Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-15T01:47:11.449Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nosocomial Infections Decade-Specific Risk

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Peter A. Gross ,
Christopher Rapuano ,
Anthony Adrignolo  and
Barbara Shaw
Peter A. Gross*
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey and New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
Christopher Rapuano
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey and New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
Anthony Adrignolo
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey and New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
Barbara Shaw
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey and New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
*
Hackensack Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ 07601
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Although the elderly are thought to be at increased risk for acquiring nosocomial infections (NIs), the degree of risk has not been carefully quantified. We determined the decade-specific risks of NIs. The rate was constant at approximately 10 per 1,000 discharged patients from birth to 40 to 49 years. Thereafter the rate rose logarithmically and peaked at greater than 100 per 1,000 discharges after 70 years. Of all NIs, 64% occurred after 60 years of age. Yet, this elderly group made up only 23% of hospitalized patients. In conclusion, while the elderly comprise a small fraction of hospitalized patients, they account for the majority of nosocomial infections.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 4 , Issue 3 , May/June 1983 , pp. 145 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Freeman, J, McGowan, JE: Risk factors for nosocomial infections. J Infect Dis 1978; 138:811–819.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Hooton, TM, Haley, RW, Culver, DH, et al: The joint associations of multiple risk factors with the occurrences of nosocomial infections. Am J Med med 1981; 70:960–967.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Brem, AM, Torok, EM: Nosocomial infections in the elderly. Hospital Topics 1979; 57(10): 40, 41–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.National Nosocomial Infections Study Report, Annual Summary, 1978. Dept of Health and Human Services (PHS), Atlanta, Centers for Disease Control, 1981, p 5.Google Scholar
5.Garner, JS, Bennett, JW, Scheckler, WE, et al: Surveillance of nosocomial infections, in Proceedings of the International Conference on Nosocomial Infections. Atlanta, Centers for Disease Control, August 1970, p 277–281.Google Scholar
6.Gardner, ID: The effect of aging on susceptibility to infection. Rev Infect Dis 1980; 2:801–810.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Turck, M, Stamm, W: Nosocomial infection of the urinary tract. Am J Med 1981; 70:651–654.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Burke, JP, Garibaldi, RA, Britt, MR, et al: Prevention of catheter-associated urinary track infections: Efficacy of daily meatal care regimens. Am J Med 1981; 70:655–658.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Garibaldi, RA, Britt, MR, Coleman, ML, et al: Risk factors for postoperative pneumonia. Am J Med 1981; 70:677–680.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Maki, DG, Hassermer, CA: Endemic rate of fluid contamination and related septicemia in arterial pressure monitoring. Am J Med 1981; 70:733–738.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Nichols, RL: Use of prophylactic antibiotics in surgical practice. Am J Med 1981; 70:686–692.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Green, JW, Wenzel, RP: Postoperative wound infection: A controlled study of the increase duration of hospital stay and direct cost of hospitalization. Ann Surg 1977; 185:264–268.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Gross, PA, Neu, HC, Aswapokee, P, et al: Deaths from nosocomial infections: Experience in a university hospital and a community hospital. Am J Med 1980; 68:219–223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Eickoff, TC: Nosocomial infections—1981. J Antimicrob Chemotherapy. 1982; 9(suppl):87–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar