Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37400858›Full record

ArticleAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2023

The incidence of nosocomial bloodstream infection and urinary tract infection in Australian hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time series study.

Brett G Mitchell, Andrew J Stewardson, Lucille Kerr, John K Ferguson, Stephanie Curtis, Ljoudmila Busija, Michael J Lydeamore, Kirsty Graham, Philip L Russo

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 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
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 20% 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, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
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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

9 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Brett G MitchellSchool of Nursing, Avondale University, Cooranbong, NSW, 2265, Australia.
Andrew J StewardsonDepartment of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Lucille KerrNursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia.
John K FergusonDivision of Medicine, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle Regional Mail Centre, 2310, NSW, Australia.
Stephanie CurtisDepartment of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Ljoudmila BusijaDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Michael J LydeamoreDepartment of Econometrics and Business Statistics, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia.
Kirsty GrahamInfection Prevention and Control, Central Coast Local Health District, Gosford, NSW, 2250, Australia.
Philip L RussoSchool of Nursing, Avondale University, Cooranbong, NSW, 2265, Australia. Philip.russo@monash.edu.
Monash University · AUCabrini Hospital · AUCentral Coast Local Health District · AUDeakin University · AUJohn Hunter Hospital · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on healthcare including increased awareness of infection prevention and control (IPC). The aim of this study was to explore if the heightened awareness of IPC measures implemented in response to the pandemic influenced the rates of healthcare associated infections (HAI) using positive bloodstream and urine cultures as a proxy measure.

methodsA 3 year retrospective review of laboratory data from 5 hospitals (4 acute public, 1 private) from two states in Australia was undertaken. Monthly positive bloodstream culture data and urinary culture data were collected from January 2017 to March 2021. Occupied bed days (OBDs) were used to generate monthly HAI incidence per 10,000 OBDs. An interrupted time series analysis was undertaken to compare incidence pre and post February 2020 (the pre COVID-19 cohort and the COVID-19 cohort respectively). A HAI was assumed if positive cultures were obtained 48 h after admission and met other criteria.

resultsA total of 1,988 bloodstream and 7,697 urine positive cultures were identified. The unadjusted incident rate was 25.5 /10,000 OBDs in the pre-COVID-19 cohort, and 25.1/10,000 OBDs in the COVID-19 cohort. The overall rate of HAI aggregated for all sites did not differ significantly between the two periods. The two hospitals in one state which experienced an earlier and larger outbreak demonstrated a significant downward trend in the COVID-19 cohort (p = 0.011).

conclusionThese mixed findings reflect the uncertainty of the effect the pandemic has had on HAI's. Factors to consider in this analysis include local epidemiology, differences between public and private sector facilities, changes in patient populations and profiles between hospitals, and timing of enhanced IPC interventions. Future studies which factor in these differences may provide further insight on the effect of COVID-19 on HAIs.

Indexed as

Catheter-Related InfectionsCOVID-19Cross InfectionSepsisUrinary Tract InfectionsAustraliaHospitalsHumansIncidenceInterrupted Time Series AnalysisPandemicsBlood culturesCOVID-19Healthcare associated infectionInfection preventionSurveillanceUrine cultures

Identifiers

PMID37400858
PMCPMC10318831
OpenAlexW4382938064

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.