Estudio comparativo de incidencia de bacteriemias relacionadas con el catéter de hemodiálisis: bioconectores frente a conexión directa

objective: to compare hemodialysis catheter-related bacteremia rate between bioconectors use and direct connection. methodology: comparative, retrospective and cross-sectional study over 2 consecutive years (one year with direct connection - 2009 february to 2010 february - and 1 year using bioconectors tego？ -2010 march to 2011 march-) in hemodialysis patients in our unit with a permanent catheter as vascular access. catheters connection and disconnection protocol was the same during the study period, except for the disinfecting solution used: iodine povidone was using in direct connection, and 2% chlorhexidine was using with bioconectors. catheter-related bacteremia was defined as onset of fever with a positive blood culture in the absence of another infection source. results: 69 patients were studied: 36 during direct connection period and 33 during use bioconectors period. six patients were studied during both periods. bacteremia rate during direct connection period was 24.6/1000 catheters-day (9 bacteremia), while during the using bioconectors period, bacteremia rate was 5.47/1000 catheters-day (2 bacteremia) (p = 0.036). staphylococcus aureus (3 patients) and staphylococcus coagulase negative (3 patients) were the most common infectious agents during direct connection period. conclusions: use of bioconectors significantly decreases the rate of bacteremia catheter-related in hemodialysis patients versus direct connection.