Risk factors for peripheral intravenous catheter infection in hospitalized patients: A prospective study of 3165 patients
published online 26 June 2009.
We conducted a prospective study of 6538 polyurethane peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters in 3165 hospitalized adult patients using semiquantitative culture techniques. We found that extending the scheduled catheter replacement interval from 48 to 72 hours to 72 to 96 hours was not a risk factor for local catheter infection, but that catheter insertion by personnel other than IV therapists and the use of continuous infusion to maintain catheter patency were 2 independent risk factors for infection.
aNursing Department, Cathay General Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan
bGraduate Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
cNursing Department, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
dDivision of Infectious Diseases, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
eInfection Control Committee, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
fSchool of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan
gDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Address correspondence to Chi-Tai Fang, MD, PhD, Graduate Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 535, 17 Hsu-Chow Road, Taipei 10055, Taiwan.
This study was sponsored by the Medical Research Committee at Cathay General Hospital (Grant 9302). The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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