Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters May Lower the Incidence of Catheter-Related Blood Stream Infections in Patients in Surgical Intensive Care Units

Abstract

In this non-randomized study, PICC was associated with fewer CR-BSIs in long-stay SICU patients, although CVCs were in place longer than PICC lines. The only predictor of CVC infection was the duration the line was in place. These results suggest that minimizing the duration of central venous access and substituting PICC for CVC may reduce the incidence of CR-BSI in long-stay SICU patients.