Survey Shows Poor Adherence to Guidelines for Preventing CLABSI

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are a cause of increased morbidity and mortality, and are largely preventable. Valencia, et al. (2016) documented attitudes and practices in intensive care units (ICUs) in 2015 in order to assess compliance with CLABSI prevention guidelines.

Between June and October 2015, an online questionnaire was made available to medical doctors and nurses working in ICUs worldwide. The researchers investigated practices related to central line (CL) insertion, maintenance and measurement of CLABSI-related data following the SHEA guidelines as a standard. They computed weighted estimates for high, middle and low-income countries using country population as a weight; only countries providing at least 10 complete responses were included in these estimates.

Ninety-five countries provided 3,407 individual responses; no low income, 14 middle income (MIC) and 27 high income (HIC) countries provided 10 or more responses. Of the total respondents, 80% (MIC, SE = 1.5) and 81% (HIC, SE = 1.0) reported availability of written clinical guidelines for CLABSI prevention in their ICU; 23% (MIC,SE = 1.7) and 62% (HIC,SE = 1.4) reported compliance to the following (combined) recommendations for CL insertion: hand hygiene, full barrier precaution, chlorhexidine >0.5%, no topic or systemic antimicrobial prophylaxis; 60% (MIC,SE = 2.0) and 73% (HIC,SE = 1.2) reported daily assessment for the need of a central line. Most considered CLABSI measurement key to quality improvement, however few were able to report their CLABSI rate. Heterogeneity between countries was high and country specific results are made available.

Reference: Valencia C, et al. Poor adherence to guidelines for preventing central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI): results of a worldwide survey. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control. 2016;5:49