#6898 CATHETER RELATED BLOODSTREAM INFECTION IN NON-TUNNELED HEMODIALYSIS CATHETERS IN A RESOURCE-LIMITED HOSPITAL IN MERIDA, YUCATAN, MEXICO

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims There is scarcity in epidemiological data regarding chronic kidney (CKD) disease in low- and medium-income countries, and information about vascular access infectious complications is limited. In Mexico, access to renal replacement therapy (RRT) is burdensome for the uninsured patients. The General Hospital Agustin O'Horán, is a secondary care level unit in Yucatan, which receives uninsured patients from southeast Mexico. In our hospital, patients who are not candidates for peritoneal dialysis start hemodialysis with non-tunneled hemodialysis central venous catheters (NTHC), mainly due to the late nephrology referral and the shortage of vascular access specialists in our unit which prevents for the timely creation of an arteriovenous fistula or the placement of a tunneled hemodialysis catheter (THC). Permanence of NTHC is the main risk factor for catheter related bloodstream infection (CRBI) and according to the literature, Gram positive microorganisms are the most common isolated microbes. The aim of our study was to describe the incidence and risk factors for CRBSI in our hospital, from January to December 2022. Method We conducted a prospective and observational study in patients older than 18 years with CKD who were candidates to start hemodialysis and who had a NTHC inserted in our hospital from January to December 2022. We evaluated the incidence, organisms and risk factors related to CRBSI. Results During the study period, 94 NTHC were placed, 63.8% of them were inserted in women. Median age of the population was 49.4 years, and the most frequent comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (63.8%), hypertension (86.2%) and renal lithiasis (27.7%). 73.4% of the NTHC were Mahurkar® catheters and most of the insertions (73.4%) were not ultrasound guided. The right jugular vein was the most common insertion site (72.3%), followed by the left jugular vein. Mean catheter use duration was 71 ± 66 days. 27 patients had evidence of CRBI, the incidence rate was 0.78 per 1000 catheters-day. CRBI was more frequent in patients with prolonged catheter use (more than 30 days) (p<0.001) (Table 1). In respect to blood cultures reports, 51.83% were Gram positive organisms and 48.12% were Gram negative (Table 2). Conclusion Vascular access survival without infectious complications is of paramount importance in hemodialysis patients. The prolonged used of NTHC with the associated risk for developing CRBI negatively impacts the health outcomes in our population. In accordance to previously published literature, the main isolated microbes in our hospital comprise Gram positive bacteria. One of the biggest challenges in our country is to provide our CKD population with better vascular access options like THC or arteriovenous fistula to improve the outcomes and reduce infectious complications.