The Clinical Impact of Culturing Central Venous Catheters: A Prospective Study

doi:10.1001/archinte.1992.00400180147024

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Vol. 152 No. 6, JUNE 1992

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The Clinical Impact of Culturing Central Venous Catheters

A Prospective Study

Andreas F. Widmer, MD, MS; Mary Nettleman, MD; Kristin Flint, MT(ASCP); Richard P. Wenzel, MD, MSc

Arch Intern Med. 1992;152(6):1299-1302.

Abstract

The semiquantitative culture technique is a standard procedurefor the laboratory diagnosis of catheterassociated infectionsand catheter-associated bacteremia. In a prospective observationalstudy, we evaluated the clinical impact of the semiquantitativeculture results on the treatment of the patient. Clinical impactwas defined as a change in diagnosis or therapy on the basisof the semiquantitative culture result. One hundred fifty-sevencatheters consecutively submitted from the surgical intensivecare unit to the laboratory were studied. In 96% of the episodes,no clinical impact was observed. In the other 4%, clinical decisionswere guided mainly by the concurrent positive blood cultures.Newer laboratory techniques that do not require removal of thecatheter are needed to guide therapeutic decisions.

(Arch Intern Med. 1992;152:1299-1302)

Author Affiliations

From the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City. Dr Nettleman is a Henry J. Kaiser Family Faculty Scholar in General Internal Medicine.

Footnotes

Accepted for publication December 16, 1991.

Reprint requests to Department of Internal Medicine C 41 GH,University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242(Dr Nettleman).

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