Catheter Infection Among Hemodialysis Patients: A Report From Fars Province, Iran

Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBI) is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity among hemodialysis patients. Thus, documenting its prevalence and risk factors in each center will help control them and improve patients’ prognosis.

This one-year cross-sectional study was performed in the educational hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Patients were selected using the census method. The included cases aged more than 18 years and had hemodialysis using a double lumen catheter. Finally, data were analyzed by SPSS analytical software.

In general, 345 patients with a mean age of 57.90±16.59 were included (192 men and 153 women) in this study. In addition, 138 (40%) patients had the elementary education and 127 (36.8%) study participants were housekeepers. Further, the subclavian vein was the most used site for the catheter (228 cases, 66.10%). Further, 187 (54.20%) cases had CRBI of whom, 181 patients had a previous history of CRBI. Furthermore, fever and chills at the time of hemodialysis were the most prevalent manifestations. Eventually, patients’ age, job, level of education, location of the catheter, previous history of CRBI, hand washing (patient and health-care personnel), use of gloves (health-care personnel), oral administration of antibiotics, use of topical antibiotic ointment, and the pattern of dressing change had a significant impact on the risk of CRBI (P<0.001).

The prevalence of CRBI is still high. Accordingly, it is needed that interventions be conducted to reduce modifiable risk factors for this issue and prevent hemodialysis patients’ morbidity and mortality.