Correspondence

Infections related to totally implantable venous-access ports

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for complications of totally implantable catheters in a referral cancer center.

This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data of all consecutive cancer patients undergoing port placement, with a primary outcome of interest of major complication and subanalysis of the types of complications.

We studied 1255 nonvalved implanted port catheters inserted in 1230 patients, for a combined total of 469,882 catheter-days of use. Venous puncture was ultrasound (US)-guided in 1049 cases (84%). Inadvertent arterial puncture occurred in 14 cases (1.1%) and was more frequent in procedures not guided by US (P = .045). Among the outpatients, 90 (9%) developed infection, and 75 (29%) of the hospitalized patients (P < .001) developed infections. Infection was diagnosed in 131 catheters (13%) implanted through the internal jugular vein (IJV), 23 catheters (14%) implanted in the subclavian vein (SCV), 1 catheter (5%) implanted in the external jugular vein, and 10 catheters (31%) implanted in the femoral vein (P = .044). In the multivariate analysis, only the hospitalization regimen maintained statistical significance, with hospitalization presenting as a risk factor for infection (P < .001). Regarding the introduction site, ambulatory patients in whom the femoral vein was the site of access had more infections than the others (28.6% vs 9.4% of the IJV, 4.8% of the SCV, and 4.8% of the external jugular vein; P = .019), which did not occur among the hospitalized patients (33.3% vs 26.5% of IJV and 39.5% of the SCV; P = .218).

Not using US is a risk factor for iatrogenic arterial puncture. Port implantation in hospitalized patients and the use of femoral access are risk factors for infection.

Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) constitute an important cause of hospital-acquired infection associated with morbidity, mortality, and cost. The aim of these guidelines is to provide updated recommendations for the diagnosis and management of CRBSI in adults. Prevention of CRBSI is excluded. Experts in the field were designated by the two participating Societies (the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology and [SEIMC] and the Spanish Society of Spanish Society of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine and Coronary Units [SEMICYUC]). Short-term peripheral venous catheters, non-tunneled and long-term central venous catheters, tunneled catheters and hemodialysis catheters are covered by these guidelines. The panel identified 39 key topics that were formulated in accordance with the PICO format. The strength of the recommendations and quality of the evidence were graded in accordance with ESCMID guidelines. Recommendations are made for the diagnosis of CRBSI with and without catheter removal and of tunnel infection. The document establishes the clinical situations in which a conservative diagnosis of CRBSI (diagnosis without catheter removal) is feasible. Recommendations are also made regarding empirical therapy, pathogen-specific treatment (coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Gram-negative bacilli, and Candida spp.), antibiotic lock therapy, diagnosis and management of suppurative thrombophlebitis and local complications.

La bacteriemia relacionada con catéteres (BRC) es una causa importante de infección hospitalaria y se asocia con elevados morbilidad, mortalidad y costes. El objetivo de esta guía de práctica clínica es proporcionar recomendaciones actualizadas para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la BRC en pacientes adultos. De este documento se excluye la prevención de la BRC. Expertos en la materia fueron designados por las dos Sociedades participantes (Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica y Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias). Los catéteres venosos periféricos a corto plazo, los catéteres venosos centrales no tunelizados y de largo plazo, los catéteres tunelizados y los catéteres de hemodiálisis están incluidos en estas guías. El panel identificó 39 temas clave que fueron formulados de acuerdo con el formato PICO. La fuerza de las recomendaciones y la calidad de la evidencia se clasificaron de acuerdo con las directrices de la ESCMID. Se dan recomendaciones para el diagnóstico de BRC con extracción de catéter y sin él, y de la infección en túnel. El documento establece las situaciones clínicas en que es factible un diagnóstico conservador de CRBSI (diagnóstico sin retirada de catéter). También se dan recomendaciones respecto a la terapia empírica, el tratamiento específico según el patógeno identificado (estafilococos coagulasa-negativos, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., bacilos gramnegativos y Candida spp.), la terapia con sellado del catéter y el diagnóstico, así como tratamiento de la tromboflebitis supurativa y las complicaciones locales.