Development of trigger-based semi-automated surveillance of ventilator-associated pneumonia and central line-associated bloodstream infections in a Dutch intensive care

Anna Maria Kaiser; Evelien de Jong; Sabine Fm Evelein-Brugman; Jan M Peppink; Christina Mje Vandenbroucke-Grauls; Armand Rj Girbes

doi:10.1186/s13613-014-0040-x

Development of trigger-based semi-automated surveillance of ventilator-associated pneumonia and central line-associated bloodstream infections in a Dutch intensive care

Ann Intensive Care. 2014 Dec 21:4:40. doi: 10.1186/s13613-014-0040-x. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Anna Maria Kaiser¹, Evelien de Jong², Sabine Fm Evelein-Brugman², Jan M Peppink², Christina Mje Vandenbroucke-Grauls³, Armand Rj Girbes²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, The Netherlands ; Department of Intensive Care, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
² Department of Intensive Care, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Background: Availability of a patient data management system (PDMS) has created the opportunity to develop trigger-based electronic surveillance systems (ESSs). The aim was to evaluate a semi-automated trigger-based ESS for the detection of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) in the intensive care.

Methods: Prospective comparison of surveillance was based on a semi-automated ESS with and without trigger. Components of the VAP/CLABSI definition served as triggers. These included the use of VAP/CLABSI-related antibiotics, the presence of mechanical ventilation or an intravenous central line, and the presence of specific clinical symptoms. Triggers were automatically fired by the PDMS. Chest X-rays and microbiology culture results were checked only on patient days with a positive trigger signal from the ESS. In traditional screening, no triggers were used; therefore, chest X-rays and culture results had to be screened for all patient days of all included patients. Patients with pneumonia at admission were excluded.

Results: A total of 553 patients were screened for VAP and CLABSI. The incidence of VAP was 3.3/1,000 ventilation days (13 VAP/3,927 mechanical ventilation days), and the incidence of CLABSI was 1.7/1,000 central line days (24 CLABSI/13.887 central line days). For VAP, the trigger-based screening had a sensitivity of 92.3%, a specificity of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 99.8% compared to traditional screening of all patients. For CLABSI, sensitivity was 91.3%, specificity 100%, and negative predictive value 99.6%.

Conclusions: Pre-selection of patients to be checked for signs and symptoms of VAP and CLABSI by a computer-generated automated trigger system was time saving but slightly less accurate than conventional surveillance. However, this after-the-fact surveillance was mainly designed as a quality indicator over time rather than for precise determination of infection rates. Therefore, surveillance of VAP and CLABSI with a trigger-based ESS is feasible and effective.

Keywords: Decision support capabilities; Electronic surveillance system; Hospital-acquired infection (HAI); Infection prevention (IP); Patient data management system; Quality improvement.