Abstract
BACKGROUND: Catheter-related infection (CRI) of the central vein is a common cause of nosocomial infection. This study was undertaken to investigate the pathogen culturing and risk factors of CRI in emergency intensive care unit (EICU) in order to provide the beneficial reference. METHODS: From January 2008 to December 2010, a total of 1 363 patients were subjected to catheterization. In these patients, the peak CRI rate of the patients was determined by bacterial cultivation and blood bacterial cultivation. RESULTS: CRI happened in 147 of the 1 363 patients using the central venous catheter. The peak rate of CRI was 10.79%, with an incidence of 3.05 episodes per 1 000 catheter days. Of the 147 patients, 46.94% had gram-negative bacilli, 40.14% had gram-positive cocci, and 12.92% had fungi. Unconditional logistic regression analysis suggests that multiple catheterization, femoral vein catheterization, the application of multicavity catheter, and the duration of catheterization were the independent risk factors for CRI. CONCLUSION: The risk factors for catheter-related infections should be controlled to prevent the occurrence of nosocomial infection.