Chlorhexidine gluconate bathing of adult patients in intensive care units in São Paulo, Brazil: Impact on the incidence of healthcare-associated infection.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing use of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing to decrease healthcare associated infections (HAI). Daily bathing of patients with CHG has been successfully used to prevent multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) HAI in intensive care units (ICU). METHODS: This was a 12-month, single-center, open, cluster randomized trial, conducted at four ICUs of the University Hospital of Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Unifesp, Brazil. ICUs were randomized to either perform daily bathing of the patients with pH neutral soap and water - control units, or daily bathing with 2% CHG detergent solution - intervention units. We evaluated the incidence density rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing enterobacteria HAI, and death in the intervention and control units. RESULTS: A total of 1,640 admissions of 1,487 patients occurred during the study period (41.2% control group, and 58.8% intervention group). Incidence density rates of KPC-producing enterobacteria HAI were 5.01 and 2.25 infections/1000 patient-days in the control units and in the intervention units (p = 0.013) and mortality rates were 28.7% and 18.7% in the control units and in the intervention units (p<0.001), respectively. No difference between groups was observed in CLABSI incidence (p = 0.125), VAP incidence (p = 0.247) and CAUTI incidence (p = 0.435). No serious skin reactions were noted in either study group. Daily 2% CHG detergent solution bathing is a feasible, low cost option for HAI prevention in ICU.

Chlorhexidine gluconate bathing of adult patients in intensive care units in São Paulo, Brazil: Impact on the incidence of healthcare-associated infection

Abstract Background There is an increasing use of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing to decrease healthcare associated infections (HAI). Daily bathing of patients with CHG has been successfully used to prevent multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) HAI in intensive care units (ICU). Methods This was a 12-month, single-center, open, cluster randomized trial, conducted at four ICUs of the University Hospital of Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Unifesp, Brazil. ICUs were randomized to either perform daily bathing of the patients with pH neutral soap and water - control units, or daily bathing with 2% CHG detergent solution - intervention units. We evaluated the incidence density rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing enterobacteria HAI, and death in the intervention and control units. Results A total of 1,640 admissions of 1,487 patients occurred during the study period (41.2% control group, and 58.8% intervention group). Incidence density rates of KPC-producing enterobacteria HAI were 5.01 and 2.25 infections/1000 patient-days in the control units and in the intervention units (p = 0.013) and mortality rates were 28.7% and 18.7% in the control units and in the intervention units (p<0.001), respectively. No difference between groups was observed in CLABSI incidence (p = 0.125), VAP incidence (p = 0.247) and CAUTI incidence (p = 0.435). No serious skin reactions were noted in either study group. Daily 2% CHG detergent solution bathing is a feasible, low cost option for HAI prevention in ICU.

Colonización rectal por bacilos gram negativos multirresistentes: importancia de la detección precoz durante la hospitalización / Rectal colonisation by multiresistant gram-negative bacilli: relevance of early detection in the course of hospitalization / Colonização retal por bacilos gram negativos multirresistentes: importância da identificação precoce durante a hospitalização

Las infecciones asociadas con el cuidado de la salud son consideradas un problema epidémico, controlable pero difícilmente erradicable. La detección precoz de pacientes colonizados por microorganismos multirresistentes, a través de cultivos de vigilancia epidemiológica y la implementación de medidas preventivas pueden reducir su incidencia. El objetivo del trabajo fue establecer los momentos adecuados durante la hospitalización para realizar estudios de colonización y decidir los microorganismos a estudiar según el lugar de procedencia del paciente. Se analizaron hisopados rectales de pacientes internados en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva, obtenidos al ingreso, a las 72 h y al sexto día de internación. Se investigó Acinetobacter spp multirresistente (AMR), enterobacterias productoras de BLEE (EB-BLEE) y de KPC (EB-KPC). Los resultados mostraron 15,2% de pacientes de la comunidad y 16,7% de geriátricos colonizados con EB-BLEE al ingreso. Dicho porcentaje fue mayor (28,6%) en pacientes previamente institucionalizados y, además, 2,6% colonizados con EB-KPC y 3,4% con AMR. Los controles posteriores mostraron porcentajes crecientes de portación con el transcurso de la internación. Por lo tanto, es importante la detección de estos microorganismos al ingreso hospitalario y continuar con vigilancia activa, para poder implementar medidas precoces tendientes a evitar las consecuencias de la rápida transmisión horizontal.

Healthcare associated infections are considered an epidemic problem; manageable but difficult to eradicate. The early detection of patients infected with antimicrobial multiresistant microorganisms by means of epidemiological surveillance cultures and the execution of prophylactic measures, are key to reduce their incidence. The aim of this work was to assess a suitable schedule in the course of hospitalisation to perform colonisation studies and to decide which microorganisms to analyse according to the provenance of the patient. Rectal swabs from patients admitted at the Intensive Care Unit obtained at the time of admission, 72 h and six days later were analysed. Multiresistant Acinetobacter spp.(MRA), ESBL- and KPC- producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-EB and KPC-EB, respectively) were investigated. Results showed that 15.2% of patients without previous hospitalisation and 16.7% of patients coming from geriatric institutions were colonised by ESBL-EB at the moment of admission. This percentage was greater (28.6%) in previously hospitalised patients, of whom 2.6% were found to be colonized by KPC-EB and 3.4% by MRA. Subsequent monitoring showed increasing colonisation percentages with the course of hospitalisation. Therefore, detection of these microorganisms at the time of admission and constant active surveillance are crucial to implement early measures aiming to avoid the consequences of rapid horizontal dissemination.

As infecções relacionadas ao cuidado da saúde são consideradas um problema epidêmico controlável, mas dificilmente erradicável. A identificação precoce em pacientes colonizados por microorganismos multirresistentes, através de culturas de vigilância epidemiológica e a implementação de medidas preventivas, podem diminuir sua incidência. O objetivo do trabalho foi estabelecer os momentos adequados durante a hospitalização para realizar testes de colonização e decidir quais os microorganismos que serão estudados de acordo com o lugar de procedência do paciente. Foram testados Swabs retais de pacientes internados na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), coletados ao serem admitidos, nas 72h e no sexto dia de internação. Foram analisados Acinetobacter spp. multirresistente (AMR), enterobactérias produtoras de BLEE (EB-BLEE) e de KPC (EB-KPC). Os resultados mostraram 15.2% de pacientes da comunidade e 16.7% de geriátricos colonizados com EB-BLEE ao serem admitidos. Ese percentual foi maior (28.6%) em pacientes previamente institucionalizados e, além disso, 2.6% colonizados com EB-KPC e 3.4% com AMR. Os controles posteriores mostraram percentuais crescentes de portação com o decorrer da internação. Portanto, é importante a identificação destes microorganismos no momento da admissão hospitalar e continuar com a vigilância ativa, para poder implementar medidas precoces tendentes a evitar as consequências da rápida transmissão horizontal.