Health care-associated infections among critically ill children in the US, 2007-2012.
This large cohort study of 174 hospitals examined rates of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), ventilator-associated pneumonias, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) across the United States. Between 2007 and 2012, there were remarkable reductions in these hospital-acquired infections among critically ill infants and children. In pediatric ICUs, CLABSIs plummeted from about 4.7 to 1.0 per 1000 central-line days, while ventilator-associated pneumonias dropped from 1.9 to 0.7 per 1000 ventilator-days. The trends were similar in neonatal ICUs. The authors estimate that the decrease in CLABSI rates alone not only enhanced patient safety but also saved $131 million for these hospitals during the study period. A recent AHRQ WebM&M perspective focused on hospital infection prevention programs.