Reconsidering Routine Lab Draws from Central Venous Catheters

Central venous catheters (CVCs), while essential for certain critical care medications and interventions, are also convenient for blood draws. However, each time a clinician accesses a CVC, the patient’s risk of a central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) increases. Decreasing unnecessary CVC access (e.g., for routine blood draws) represents a potentially important but unexplored strategy for reducing CLABSIs. In a new literature review, authors analyzed six single-center studies that examined blood sampling using CVCs and interventions that might reduce infection risk.