Abstract: 【Abstract】 Objective To explore the catheter-related infections in critical patients with blood purification.  Methods This is a retrospective analysis conducted by the Intensive Care Unit of Guangdong General Hospital. All patients admitted to the ICU during the 2 years period from January 1, 2010 to December 30, 2011 and treated with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) or intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) were included. Results A total of 1,028 patients were included in this study. The total number of catheterization and catheterization days were 1,123 times and 16,845 days, including jugular catheterization 215 times and 3,665 days, femoral catheterization 908 times and 13,580 days, respectively. The total number of catheterization and catheterization days were 918 times and 14,688 days, respectively, in CRRT group, and were 295 times and 2,157 days, respectively, in IHD group. The incidence of catheter-related local infection (CRLI) was statistically higher in catheterization patients using femoral route than in those using jugular route (4.79 versus 2.72, P＜0.05), but was indifferent between patients with CRRT and those with IHD (4.43 and 4.63, P＞0.05). The incidence of catheter related blood stream infection (CRBSI) was statistically higher in catheterization patients using femoral route than in those using jugular route (3.24 versus 1.64, P＜0.05), and was higher in patients with CRRT than those with IHD (3.13 and 1.85, P＜0.05). Conclusion For critically ill patients required hemodialysis, blood access through internal jugular vein is preferable with the lower infection incidence than that through femoral vein. The incidence of CRBSI was higher in patients with CRRT than those with IHD. However, whether CRRT actually increases the CRBSI incidence needs to be further studied.

Key words: Blood purification, Catheter-related infection, Critically ill patient