• Martyn J Dibb, Arun Abraham, Paul R Chadwick, Jon L Shaffer, Antje Teubner, Gordon L Carlson, and Simon Lal.
• Intestinal Failure Unit martyn.dibb@nhs.net.
• Jpen Parenter Enter. 2016 Jul 1; 40 (5): 699-704.

BackgroundCatheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are a serious complication in the provision of home parenteral nutrition (HPN). Antibiotic salvage of central venous catheters (CVCs) in CRBSI is recommended; however, this is based on limited reports. We assessed the efficacy of antibiotic salvage of CRBSIs in HPN patients.Materials And MethodsAll confirmed CRBSIs occurring in patients receiving HPN in a national intestinal failure unit (IFU), between 1993 and 2011, were analyzed. A standardized protocol involving antibiotic and urokinase CVC locks and systemic antibiotics was used.ResultsIn total, 588 patients were identified with a total of 2134 HPN years, and 297 CRBSIs occurred in 137 patients (65 single and 72 multiple CRBSIs). The overall rate of CRBSI in all patients was 0.38 per 1000 catheter days. Most (87.9%) infections were attributable to a single microorganism. In total, 72.5% (180/248) of CRBSIs were salvaged when attempted (coagulase-negative staphylococcus, 79.8% [103/129], Staphylococcus aureus, 56.7% [17/30]; polymicrobial infections, 67.7% [21/30]; and miscellaneous, 66.1% [39/59]). CVC salvage was not attempted in 49 episodes because of life-threatening sepsis (n = 18), fungal infection (n = 7), catheter problems (n = 20), and CVC tunnel infection (n = 4). Overall, the CVC was removed in 33.7% (100/297) of cases. There were 5 deaths in patients admitted to the IFU for management of the CRBSI (2 severe sepsis at presentation, 3 metastatic infection).ConclusionsThis is the largest reported series of catheter salvage in CRBSIs and demonstrates successful catheter salvage in most cases when using a standardized protocol.© 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

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