Antimicrobial use in patients with positive intravascular catheter cultures: a six-month prospective survey in a teaching hospital.

Review of medical records revealed that, of 190 intravascular catheters sent for culture during the study period, 50 were positive. Of these 50, 11 (22%) were sent for culture as a routine procedure without special clinical indications. Of the remaining 39 cultures, only 11 (28%) had clinical impact in the patient's management. Ten of the 50 therapeutic interventions were inappropriate. Restricting cultures to patients who may have catheter-related infection is likely to lead to significant cost savings.