OBJETIVO: Avaliar a freqüência de infecção relacionada ao cateter venoso central em pacientes submetidos a terapia nutricional parenteral. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados os cateteres venosos centrais de pacientes em terapia nutricional parenteral que tiveram a indicação de retirada do cateter venoso central por infecção, alta hospitalar, ou trombose. Os pacientes com infecção foram denominados de Grupo 1 e os demais de Grupo 2. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante quanto ao estado nutricional dos 18 pacientes analisados. Foram analisados 28 cateteres e destes 68% estavam infectados, sendo 72% do Grupo 1 e 28% do Grupo 2 (assintomáticos). No Grupo 1, houve infecção sistêmica em 70% dos casos, já no Grupo 2 a hemocultura foi positiva em 17% dos casos. A colonização por Staphylococcus sp. ocorreu em 48% dos casos, seguida de Candida sp. (21%), Enterococcus faecalis (16%), Pseudomonas aerurginosa (10%) e Proteus sp.(5%). CONCLUSÃO: A contaminação de cateter venoso central utilizado para terapia nutricional parenteral é freqüente. Mesmo pacientes assintomáticos recebendo nutrição parenteral têm uma incidência maior de infecção por Candida sp. Portanto é necessária a criação de barreiras que impeçam a colonização destes cateteres venosos centrais, a fim de diminuir a morbimortalidade de pacientes dependentes deste tipo de terapia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of central venous catheter-related infections in hospitalized patients receiving total parenteral nutrition. METHODS: Central venous catheters were analyzed immediately after removal due to infection, hospital discharge or thrombosis. The patients with catheter-related infection were named Group 1 and the other patients were named Group 2. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were studied. There was no statistically significant difference in nutritional status between the two groups. A total of 28 catheters were analyzed. Sixty-eight percent of the catheters were infected: 72% of them were from Group 1 and 28% from Group 2 (asymptomatic patients). Systemic infection was diagnosed in 70% of the patients from Group 1. Positive blood culture was found in 17% of the patients from Group 2. The microorganisms found were: Staphylococcus sp. (48%), Candida sp. (21%), Enterococcus faecalis (16%), Pseudomonas aerurginosa (10%) and Proteus sp. (5%). CONCLUSION: Central venous catheter infection is common in hospitalized asymptomatic patients. Patients receiving total parenteral nutrition are most frequently infected with Candida sp. Therefore, the creation of barriers that block colonization in the central venous catheter is essential to decrease the morbidity and mortality among patients that depend on total parenteral nutrition.