Introduction:
Implanted cardiac device infections are a source of significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. The rates and predictors of device infection among patients undergoing implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation in the VA population have not been previously described.
Methods:
Among veterans enrolled in the Outcomes among Veterans with Implantable Defibrillators (OVID) registry between 2003 and 2009, 3,918 were identified as within 3 months of initial ICD implantation. Baseline clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes were abstracted from the electronic medical record and social security death index. The rates of device infection were calculated per 100 person years and a priori specified predictors of device infection were examined for association with device infection using Cox proportional hazards regression.
Results:
Over 11,290 person years of follow up, only 76 device infections were identified for a rate of 0.67 per 100 person years (95% CI 0.54 to 0.84). Among these, 21 (27.6%) occurred within 30 days of implantation, 19 (25.0%) occurred 30 to 90 days after implantation, 8 (10.5%) occurred 90 days to 1 year after implantation, and 28 occurred greater than 1 year after implantation. The most common type of infection was a pocket infection and it was most likely to occur within 30 days of implantation. Of the examined a priori specified predictors (age, generator change, diabetes mellitus, warfarin use, chronic kidney disease and congestive heart failure), only generator change was statistically significantly associated with device infection when adjusted for comorbidities (adjusted HR 2.95; 95% CI 1.42 - 6.12). The rate of device infection among those with a generator change was 1.26 per 100 person years compared to 0.60 per 100 person years for those without a generator change.
Conclusions:
The overall rate of device infection in this population is lower than previously published rates and only generator change was associated with an increased risk of device infection.
B-PO05-046 USE OF SURGICEL® HEMOSTATIC AGENT ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF CARDIAC DEVICE INFECTION
