NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION OVER 3 YEARS IN A NE ONATAL INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT - MULTIVARIATE STUDY

BACKGROUND: The Neonate Intensive Care Units (NICU) present high frequ encies of hospital infections (HI) as well as patients with high intri nsic and extrinsic infection risks. PATIENTS ANO METHODS: A prospectiv e study of 3 years in a NICU was carried out. Six-hundred and five neo nates with stays longer than 48 hours were included. A descriptive stu dy and a predictive equation, by non-conditional logistic regression, were performed, including the principal HI risk factors. RESULTS: The HI incidence was 25.8/1,000 patients-day, and it was most frequent in children with weight lower than 2,500 g. The main etiologic agents wer e Streptococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The risk facto rs far HI in NICU were assisted respiration (odds ratio [OR] = 5.1; 95 % Cl, 2.3-11.5), low weight at birth (OR = 3.2; 95% Cl, 1-1.08), trans fusion (OR = 3.8; 95% Cl, 1.4-10.1) and central venous catheter. Valid ation by ROC curve was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of HI in NICU is high, and depends on both disease features and instrumentat ion in NICU.