Background: The impact of separating the adult from pediatric patients on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeriginosa) detection in the respiratory cultures of patients was examined at the University of Minnesota CF Center.
Methods: This study was a retrospective review using data recorded in the University of Minnesota CF Database between 1995 and 2010. Respiratory culture results obtained during routine University of Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center. CF clinic encounters of two cohorts of pediatric and adult CF patients (pre- and post-separation) were analyzed for presence of P. aeruginosa.
Results: The odds of a pediatric patient having P. aeruginosa were significantly less if the first culture was obtained after separation of pediatric and adult clinics. Being diagnosed by newborn screening or introduction of inhaled tobramycin did not affect this outcome. This reduction in P. aeruginosa was not detected in the adult cohort.
Conclusions: Separation of pediatric and adult CF clinics has contributed to decrease in P. aeruginosa detection in pediatric patients.
Keywords: clinic; cystic fibrosis; detection; segregation; separation.
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