[Mortality associated with hospital acquired infections. Analysis based upon data from the Polish National Program for Control of Infection in 1998]

The purpose of this study was to analyse patient mortality connected with hospital acquired infections in Polish hospitals during the year 1998.

Data was taken from 96 hospitals involved in the National Programme for the Registration of Hospital-Acquired Infections which was established in 1998. The data concerning the presence or absence of 19 specific infection forms was gathered using the passive method.

The mortality of patients during 1998 in which hospital acquired infections were the direct or indirect cause of death was 6.9% Pneumonia and blood stream infections were the most frequent causes of death in patients hospitalised in Intensive Care Units. The most important risk factors for the development of hospital acquired infections, included old age, mechanical ventilation and urinary bladder catheterization.

Selected epidemiological indicators for mortality rate were similar to those reported in countries with high quality infection control. A marked difference, however, was seen when comparing dating involving blood stream infections. The level of morbidity was found to be less in Poland than in developed countries. The authors feel that this low morbidity may be secondary to the decreased frequency of blood culture testing in Poland.