Relationship Between Blood Volume Collected and Contamination Rates of Blood Cultures in Paediatric Emergencies: A Study Protocol.

AIM: Blood culture is the gold standard for diagnosing bloodstream infections and guiding antimicrobial therapy. However, the optimal blood volume for paediatric blood cultures remains uncertain. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a standardized paediatric blood culture collection protocol using age- and weight-adjusted blood volumes to reduce contamination rates while maintaining diagnostic performance. METHODS: A cross-sectional study will be conducted in the paediatric emergency department of a tertiary hospital. All patients under 18 years of age undergoing blood culture collection were included. Data on blood collection practices, inoculated blood volume, contamination rates and culture positivity will be collected and analysed using STATA version 18. RESULTS: Implementation of the protocol was expected to reduce blood culture contamination rates without compromising diagnostic yield. The study will assess the feasibility and effectiveness of using lower age- and weight-adjusted blood volumes in routine paediatric emergency care. CONCLUSIONS: If effective, this protocol may support the adoption of less invasive blood culture collection strategies, improving sample quality, reducing contamination and enhancing the safety and quality of care for paediatric patients.