Another Look at Colonization of Peripheral Arterial Catheters

Insertion in the femoral artery proved to be the only independent risk factor for colonization of peripheral arterial catheters.

Peripheral arterial catheters (PACs) are widely used in critically ill patients. Although PACs are thought to cause bloodstream infections less often than do central venous catheters (CVCs), the rates of PAC colonization and the risks associated with subsequent infection may be underestimated.

To determine colonization rates of PACs, researchers in France cultured the distal tips of 295 PACs from 295 patients. The catheters had been inserted between January 2005 and June 2006 — 79% of them in the radial artery and 21% in the femoral artery. Mean indwelling time was 8 days (median, 6 days) and was similar between insertion sites.

Overall, 15.9% of the PACs were colonized (19.9 per 1000 catheter-days). Hazard rates of catheter colonization, cal…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection