ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are among the most common complications of central venous catheters (CVCs). The aim of this study was to examine the epidemiology of CLABSIs in tunneled CVCs and analyze their risk factors in a general pediatric population. METHODS: Children with a tunneled CVC inserted at the University Children's Hospital Zürich between January 2009 and December 2015 were eligible for the study. The influence of CVC dwell time on the risk of CLABSI was examined using life tables. Hazard ratios (HRs) for CLABSIs were analyzed using Cox regression for age and diagnosis with cluster robust standard errors. RESULTS: Fifty-five CLABSIs were observed in 193 patients with 284 tunneled CVCs. Overall, CVCs in children with gastrointestinal disorders and in children 2 to 5 years of age showed the highest incidence rates of 6.06 and 5.85 CLABSIs per 1,000 catheter days, respectively, during the first 90 days after placement. Gastrointestinal disease (HR, 3.89; 95% CI, 2.19-6.90; P < .001) and age 2 to 5 years (HR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.45-4.22; Pâ¯=â¯.001) were identified as independent risk factors for CLABSI. In children without gastrointestinal disease, tunneled CVCs showed an increasing risk of CLABSI after a dwell time of 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: The need for tunneled CVCs requires the evaluation of targeted CLABSI prevention measures, especially in young children with underlying gastrointestinal disease.
Subject(s)
Catheter-Related Infections/epidemiology , Catheterization, Central Venous/adverse effects , Central Venous Catheters/adverse effects , Sepsis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Catheter-Related Infections/microbiology , Central Venous Catheters/microbiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Gastrointestinal Diseases/epidemiology , Gastrointestinal Diseases/microbiology , Hospitals, Pediatric , Hospitals, University , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Proportional Hazards Models , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Sepsis/microbiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ribavirin blood levels vary considerably between patients with standard weight-based dosing. Their impact on sustained virological response (SVR) with pegylated interferon and ribavirin is controversial, but has mostly been studied before the IL28b gene polymorphism as a possible confounder was discovered. METHODS: The impact of serum ribavirin trough levels at week 4, at the end of treatment and of mean levels across the entire antiviral treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin on relapse, SVR rates and anemia was retrospectively studied by univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses in 214 patients with HCV genotype 1-4 infection, including 88 patients with available IL28b genotyping. RESULTS: Mean ribavirin levels varied between 0.68-5.65 mg/l and significantly differed between patients with or without SVR. By multivariable regression including age, sex, HCV viral load, HCV genotype, liver fibrosis stage, prior treatments, immunosuppression and IL28b genotype, ribavirin levels consistently displayed significant influence on SVR and relapse without indication for a specific importance of higher concentrations early or late in the treatment course. Although hemoglobin decline was on average more pronounced in patients with higher ribavirin levels, hemoglobin remained relatively stable in a significant proportion of these, indicating that ribavirin levels alone are insufficient to predict anemia. CONCLUSION: While data are scarce to draw conclusions applicable for modern DAA therapies, these results support ribavirin treatment based on serum levels instead of purely weight-based dosing in combination with pegylated interferon.
