Incidence of Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infection After Introduction of Minocycline and Rifampin Antimicrobial-Coated Catheters in a Pediatric Burn Population

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections suggest that antimicrobial-coated catheters can decrease the risk of developing catheter-related bloodstream infection in a variety of adult patient populations. There are limited data on their efficacy in the pediatric population, particularly among children with burn injuries. A study was conducted at Shriners Hospitals for Children®, Boston, to determine whether minocycline/rifampin (MR)-coated catheters could decrease the incidence of catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CABSI) in a pediatric burn population. A historical control group included all patients with double- or triple-lumen catheters inserted in the 18-month period from January 2006 to June 2007. The study group included all patients with MR antimicrobial double- or triple-lumen catheters inserted in the subsequent 18-month period, July 2007 to December 2008. Data collected included name, age, date of burn/injury, date of admission, percent TBSA area burn injury or other diagnosis, catheter site (subclavian, internal jugular, or femoral), method of insertion (new percutaneous stick or guidewire), type of catheter (double or triple lumen), date inserted, duration of catheter placement (days), and positive blood cultures recovered while the central venous catheter was in place. CABSI was defined using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition of laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection. There were a total of 66 patients with 252 catheters (1780 catheter days) in the control group and 75 patients with 263 catheters (1633 catheter days) in the study group. Age, percent burn injury, catheter site, and method of insertion were not statistically different between the two groups. The percentage of infected catheters and the rate of infection were significantly different for the two groups, with the MR antimicrobial catheters only half as likely to become infected. In a subset of these patients with catheters in place for more than 4 days, the percentage of infected catheters and rate of infection were also significantly different with results similar to those in the entire group. MR antimicrobial-coated catheters significantly reduced the incidence of CABSI in this pediatric burn population compared with noncoated catheters.