A Comparison of Two Antimicrobial-Impregnated Central Venous Catheters

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 340; no. 1; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Darouiche, Rabih O, Raad, Issam I, Heard, Stephen O, Thornby, John I, Wenker, Olivier C, Gabrielli, Andrea, Berg, Johannes, Khardori, Nancy, Hanna, Hend, Hachem, Ray, Harris, Richard L, Mayhall, Glen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 07-01-1999
• Subjects: Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antimicrobial agents; Biological and medical sciences; Catheters; Infections; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Human; Sulfanilamide derivatives; Drug combination; Sulfonamide; Catheterization; Tetracycline derivatives; Catheter; Central vein; Infection; Prevention; Impregnation; Antibiotic; Randomization; Rifampicin; Antiseptic; Minocycline; Adult; Complication; Antiinfectious; Chlorhexidine; Antibacterial agent; Disinfecting agent; Colonization; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199901073400101

Infection associated with the use of central venous catheters can result in serious medical complications and expensive care.
1
In prospective, randomized clinical trials, the use of central venous catheters impregnated with either minocycline and rifampin
2
or chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine
3
was associated with reduced rates of catheter colonization and catheter-related bloodstream infection, as compared with unimpregnated catheters. In vitro studies
4
and studies in animals
5
have suggested that catheters impregnated with minocycline and rifampin can resist infection more effectively than catheters impregnated with chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine, but the clinical efficacy of these two types of antiinfective catheters has not been . . .