Antibiotic-impregnated catheters reduce blood infections in children

A new study published in The Lancet has found that using antibiotic-impregnated central venous catheters (CVC) can halve the rate of bloodstream infections in children. Antibiotic-impregnated CVCs are already recommended for use in adults, although before the March study there wasn’t enough evidence to recommend their use for kids.

The study was done on children under the age of 16 who needed a CVC for more than three days. Researchers found that antibiotic CVCs reduced a child’s risk of bloodstream infection by 57% and 58% compared to standard catheters and heparin-impregnated catheters, respectively. Only 1% of the kids in the antibiotic-impregnated CVC group contracted a bloodstream infection, compared to 4% in the standard CVC group and 3% in the heparin-impregnated CVC group.

"It is not surprising that antibiotic-impregnated catheters are associated with lower risk of bloodstream infections. However, we must be cautious in our interpretation, and more importantly, in our application of these findings to the heterogeneous population that comprises critically ill children," Erika Stalets, MD, medical director of the pediatric ICU of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, told Reuters Health. "The cost of central line-associated bloodstream infections to patients and the healthcare system is high. While preventing these events is vital, we cannot ignore the potential impact of a comprehensive move toward using antibiotic-impregnated central venous catheters in all patients, including antibiotic resistance and cost."