TABLE 6.

Action taken in response to bloodstream infection and patient outcome

Number of CVCs (n=180)	Antimicrobial agent (n=139)		No antimicrobial agent given (n=41)		Deaths reported*, n(% total)
	n (%total)	Died, n (%total)	n (%total)	Died, n (%total)
Catheter removed	90	16/90	25	3/25	19/115
(n=115)	(50.0)	(17.8)	(13.9)	(12.0)	(16.5)
Catheter not	49	13/49	16	7/16	20/65
removed (n=65)	(27.2)	(26.5)	(8.9)	(43.8)	(30.8)
Deaths reported†	29/139		10/41
	(20.8)		(24.4)

^*OR of dying if central venous catheter (CVC) was not removed compared with CVC removed: OR=2.25, 95% CI 1.02 to 4.92 P=0.04;

^†OR of dying if no antimicrobial agents were given compared with antimicrobial agents given: P=not significant. OR of dying if no action was taken compared with any action being taken: OR=3.21, 95% CI 0.93 to 10.5, P=0.05