• M Urrea Ayala and L Rozas Quesada.
• Unidad Control de Infecciones Nosocomiales, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, España. murrea@hsjdbcn.org
• An Pediatr (Barc). 2009 Jul 1; 71 (1): 20-4.

IntroductionCatheter-associated bloodstream infection is highly prevalent and often associated with fatal complications. Some studies have shown that applying preventive interventions could help to reduce and control this type of infection.ObjectiveTo determine whether a new consensus protocol for the manipulation and maintenance of central venous catheters would decrease catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSIs) in paediatric patients. To evaluate its compliance in intensive care units.MethodProspective study in the paediatric (PICU) and neonatal (NICU) intensive cares units, haematology, oncology and hospital wards in a Maternal and Paediatric reference Hospital in Barcelona. The study period is divided into two periods: before (first semester) and after the start of the new protocol (second semester) in 2007. The most important changes have been the insertion of the hermetic connection in the proximal and distal site (between the line and the syringe) of the central venous catheter (CVC), the labelling of the medication line and the CVC with the date of placement. A check-list to evaluate compliance was introduced in both intensive care units (paediatrics and neonatal) during the second study period. The rates of bloodstream infection per 1000 catheter-days were assessed.ResultsThe rate of bloodstream infections per 1000 catheter-days before and after the start of the new protocol was 5.7 and 4.9 in PICU; 24.6 and 18.0 in NICU; 7.6 and 4.6 in haematology-oncology, and 11.9 and 10.3 in hospital wards. As regards compliance to the protocol, we found that proximal sealed connectors were used in more than 95% of the cases and up to 85% of the central venous catheter were labelled with the insertion date in both intensive care units.ConclusionsA consensus protocol for the use and maintenance of central venous catheters and healthcare worker training helped to control the rate of CA-BSIs. We reaffirm the importance of epidemiological surveillance as a measure for controlling nosocomial infections.

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