As per the findings of the Extended Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care (EPIC II) study, a one-day snapshot of intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide revealed that over one-half of the patients had acquired an infection during the course of their stay, which notably increased their risk of death in the hospital.

The single-day data collected by the researchers, led by Dr. Jean-Louis Vincent of Brussels’ Erasme University Hospital, pertained to May 8, 2008 statistics – involving 13,796 patients, 18 years and above, admitted in 1,265 ICUs in 75 countries.

The study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, December 2 issue, noted that a patient’s extended stay in the ICU spelled greater chances of acquiring an infection. Statistically speaking, the nearly 32 percent infection risk associated with one day’s stay in the ICU increased to a disquieting 70 percent in case of almost a week’s stay in an ICU.

Noting that there was a twofold increase in the mortality rate of infected patients, vis-à-vis their counterparts who did not have an infection, Vincent wrote that the study “demonstrates that infections remain a common problem in ICU patients.”

Vincent further added: “These important data provide a picture of patterns of infection around the world, which can enhance understanding of global and regional differences and provide pointers to help optimize infection prevention and management.”