Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Predictive factors of post-discharge surgical site infections among patients from a teaching hospital

Introduction

Surgical site infections (SSIs) often manifest after patients are discharged and are missed by hospital-based surveillance.

Methods

We conducted a case-reference study nested in a prospective cohort of patients from six surgical specialties in a teaching hospital. The factors related to SSI were compared for cases identified during the hospital stay and after discharge.

Results

Among 3,427 patients, 222 (6.4%) acquired an SSI. In 138 of these patients, the onset of the SSI occurred after discharge. Neurological surgery and the use of steroids were independently associated with a greater likelihood of SSI diagnosis during the hospital stay.

Conclusions

Our results support the idea of a specialty-based strategy for post-discharge SSI surveillance.

Infection control; Surgical site infections; Surveillance


Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT Caixa Postal 118, 38001-970 Uberaba MG Brazil, Tel.: +55 34 3318-5255 / +55 34 3318-5636/ +55 34 3318-5287, http://rsbmt.org.br/ - Uberaba - MG - Brazil
E-mail: rsbmt@uftm.edu.br