CAPS papers
Ethanol lock therapy to reduce the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections in home parenteral nutrition patients with intestinal failure: preliminary experience

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2011.02.036Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) cause morbidity and mortality in patients with intestinal failure dependent on parenteral nutrition. Ethanol lock of central venous catheters may decrease CRBSI, but limited pediatric data are available.

Methods

Home parenteral nutrition patients with at least one previous CRBSI were initiated on a 70% ethanol lock protocol for a minimum of 4 hours. Infection rates (per 1000 catheter days) before and after initiation of ethanol locks were compared using a paired t test.

Results

Ten patients (4 girls; median age, 44 months [range, 31-129 months]) began ethanol lock therapy after a total of 91 CRBSIs (37 gram-positive, 30 gram-negative, and 24 fungal) with a mean of 10.2 ± 6.2 per 1000 catheter days. Patients received ethanol lock for an average of 227 ± 64 days with only 3 CRBSI occurring (CRBSI rate of 0.9 ± 1.8 per 1000 catheter days [P = .005]). Central venous catheter replacements decreased from 5.6 per 1000 days to 0.3 per 1000 days posttherapy (P = .038). Ethanol lock was discontinued in 2 of 10 patients because of catheter thrombosis.

Conclusion

Preliminary results demonstrate a significant decrease in CRBSI with a 70% ethanol lock protocol. Catheter thrombosis may be a limitation that needs to be addressed. With such a dramatic therapeutic effect, a randomized trial is feasible and should be performed.

Section snippets

Methods

All pediatric patients with IF and home PN are managed by our multidisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation team, the Group for Improvement of Intestinal Function and Treatment (GIFT) at the Hospital for Sick Children [4]. An ethanol lock protocol for prevention of recurrent CRBSI was initiated June 1, 2009, for home PN patients, and this retrospective cohort study includes follow-up through May 30, 2010. Inclusion criteria for ethanol lock therapy included the following: (1) patients managed by

Results

The GIFT program has managed 149 patients since its inception in November 2002. Typically, our home PN program consists of 20 to 30 patients. Since June 1, 2009, 10 patients met the inclusion criteria for ethanol lock therapy. There were 4 girls and 6 boys with a median age of 44 months (range, 31-129 months) at the start of therapy. Five patients had SBS, 3 from a primary motility disorder, and 2 from mucosal enteropathy (microvillus inclusion disease). The median residual small bowel length

Discussion

Catheter-related bloodstream infections are a major source of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients with IF dependent on PN [4], [5], [7]. Catheter-related bloodstream infections are an independent predictor of IFALD in the IF population and result in CVC removal and replacement in children with IF who have limited venous access sites [6]. The most common cause of mortality in pediatric SBS is related to IFALD and sepsis [2]. A recent multivariable analysis of SBS neonates managed by

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