Peer-Reviewed Published Study Shows Advantages of
Chlorhexidine/Silver Sulfadiazine-Impregnated CVC vs. Uncoated CVC
WAYNE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 25, 2014--
Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE: TFX), a leading global provider of medical
devices for critical care and surgery, has announced that newly
published research has reaffirmed that the ARROW Central Venous Catheter
(CVC) with ARROWg+ard Blue PLUS® Technology reduces the
incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) and
reduces direct costs related to treatment of these potentially deadly
infections.1
The prospective study, by Leonardo Lorente M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues,
independent from Teleflex, compared an unprotected CVC to an
antimicrobial protected CVC with ARROWg+ard
Blue PLUS® Technology. ARROWg+ard Blue PLUS®
Technology protects the catheter surfaces both intra- and extraluminally
with chlorhexidine/silver sulfadiazine. Authors tested the CVCs to
determine which was more cost effective, including the cost of treating
any associated infections.
The peer-reviewed paper appears as a featured article in the March 2014
issue of the American
Journal of Infection Control, which is published by APIC,
the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Dr. Lorente works in the Department of Critical Care at Hospital
Universitario de Canarias, in Tenerife, Spain.
The Lorente paper said the authors undertook the study because previous
cost-effectiveness analyses of antimicrobial
catheters included the cost of extended hospital stays. This cost
varies widely from institution to institution, limiting the
transferability of the results from institution to institution, they
said.
For this new study, the authors included only the costs of CVCs,
infection diagnosis, and antimicrobials used to treat patients who
suffered infections. These direct expenses, they believed, gave a
clearer picture of the ultimate cost-effectiveness of protected
catheters, given those catheters’ somewhat higher initial cost.
“Our research shows that this antimicrobial catheter is cost-beneficial
in jugular venous access. We believe that this catheter could be
cost-beneficial especially when used at insertion sites that are
associated with higher infection rates, such as jugular vein with
tracheostomy or femoral vein, or with patients who have a higher risk of
infection, such as immunocompromised patients,” said Dr. Lorente.
The study involved patients admitted to the ICU of the Hospital
Universitario de Canarias in Tenerife, Spain, who received one or more
internal jugular venous catheters. It examined a total of 636 catheters
and 3,271 catheter days. Each patient’s physician made the decision
about whether to use a protected or unprotected catheter.
During the study, the ARROWg+ard Blue PLUS® CVC achieved zero
infections. In contrast to the zero infections associated with
ARROWg+ard Blue PLUS® CVCs, the unprotected catheters were
associated with infections in 2% of cases and a CRBSI rate of 5.04/1,000
catheter days. The antimicrobial catheter was also associated with more
prolonged CRBSI-free time than the unprotected catheter.
The cost per catheter day of the protected catheter was roughly half
that of the unprotected catheter (€3.78 ± €4.45 vs. €7.28 ± €16.71). The
differences in CRBSI rate, cost, and catheter-free time, as reported in
this study, are statistically significant. The cost was calculated in
euros because the study was done in Spain. As of the press release, the
conversions to dollars would be ($5.22 ± $6.14 vs. $10.05 ± $23.06).
“The statistically significant finding that the ARROWg+ard Blue PLUS®
CVC was the most cost-effective option is very important,” said Jay
White, President Vascular Access Division. “It shows the value of
looking not just at the initial cost of an infection prevention device,
but also considering its ability to improve patient care and save
hospitals money.”
As the authors pointed out, numerous government agencies and
professional societies have recommended protected catheters in their
guidelines for the prevention of CRBSIs. Among these organizations are
the CDC, Infusion Nurses Society (INS), Infectious Diseases Society of
America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).
“This impressive study demonstrates both the clinical efficacy and
cost-effectiveness of chlorhexidine/silver sulfadiazine catheters,” said
Keith Kaye, M.D., a US based infection prevention expert who was not
involved in the study. “The science behind the antimicrobial coating and
protection of internal and external surfaces is well established, and
this study adds to the large body of clinical evidence showing the
effectiveness of the device. There is a reason it is the most widely
used catheter of its type.”
“This study defined cost-effectiveness in very direct terms, but
hospitals should also consider the broader financial implications of
reducing CRBSIs,” said Kaye. “Patients are learning how to find the
safest hospitals, and they now have multiple places to look, from
hospital quality ratings by the Leapfrog Group and the Joint Commission,
to statistical leaders in states that require hospitals to report
healthcare-acquired infections. CRBSIs are weighted very heavily in all
of these rankings.”
Dr. Kaye is a professor of medicine at Wayne State University in
Detroit, Mich., and corporate director of Infection Prevention, Hospital
Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship at the Detroit Medical
Center. Dr. Kaye is a paid consultant of Teleflex.
More than 30 studies support the ability of ARROWg+ard Technology to
save lives and reduce costs by reducing infections. Additional
information may be found at www.arrowgard.com.
About Teleflex Incorporated
Teleflex is a leading global provider of specialty medical devices for a
range of procedures in critical care and surgery. Our mission is to
provide solutions that enable healthcare providers to improve outcomes
and enhance patient and provider safety. Headquartered in Wayne, PA,
Teleflex employs approximately 11,400 people worldwide and serves
healthcare providers in more than 150 countries. Additional information
about Teleflex can be obtained from the company's website at teleflex.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe
historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements. Any
forward-looking statements contained herein are based on our
management's current beliefs and expectations, but are subject to a
number of risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances, which may
cause actual results or company actions to differ materially from what
is expressed or implied by these statements. These risks and
uncertainties are identified and described in more detail in our filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report
on Form 10-K.
Teleflex, Arrow, and Arrowg+ard Blue PLUS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Teleflex Incorporated or its affiliates© 2014
Teleflex Incorporated. All rights reserved. 2014-2921
References:
1. Lorente L, Lecuona M, Jiménez A, et al.
Chlorhexidine-silver sulfadiazine-impregnated venous catheters save
costs. American Journal of Infection Control, 2014; 42: 321-324.
Source: Teleflex Incorporated
Teleflex Incorporated
Jake Elguicze
Treasurer and Vice
President, Investor Relations
610-948-2836