Long-Term Central Venous Catheter Infection in HIV-infected and Cancer Patients: A Multicenter Cohort Study

Objectives:To evaluate and compare the risk of long-term central venous catheter (CVC) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and cancer patients.Design:Prospective multicenter cohort study based on active surveillance of long-term CVC manipulations and patient outcome over a 6-month period.Setting:Services of infectious diseases and oncology of 12 university hospitals in Paris, France.Participants:In 1995, all HIV and cancer patients with solid malignancy were included at the time of long-term CVC implantation.Results:Overall, 31.6% of long-term CVC infections were identified in 32% of 201 HIV and 5% of 255 cancer patients. Most were associated with bacteremia, most commonly coagulase-negative staphylococci. The long-term CVC time-related infection risk was greater in HIV than in cancer patients (3.78 vs 0.39 infections per 1,000 long-term CVC days; P<.001). The independent risk factors of long-term CVC infection were as follows: in HIV patients, frequency of long-term CVC handling and neutropenia; in cancer patients, poor Karnofsky performance status; in both HIV and cancer patients, recent history of bacterial infection. The risk of long-term CVC infection was similar for tunneled catheters and venous access ports in each population.Conclusions:Prevention of long-term CVC infection should focus first on better sterile precautions while handling long-term CVC, especially in HIV patients who have frequent and daily use of the long-term CVC.