 199 CVCs analyzed, 41.2% (40/97) occluded in at least one lumen in the first phase, and 13.7% (14/102) occluded after introducing the technological device, absolute risk reduction 27.5% (95% confidence interval 15.6%-39.4%). The lumens supported by needle-free connectors showed a higher probability of maintaining patency compared with three-way stopcocks. No differences were observed in the rate of infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Pressure-activated anti-reflux needle-free connectors are effective and safe devices suitable for the management of vascular access in cardiac patient care. Staff training, even on apparently simple devices, is essential to avoid the risk of infection.

Challenges in reducing the risk of infection when accessing vascular catheters

Injection safety is essential to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) when accessing vascular catheters. This general review evaluates the contamination of vascular catheter access ports and associated HAIs in acute care settings, focusing on open lumen stopcocks (OLSs) and disinfectable needleless closed connectors (DNCCs). PubMed was searched from January 2000 to February 2021. OLS intraluminal surfaces are frequently contaminated during patient care, increasing the risk of HAIs, and neither an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) pad nor a port-scrub device can reduce contamination effectively. In contrast, DNCCs can be disinfected, with most studies indicating less intraluminal contamination than OLSs and some studies showing decreased HAIs. While the optimal DNCC design to reduce HAIs needs to be determined, DNCCs alone or stopcocks with a DNCC bonded to the injection port should replace routine use of OLSs, with OLSs restricted to use in sterile fields. Compliance with disinfection is essential immediately before use of a DNCC as use of a non-disinfected DNCC can have equivalent or greater risk of HAIs compared with use of an OLS. The recommendations for access port disinfection in selected national and international guidelines vary. When comparing in-vitro studies, clinical studies and published guidelines, consensus is lacking; therefore, additional studies are needed, including large randomized controlled trials. IPA caps disinfect DNCCs passively, eliminate scrubbing and provide a contamination barrier; however, their use in neonates has been questioned. Further study is needed to determine whether IPA caps are more efficacious than scrubbing with disinfectant to decrease HAIs related to use of central venous, peripheral venous and arterial catheters.