Does longer peripheral intravenous catheter length optimise antimicrobial delivery? Protocol for the LEADER study

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Short peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are standard for intravenous antimicrobial therapy but frequently fail before treatment completion.
• PIVC failure leads to medication errors, patient discomfort, and increased healthcare expenses.
• Reliable intravenous access is crucial for effective antimicrobial treatment in hospitalised patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether long PIVCs offer improved reliability for delivering antimicrobial therapy compared to short PIVCs.
• To assess the impact of PIVC length on the continuity of antimicrobial administration.

Main Methods:

• A two-arm, parallel randomised controlled trial involving hospitalised adults requiring at least 3 days of peripherally compatible intravenous antimicrobials.
• Participants were randomised to receive either a short (<4 cm) or long (4.5-6.4 cm) PIVC.
• The study will recruit 192 participants, with an interim analysis for feasibility and safety at n=70. The primary outcome is disruption to antimicrobial administration due to all-cause PIVC failure.

Main Results:

• This section is not available in the provided abstract.

Conclusions:

• This section is not available in the provided abstract.