Preventing infections in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Abstract

Infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. While rates of all-cause hospitalization of prevalent end-stage renal disease patients receiving hemodialysis reported by the United States Renal Data System fell from 1993 to 2007, rates of hospitalization for infections rose by 26%. Developing a better understanding of the reasons for this rise and employing strategies to reverse it have become a priority for patients, providers and regulatory agencies in the USA. In addition, recent episodes of transmission of bloodborne hepatitis viruses in outpatient healthcare facilities, including hemodialysis centers, related to suboptimal infection control and injection safety practices, have raised concerns about patient safety. In this article, we review many of the current infection control challenges facing outpatient dialysis centers and discuss recommended infection control policies and practices aimed at combating these challenges.

Keywords::

• bloodstream infection
• hemodialysis
• hepatitis C
• infection control

Disclosure

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

Modified from [84].