Clinical-epidemiological characterization of patients with nosocomial infections in an intensive care unit

Abstract

Introduction: nosocomial infections are a global health problem, and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality as well as a heavy burden on health costs.

Objective: to characterize clinically and epidemiologically patients with nosocomial infections treated in the intensive care unit of the Hospital Dr. Ernesto Guevara de la Serna; Las Tunas, Cuba, during the period from January 2022 to January 2024.

Methods: a retrospective longitudinal descriptive study was carried out at the place and time previously declared. 453 patients diagnosed with nosocomial infection were identified, but only 431 met the established inclusion and exclusion criteria. The information was processed through descriptive statistics using percentage analysise.

Results: the research showed that 28.3 % of the studied population were patients over 60 years old and the most frequent diagnosis at admission was acute abdomen with 21 %, the greatest number of diagnoses were made in patients who remained 21 days in the intensive care unit, identifying respiratory infection as the most frequent with 43.5 %. The main causal agent was Staphylococcus with 23.8 % followed by Escherichia coli. 20.9 %. Achieving better results with the administration of cephalosporins 30.3 %, showing an encouraging result with 61.8 % of patients discharged.

Conclusions: clinical and epidemiological aspects were characterized in patients diagnosed with nosocomial infections in the intensive care unit, which provides new data on the subject to establish interventional strategies for their surveillance, prevention and early recognition.