Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occur frequently in neurological intensive care units (neuro-ICUs); however, data differentiating associations with various diagnostic categories and resulting burdens are limited. This prospective cohort study reported incidence rates, pathogen distribution, and patient-related outcomes of HAIs in a neuro-ICU population from April 2010 to March 2016.
Laboratory results and specific clinical indicators were used to categorize infections as per National Healthcare Safety Network nosocomial infection surveillance definitions. Patient outcomes studied included length of stay and mortality.
There were 6,033 neuro-ICU admissions resulting in 20,800 neuro-ICU days over the 6-year study period. A total of 227 HAIs were identified for a rate of 10.9/1,000 ICU days. Device-associated infections accounted for 80.6% of HAIs, with incidence rates (per 1,000 device days) being 18.4 for ventilator-associated pneumonia; 4.9 for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs); 4.0 for ventriculostomy-associated infections; and 0.6 for central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs). Of the various diagnostic categories, subdural hematoma and intracerebral/intraventricular hemorrhage were associated with the highest pooled HAIs, with incidence rates of 21.3 and 21.1 per 1,000 neuro-ICU days, respectively. Prolonged neuro-ICU length of stay was strongly associated with all HAIs.
This large-scale surveillance study provides estimates of the risk of common HAIs in neurocritical care patients and their effect on hospitalization. Preventive strategies kept rates of infection very low, in particular CAUTI, CLABSI, and Clostridium difficile infections, and inhibited the emergence of resistant organisms.
American journal of infection control. 2018 Jan 25 [Epub ahead of print]
Yasser B Abulhasan, Susan P Rachel, Marc-Olivier Châtillon-Angle, Najayeb Alabdulraheem, Ian Schiller, Nandini Dendukuri, Mark R Angle, Charles Frenette
Neurological Intensive Care Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait. Electronic address: ., Infection Prevention and Control Department, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada., Clinical Research Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada., Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada., Division of Clinical Epidemiology, McGill University Health Centre-Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada., Neurological Intensive Care Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada., Infectious Disease Department, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.