Incidence and risk factors for nosocomial infections in a neonatology unit
Saleta, J.L.; Rosales, M.; Domínguez, V.; Jiménez, T.; Marinas, J.; Bouzas, M.E.
Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiologia Clinica 14(6): 357-360
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0213-005X PMID: 8756213 Document Number: 455542
Neonatal nosocomial infection is a very important cause of morbidity and death in the hospital setting. The aim of our work is to study the incidence and risk factors associated with nosocomial infection in a neonatal unit. We followed 321 patients in a 6-month-long prospective, observational study. As units of measurement we used Incidence Density and Accumulative Incidence. For the statistical analysis we used chi-square and the logistic regression. Nosocomial infection incidence density for the whole neonatal unit was 39.63% infections per 100 patients per month, while the accumulative incidence was 16.19%. Using a logistic regression method, the umbilical cord artery catheterization and days of stay variables both showed a statistically significant difference with nosocomial infection. We conclude that minimizing length of stay, if possible below 10 days could be a key element to achieve a reduction in the neonatal unit's infection rate. However, new studies must be performed to ascertain if a strict enforcement of the rules pertaining to hand-washing and umbilical catheters manipulation would achieve further reductions in the infection rate associated with the umbilical cord catheterization.