Using a 70 percent alcohol-impregnated disinfection cap decreased central line-associated bloodstream infections 52 percent compared with standard scrubbing protocol, according to a study in the American Journal of Infection Control reported by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Researchers from Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem compared the efficacy of 70 percent alcohol-impregnated disinfection caps with standard cleaning protocol — scrubbing the catheter hub with an alcohol disinfectant wipe before accessing the lines — in preventing CLABSIs.
The researchers studied 799 patients from three hospitals. Using standard protocol, 12.7 percent of patients were contaminated. When the alcohol-impregnated disinfection cap was used, only 5.5 percent of patients were contaminated. In addition, infection rates at four hospitals decreased from 1.43 per 1,000 line days with the standard protocol to 0.69 with the disinfection cap.
"The researchers estimated that system-wide implementation of the disinfecting caps would prevent 21 CLABSIs and four deaths each year," according to the APIC news release.
Patient Safety Tool: CLABSI Toolkit
National Patient Safety Project Reduced CLABSI by 40%
Researchers from Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem compared the efficacy of 70 percent alcohol-impregnated disinfection caps with standard cleaning protocol — scrubbing the catheter hub with an alcohol disinfectant wipe before accessing the lines — in preventing CLABSIs.
The researchers studied 799 patients from three hospitals. Using standard protocol, 12.7 percent of patients were contaminated. When the alcohol-impregnated disinfection cap was used, only 5.5 percent of patients were contaminated. In addition, infection rates at four hospitals decreased from 1.43 per 1,000 line days with the standard protocol to 0.69 with the disinfection cap.
"The researchers estimated that system-wide implementation of the disinfecting caps would prevent 21 CLABSIs and four deaths each year," according to the APIC news release.
More Articles on CLABSIs:
Patient Safety Tool: CDC Checklist for CLABSI PreventionPatient Safety Tool: CLABSI Toolkit
National Patient Safety Project Reduced CLABSI by 40%
