Recurrent Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections in Chronic Intestinal Failure -Disease Burden, Prevention, and Cost-Effectiveness

PhD defence by Camilla Thygesen Nerstrøm

Assessment Committee

Associate professor Ebbe Langholz, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen (Chairperson)
Professor Christian Lodberg Hvas, Aarhus University and Department of Clinical Medicine - Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital
Dr Vikram Kalathur Raghu, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Supervisors

Clinical Professor Palle Bekker Jeppesen
Clinical Associate Professor Christopher Filtenborg Brandt
MD, PhD Siri Tribler

Department

Department of Clinical Medicine

Graduate Programme

Surgical Sciences

Place

Digital defence, please follow the link: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/j/63691089704?pwd=eXFjA1eFkahTpf9WUPTb4a0rXaIOe5.1
MeetingID, if relevant: 636 9108 9704
Password, if relevant: 315128

As the defence will be held digitally, we kindly ask guests who do not have an active role in the defence to mute their microphones and keep their cameras turned off throughout the defence. Questions from the audience should be submitted via the chat function.

Email address to gain access to the thesis: camilla.thygesen.nerstroem@regionh.dk.
You will either receive a copy of the thesis or be informed where you can read a physical copy.
Recipients of copies of the thesis are not allowed to share or distribute it due to copyright compliance.

Short description of the thesis

Patients with chronic intestinal failure depend on long-term home parenteral support delivered through a central venous catheter. Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are a serious complication, often resulting in repeated hospitalizations and risk of compromised venous access.

This PhD thesis investigates the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of taurolidine containing catheter lock solution in preventing recurrent CRBSIs. Based on a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the findings demonstrate that taurolidine substantially reduces recurrent infections, catheter removals, and associated healthcare costs.

The thesis also highlights the importance of analyzing recurrent events rather than only the first infection to capture the cumulative clinical and economic burden of CRBSIs.