Teleflex Incorporated announced findings from a large-scale multinational study demonstrating the clinical efficacy of chlorhexidine-impregnated central venous catheters in preventing central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) among intensive care unit patients. The prospective cohort study, conducted across 12 ICUs in eight hospitals spanning India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Colombia, Egypt, and Turkey, included more than 6,670 patients.
Significant Reduction in Infection Rates
The study's pre-specified CVC subgroup analysis revealed a statistically significant 70.5% reduction in CLABSI incidence among patients receiving Arrowg+ard Blue and Arrowg+ard Blue Plus CVCs compared to those with plain, non-impregnated catheters. The analysis evaluated CLABSI rates per 1,000 central-line days, providing a standardized metric for comparison.
Notably, patients with chlorhexidine-impregnated catheters had longer average ICU stays and higher device utilization ratios, indicating more frequent and extended catheter use. Despite this increased exposure risk, infection rates remained significantly lower, underscoring the antimicrobial technology's effectiveness even in high-risk patient populations.
Pathogen-Specific Benefits
The research identified specific reductions in infection-causing pathogens associated with chlorhexidine-impregnated CVCs. Patients with plain CVCs demonstrated higher incidence rates of gram-negative bacteria including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Similarly, gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium, as well as fungi including Candida species, occurred more frequently in the plain catheter group.
Clinical Practice Implications
According to Dr. Amy Bardin, Vice President of Clinical and Medical Affairs at Teleflex, the multinational study suggests that unprotected CVCs may represent an independent risk factor for CLABSI development, even when healthcare teams maintain proper training and adherence to best practices. The study design eliminated technique variability as a confounding factor by ensuring similar insertion training and maximal barrier precautions across both treatment groups.
"This new research reinforces our performance claims for effectiveness of Arrowg+ard Blue and Arrowg+ard Blue Plus CVCs against common CLABSI pathogens," Bardin stated. The findings support the clinical value of antimicrobial catheter technology as an additional layer of infection prevention beyond standard care protocols.
Study Limitations and Significance
The authors acknowledged potential variations in patient characteristics across study hospitals and the absence of standardized infection ratio metrics to adjust for these factors in the participating countries. Despite these limitations, the research team noted that the study data provides "significant evidence" regarding the effectiveness of impregnated CVCs in reducing healthcare-associated infections.
The study excluded peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) from the CVC subgroup analysis, with only 8 of the 6,672 total catheters being PICCs. Teleflex funded editorial support for the research but was not involved in data analysis or manuscript content development.
Safety Profile
The Arrowg+ard Blue and Arrowg+ard Blue Plus catheters are contraindicated for patients with known hypersensitivity to chlorhexidine, silver sulfadiazine, or sulfa drugs. Healthcare providers should reference complete product labeling for comprehensive indications, contraindications, warnings, and precautions before use.
