Analysis of exit site care on IV antibiotic use in facilities using electrolytically produced sodium hypochlorite: a pilot retrospective study.

In a retrospective survey of 226 dialysis facilities, the present study compared the effectiveness of topical disinfection with electrolytically produced sodium hypochlorite (ESH) and povidone iodine in preventing central venous catheter-related infections by tracking intravenous (IV) antibiotic administration. In patients undergoing hemodialysis, 18.1% of patients in ESH facilities and 19.2% of patients in povidone iodine facilities were administered IV antibiotics one or more times during the six-month study (p = 0.09). These findings suggest that ESH and povidone iodine are comparable in effectiveness for exit site care in patients dialyzing with central venous catheters.