Description:
<jats:sec id="S0195941700029593_abs1"><jats:title>Objective.</jats:title><jats:p>To estimate the excess length of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) due to a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), using a multistate model that accounts for the timing of infection.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="S0195941700029593_abs2"><jats:title>Design.</jats:title><jats:p>A cohort of 3,560 patients followed up for 36,806 days in ICUs.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="S0195941700029593_abs3"><jats:title>Setting.</jats:title><jats:p>Eleven ICUs in 3 Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="S0195941700029593_abs4"><jats:title>Patients.</jats:title><jats:p>All patients admitted to the ICU during a defined time period with a central line in place for more than 24 hours.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="S0195941700029593_abs5"><jats:title>Results.</jats:title><jats:p>The average excess length of stay due to a CLABSI increased in 10 of 11 ICUs and varied from -1.23 days to 4.69 days. A reduction in length of stay in Mexico was probably caused by an increased risk of death due to CLABSI, leading to shorter times to death. Adjusting for patient age and Average Severity of Illness Score tended to increase the estimated excess length of stays due to CLABSI.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="S0195941700029593_abs6"><jats:title>Conclusions.</jats:title><jats:p>CLABSIs are associated with an excess length of ICU stay. The average excess length of stay varies between ICUs, most likely because of the case-mix of admissions and differences in the ways that hospitals deal with infections.</jats:p></jats:sec>