Relationship Between Blood Transfusion and Risk of Nosocomial infection in Intensive Care Unit Patients

To investigate association between nosocomial infection, blood products transfusion and microorganisms responsible in patients who hospitalized at ICU (intensive care unit).

In this prospective study, 217 patients who were admitted to the ICU of Taleghani Hospital between August 2010 and August 2011 were included. Nosocomial infections were defined using the contacts for disease control and development national nosocomial infections surveillance definitions. Overall, site specific nosocomial infections rates, blood units received, attributable mortality rate and excess length of hospital stay and other variable were considered.

The overall nosocomial infection rate was 24.9% (54 patients). The most common type of nosocomial infection was respiratory tract infections (6.5%, 14) with an attributable mortality rate of 3.7%. In patients who received blood products, 26.6% (37) acquired nosocomial infections. Despite the high percentage of blood transfusion in the hospital, no statistically significant relationship was observed between nosocomial infections and blood product transfusion.

No significance relation was found between NIs and blood transfusion, but was observed between FFP transfusion and NIs. Itsemphasized the need for careful disinfection for FFP transfusion in ears that serve immunosuppressed individual, such as pediatric patients.