J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2009 Aug;46(2):123-129. 10.3340/jkns.2009.46.2.123.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Infection Caused by Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Colonization in Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit Patients

• Se YB
• Chun HJ
• Yi HJ
• Kim DW
• Ko Y
• Oh SJ

• KMID: 2190002
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2009.46.2.123

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was aimed to identify the incidence and risk factors of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) colonization in neurosurgical practice of field, with particular attention to intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out on the Neurosurgical ICU (NICU), during the period from January. 2005 to December. 2007, in 414 consecutive patients who had been admitted to the NICU. Demographics and known risk factors were retrieved and assessed by statistical methods. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients had VRE colonization among 414 patients enrolled, with an overall prevalence rate of 6.1%. E. faecium was the most frequently isolated pathogen, and 92.3% of all VRE were isolated from urine specimen. Active infection was noticed only in 2 patients with bacteremia and meningitis. Relative antibiotic agents were third-generation cephalosporin in 40%, and vancomycin in 23%, and multiple antibiotic usages were also identified in 13% of all cases. Multivariate analyses showed Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score less than 8, placement of Foley catheter longer than 2 weeks, ICU stay over 2 weeks and presence of nearby VRE-positive patients had a significantly independent association with VRE infection. CONCLUSION: When managing the high-risk patients being prone to be infected VRE in the NICU, extreme caution should be paid upon. Because prevention and outbreak control is of ultimate importance, clinicians should be alert the possibility of impending colonization and infection by all means available. The most crucial interventions are careful hand washing, strict glove handling, meticulous and active screening, and complete segregation.

Keyword

Glasgow coma scale score; Intensive care unit; Neurosurgery; Segregation; Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus

MeSH Terms

Bacteremia
Catheters
Colon
Demography
Enterococcus
Glasgow Coma Scale
Hand Disinfection
Handling (Psychology)
Humans
Incidence
Critical Care
Intensive Care Units
Mass Screening
Meningitis
Multivariate Analysis
Neurosurgery
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Vancomycin
Vancomycin