Attributable cost of catheter-associated bloodstream infections among intensive care patients in a nonteaching hospital.

Objective: To determine the attributable cost and length of stay of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired, catheter-associated bloodstream infections from a hospital-based cost perspective, after adjusting for potential confounders.

Design: Patients admitted to the ICU between January 19, 1998, and July 31, 2000, were observed prospectively for the occurrence of catheter-associated bloodstream infections. Hospital costs were obtained from the hospital cost accounting database.