Study finds progress in reduction of CLABSIs in US critical care patients

A recent study published in JSTOR Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, found that substantial progress has been made in reducing the occurrence of CLABSIs in US critical care patients over the past 2 decades.  The study, National Estimates of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Critical Care Patients, sought to identify changes in the annual number of CLABSI in critical care patients in the U.S. Using administrative data for hospitals nationally and applying CLABSI rates from the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance and National Healthcare Safety Network systems, the researchers estimated the annual number of CLABSIs in critical care patients nationally during the period 1990-2010 and the number of CLABSIs prevented since 1990.