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Risk factors for healthcare-associated infections and their relationship with waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in an intensive care unit: a nested case-control study

F. G. de Menezes, T. D. Corrêa, Bruno de Arruda Bravim, Paula Tuma, Moacyr Silva, Emy Akiyama Gouveia, A. R. Toniolo, Graziela Geanfrancisco Matta de Paiva et al.

Einstein, 2024

6,834 participants

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk factors for healthcare-related infections during the COVID-19 pandemic in intensive care units, to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection, and ventilator-associated pneumonia, and to describe healthcare-associated infections in the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This nested case-control study was conducted in a 137-bed adult medical/surgical intensive care unit at a private hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, between January 11, 2019, and May 21, 2022. Case patients were identified using the Nosocomial Infection Control Committee database and control patients were identified using the intensive care unit's EPIMED system. For the analysis of risk factors, the chi-square test, multiple logistic regression model, and Kaplan-Meier method were used to identify independent risk factors, considering p<0.05.

RESULTS

The Case Group consisted of 189 healthcare-associated infections, including ventilator-associated pneumonia (61.4%), Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (30.1%), Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (8.5%), and the Control Group consisted of 6,834 patients. The independent risk factors were COVID-19 infection (OR=2.84, 95%CI=1.92-4.23, p<0.01), length of stay in intensive care greater than 14 days (OR=3.15, 95%CI=1.95-5.14, p<0.01), length of hospital stay greater than 30 days (OR=3.64, 95%CI=2.44-5.51, p<0.01), and patients who…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 6,834 participants or records.

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