Chemaly, R.F., Sharma, P.S., Youssef, S., Gerber, D., Hwu, P., Hanmod, S.S., . . . Raad, I.I. (2010). The efficacy of catheters coated with minocycline and rifampin in the prevention of catheter-related bacteremia in cancer patients receiving high-dose interleukin-2. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 14, e548–e552.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of antibiotic-coated central venous catheters as compared to non-coated central venous catheters on the development of catheter-associated blood stream infection.
Data was retrospectively analyzed from December 1, 2003 through August 31, 2006 at an inpatient center for patients treated with interleukin-2. Prior to December 2004, non-coated tunneled catheters (NC-C) were used in these patients; antibiotic-coated catheters were used after December 2004. The coated catheters contained minocycline and rifampin (M/R-C) in their coating. All patients received antibiotic prophylaxis. Cases of catheter-related infection were retrospectively analyzed and compared between the two groups. Catheter insertion and line care remained the same for both groups independent of the type of catheter inserted.
A single-site inpatient setting.
Active treatment
Retrospective descriptive
A total of nine episodes of CRB were identified (six were probable and three definite), all in patients with NC-C (M/R-C 0% versus NC-C 12%; p = 0.06). In three of the nine episodes of bacteremia, the blood cultures grew more than one pathogen and in all nine cases, the prophylactic antibiotic had no activity against the pathogen. The causative pathogens for CRB included methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative infections. There was one episode of probable catheter-related candidemia (Candidaparapsilosis) in a patient with a coated catheter, while two episodes of catheter colonization secondary to coagulase-negative Staphylococci occurred in two patients who had no signs or symptoms of infection.
Based on the data presented, there is potential benefit to an antibiotic-coated catheter compared with a non-coated catheter.
No recommendations can be made on the basis of this study alone. Antibiotic-coated, short-term CVCs may be helpful in preventing catheter-associated bloodstream infections.