Frequency of peripherally inserted central catheter complications in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric medicine
• Vascular access devices
• Infectious disease management

Background:

• Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are crucial for long-term intravenous access in pediatric patients, particularly for antimicrobial therapy.
• Complications associated with PICCs can lead to treatment delays, increased healthcare costs, and patient morbidity.
• Understanding the incidence and risk factors for PICC complications is essential for optimizing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency and types of complications associated with PICCs in immunocompetent pediatric patients undergoing parenteral antimicrobial therapy.
• To identify specific risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of PICC-related complications in this population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients who received PICCs for parenteral antimicrobial therapy.
• Data collection on PICC placement, duration, complications, and patient demographics.
• Statistical analysis to calculate complication frequency and identify associated risk factors.

Main Results:

• Complications occurred at a rate of 19.3 per 1000 PICC days.
• Over 30% of placed PICCs experienced at least one complication.
• Identified risk factors included double-lumen PICCs, femoral vein placement, younger patient age, and a higher number of daily medication doses.

Conclusions:

• PICC complications are frequent in pediatric patients receiving antimicrobial therapy, necessitating careful monitoring and management.
• Specific factors such as catheter design, insertion site, patient age, and dosing frequency are associated with increased complication risk.
• These findings can inform clinical practice to minimize PICC-related adverse events in pediatric populations.