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0.9% sodium chloride injection with and without heparin for maintaining peripheral indwelling intermittent-infusion

T J Nelson1, S M Graves

  • 1Pharmacy Department, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA.

Insights

For infants, using 0.9% sodium chloride injection with or without heparin sodium to maintain peripheral indwelling intermittent-infusion devices (PIIIDs) showed no significant difference in effectiveness or complications. Both methods proved equally safe and reliable for PIIID maintenance in neonates.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric critical care
  • Intravenous therapy
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Peripheral indwelling intermittent-infusion devices (PIIIDs) are crucial for administering medications to infants.
  • Maintaining PIIID patency is essential to avoid complications and ensure timely drug delivery.
  • Heparinized saline is often used to maintain PIIID patency, but its efficacy and safety in infants require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy and safety of 0.9% sodium chloride injection with and without heparin sodium for maintaining PIIIDs in infants.
  • To evaluate differences in PIIID dwell time, reasons for removal, and medication-related irritation between the two groups.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, randomized study involving infants under one year of age with a 24-gauge PIIID.
  • Patients were assigned to receive either 0.9% sodium chloride injection or 0.9% sodium chloride injection with heparin sodium (10 units/mL) for capping the PIIID.
  • PIIIDs were capped every eight hours or after each medication administration.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were observed between the heparinized and non-heparinized saline groups in PIIID dwell time, reasons for removal, or number of cappings.
  • The irritant potential of administered drugs and the severity of medication-related irritation were comparable between the two groups.
  • The study found no significant difference in maintaining 24-gauge PIIIDs in children younger than one year using either solution.

Conclusions:

  • 0.9% sodium chloride injection alone is as effective and safe as heparinized saline for maintaining PIIIDs in infants.
  • The addition of heparin sodium does not offer significant benefits for PIIID maintenance in this population.
  • These findings suggest that non-heparinized saline can be used for PIIID maintenance in infants, potentially simplifying care and reducing costs.

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