Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36928259›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Factors impacting the pre-analytical quality of blood cultures-Analysis at a tertiary medical center.

Lucas Romann, Laura Werlen, Nikki Rommers, Anja Hermann, Isabelle Gisler, Stefano Bassetti, Roland Bingisser, Martin Siegemund, Tim Roloff, Maja Weisser and 5 more

Open access · goldFull text read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Situation and questions regarding the practice of blood cultures in paediatric patients: an opinion paper.Revista espanola de quimioterapia : publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Quimioterapia · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Lucas RomannClinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-4181-5620
Laura WerlenDepartment of Clinical Research, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Nikki RommersDepartment of Clinical Research, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Anja HermannChief Medical and Nursing Office, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Isabelle GislerChief Medical and Nursing Office, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Stefano BassettiInternal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-1729-1425
Roland BingisserEmergency Department, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Martin SiegemundDepartment of Clinical Research, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Tim RoloffClinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Maja WeisserDivision of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-0134-1929
Veronika MuiggClinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Vladimira HinicClinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Michael OsthoffDepartment of Clinical Research, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-5439-957X
Fabian C FranzeckDepartment of Research and Analytics Services, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Adrian EgliClinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
University Hospital of Basel · CHUniversity of Basel · CHUniversity of Zurich · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBlood cultures (BC) are critical for the diagnosis of bloodstream infections, pathogen identification, and resistance testing. Guidelines recommend a blood volume of 8-10 mL per bottle as lower volumes result in decreased sensitivity. We aimed to evaluate factors for non-adherence to recommended volumes and assess the effects on diagnostic performance.

methodsFrom February to April 2020, we measured collected blood volumes by weighing all BC containers from inpatient samples at the University Hospital Basel. Information on BC volumes was merged with clinical and microbiological data, as well as nursing staff schedules. We analyzed factors associated with (i) BC sampling volume, (ii) reaching recommended volumes (≥8 mL), (iii) BC positivity, and (iv) time to positivity using linear and generalized linear mixed effect models.

resultsWe evaluated a total of 4'118 BC bottles collected from 686 patients. A total of 1'495 (36.3%) of all bottles contained the recommended filling volume of ≥8 mL. Using a central venous and arterial catheter for drawing blood resulted in an increase of filling volume by 0.26 mL (95% CI 0.10, 0.41) and 0.50 mL (95% CI 0.31, 0.69) compared to peripheral venipuncture, respectively. Each additional nursing staff working at the time of blood drawing was associated with 6% higher odds of achieving the recommended filling volume. We found no significant correlation between the filling volume and the positivity rate.

conclusionOur results indicate critical pre-analytical quality markers linked to BC collection procedures to reach recommended collection volumes. No significant impact on the positivity rate was found.

Indexed as

BacteremiaSepsisBlood CultureHematologic TestsHospitalsHumansPhlebotomy

Identifiers

PMID36928259
PMCPMC10019732
OpenAlexW4327566743

What OpenQuestion holds

Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
measurements read60
identifiers read8
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.