Effect of catheter dwell time on the risk of central line-associated bloodstream infections in central venous catheters and peripherally inserted central catheters.

Background: Understanding the impact of catheter dwell time on the risk of central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) is crucial to developing effective infection prevention strategies. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between catheter dwell time and the risk of CLABSIs caused by multidrug-resistant and common pathogens in patients with central venous catheters (CVCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs).

Methods: We retrospectively analysed data from patients admitted consecutively to a tertiary care Greek hospital from 2018-2020. Events were categorized into three groups based on 10-days' intervals: group 1 (≤ 10 days), group 2 (11-20 days), and group 3 (> 21 days).

Results: Α total of 84 patients (mean age 56.4 ± 19.6 years) were included in the study. Among them, 62 (73.8%) had CVC, while 22 (26.2%) had PICC placement. In the CVC cohort, a statistically significant difference in CLABSI rates was observed, with rates of 4.49, 5.57, and 8.54 per 1,000 catheter/days for groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher rates of MDROs were found in group 3, with rates of 2.93, 3.71, and 4.47 per 1,000 catheter/days for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = 0.01). Regarding the PICC cohort, significant differences in CLABSI rates were observed among the three groups, with rates of 0.93, 2.25, and 1.67 per 1,000 catheter/days for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our results emphasize the critical role of catheter selection and duration management in mitigating CLABSI risk, especially for patients with CVCs.