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Efficacy of heparin in peripheral venous infusion in neonates
1Saint Luke's Perinatal Center, Kansas City, Missouri.
Objective:
To determine the efficacy of continuous, low-dose heparin infusion in prolonging peripheral venous catheter patency in neonates.
Design:
Randomized, prospective study.
Setting:
Level III neonatal intensive-care unit.
Participants:
113 neonates requiring i.v. therapy.
Interventions:
The neonates were randomly assigned to heparin (n = 63). The heparin group received 1/2 unit of heparin per milliliter of continuous intravenous infusate or intermittent heparin flush.
Main Outcome Measures:
Low-dose heparin infusion does not make a difference in the duration of peripheral venous catheter patency. The incidence of catheter-related complications in the heparin group is the same as for those receiving no heparin.
Results:
The mean duration of catheter patency was 62.75 hours in the heparin group and 27.3 hours in the no-heparin group (p = .0001). The occurrence of infection, bleeding, and extravasation injury was zero in the sample studied. The incidence of phlebitis was 18 cases in 132 (13%) in the heparin group and 13 cases in 122 (10%) in the no-heparin group. According to chi-square analysis, the difference between groups was not statistically significant (p greater than .05).
Conclusion:
Low-dose heparin infusion in peripheral venous catheters in neonates increased the duration of intravenous catheter patency (p = .0001) without increased risks of bleeding, infection, phlebitis, or extravasation injury.