Chlohexidine bathing to reduce catheter-related blood stream infections

Thanks for the replies,c0n.. and Neo..
Why the MWF Friday schedule? Any specific concerns using it daily?
TY

Proper line care and proper site care will go a long way to reduce CRBSI's---this has been well documented and I'm sure that facilities that are ignorant of the CDC guidelines and IHI bundles are in the minority in this country,but even so the incidence of CRBSI's is not zero. Having rates under the NNIS guidelines shouldn't be the goal,ZERO CRBSI's should be the goal. Anything that we can do to get closer to that goal is a good thing,and if CHG bathing can get us closer to that goal,why not consider it? Here's another study just out:

Critical Care Medicine. 37(6):1858-1865, June 2009.
Climo, Michael W. MD; Sepkowitz, Kent A. MD; Zuccotti, Gianna MD, MPH; Fraser, Victoria J. MD; Warren, David K. MD; Perl, Trish M. MD, MSc; Speck, Kathleen; Jernigan, John A. MD; Robles, Jaime R. PhD; Wong, Edward S. MD

Abstract:
Objective: Spread of multidrug-resistant organisms within the intensive care unit (ICU) results in substantial morbidity and mortality. Novel strategies are needed to reduce transmission. This study sought to determine if the use of daily chlorhexidine bathing would decrease the incidence of colonization and bloodstream infections (BSI) because of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) among ICU patients.

Design, Setting, and Patients: Six ICUs at four academic centers measured the incidence of MRSA and VRE colonization and BSI during a period of bathing with routine soap for 6 months and then compared results with a 6-month period where all admitted patients received daily bathing with a chlorhexidine solution. Changes in incidence were evaluated by Poisson and segmented regression modeling.

Interventions: Daily bathing with a chlorhexidine-containing solution.

Measurements and Main Results: Acquisition of MRSA decreased 32% (5.04 vs. 3.44 cases/1000 patient days, p = 0.046) and acquisition of VREdecreased 50% (4.35 vs. 2.19 cases/1000 patient days, p = 0.008) following the introduction of daily chlorhexidine bathing. Segmented regression analysis demonstrated significant reductions in VRE bacteremia (p = 0.02) following the introduction of chlorhexidine bathing. VRE-colonized patients bathed with chlorhexidine had a lower risk of developing VRE bacteremia (relative risk 3.35; 95% confidence interval 1.13-9.87; p = 0.035), suggesting that reductions in the level of colonization led to the observed reductions in BSI.

Conclusion: We conclude that daily chlorhexidine bathing among ICU patients may reduce the acquisition of MRSA and VRE. The approach is simple to implement and inexpensive and may be an important adjunctive intervention to barrier precautions to reduce acquisition of VRE and MRSA and the subsequent development of healthcare-associated BSI.

The studies I've mentioned offer promising results and need further replication,but I won't be suprised to see CHG bathing becoming more and more a part of ICU care.
Z.