Comparison of Standard Isolation With Targeted Isolation for Preventing Nosocomial Transmission of MRSA and VRE

Study Summary

Hospital-acquired infections are common and frequently lead to poor outcomes, including death, in affected patients. Two common organisms that cause infections in the hospital are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). One strategy used to prevent these infections is contact isolation of hospitalized patients with MRSA and/or VRE. It is unclear whether contact isolation decreases the rate of infection with MRSA and/or VRE. The CONTACT-PILOT study is designed to test the hypothesis that contact isolation decreases the rate of infection with MRSA and/or VRE in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The study will enroll all adults in the Medical ICU and will run between September 2017 and April 2018. During some months, all patients in the Medical ICU patients will be placed in isolation for MRSA or VRE if they have a current infection or colonization with either organism, or a recent history thereof. During other months, patients will only be placed in isolation for MRSA or VRE if they have an active, highly-transmissible infection with either organism, such as a pneumonia or an open, draining wound.

Primary Outcome

The primary endpoint is defined as an MRSA or VRE infection in a patient not currently diagnosed with or being treated for that infection at least 48 hours after admission to the study ICU and while the patient either remains in the study ICU or is within 48 hours of discharge or transfer from the study ICU, truncated at day 28 after enrollment. The composite rate will be reported in infections per 1000 patient-days.

Interventions

• OTHER Standard Contact Isolation
• OTHER Targeted Contact Isolation