Peripheral Venous Catheter Colonization Study
Peripheral Venous Catheter Colonization Study
Peripheral intravenous cannulas (PIVCs) are utilized in large scale in modern health care.
 Known complications due to a PIVC are phlebitis, thrombosis, bleeding, nerve damage and
 infection. PIVC-related infection causes morbidity, mortality and increased healthcare costs.
 PIVC-related infections can and should be prevented.

 Indwell time is a known risk factor for PIVC-related infection. Another factor potentially
 influencing the risk of developing PIVC-related infection is what type of PIVC that is being
 used. Roughly there are two types of PIVCs. One with an open injection valve and another with
 a closed injection valve. The former being far more used in our hospital and the latter being
 suggested as lowering the risk of PIVC-related infection compared to the open one.

 The investigators aim with this study is to evaluate the incidence of PIVC-colonization in
 300 patients at our 500-bed secondary level hospital in Sweden, as a first step in trying to
 understand what healthcare-providers can improve regarding prevention of PIVC-related
 infections.
Background:

 Peripheral intravenous cannulas (PIVCs) are utilized in large scale in modern health care.
 Known complications due to a PIVC are phlebitis, thrombosis, bleeding, nerve damage and
 infection. PIVC-related infection causes morbidity, mortality and increased healthcare costs.
 In an Australian study the investigators found the presence of a PIVC the most frequent cause
 (36%) of healthcare-associated Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia during 2012. PIVC-related
 infections can and should be prevented.

 Indwell time is a known risk factor for PIVC-related infection. Another factor potentially
 influencing the risk of developing PIVC-related infection is what type of PIVC that is being
 used. Roughly there are two types of PIVCs. One with an open injection valve and another with
 a closed injection valve. The former being far more used in Ryhov County Hospital, Sweden,
 and the latter being suggested as lowering the risk of PIVC-related infection compared to the
 open one.

 In a systematic review from 2006 Maki et al report a point incidence of blood stream
 infections of 0,5 per 1000 catheter-days in PIVCs. In 2014 Hammarskjöld reported an incidence
 of 0,6 per 1000 catheter-days regarding central venous catheters (CVC). Maki et al concludes
 "…, infection control programs must strive to consistently apply essential control measures
 and preventive technologies with all types of intravascular devices." The investigators find
 there is a gap between the large scale utilization of PIVCs and the knowledge about
 PIVC-related infections and recommendations on how to prevent them. Hammarskjöld et al has
 done research on infections related to CVCs, subcutaneous venous ports and on arterial
 cannulas but not PIVCs.

 The aim with this study is to evaluate the incidence of PIVC-colonization at Ryhov County
 Hospital, a 500-bed secondary level hospital in Sweden, as a first step in trying to
 understand what can be done to improve work regarding prevention of PIVC-related infections.

 Materials and methods

 Setting The hospital is a 500-bed general county hospital including most medical, oncological
 and surgical specialties except neurosurgery and cardiac surgery. No solid organ or stem cell
 transplantations are performed.

 Patients Patients admitted to surgical, medical or infectious wards were regularly included
 by a specifically trained nurse from June 2016 until December 2017.

 Inclusion criteria: Patients ≥ 18 years of age with a PIVC in situ for 48 hours or more
 informed verbally and in written and invited to take part in the study. Exclusion criteria:
 Patients < 18 years of age.

 Microbiological methods Intraluminal hub culturing from the two injection sites of the PIVC
 performed with sterile cotton-tipped applicators moistened with sterile sodium chloride 0,9
 %. Swabs transported in Amies medium with charcoal. Identification performed by standard
 methods at our local microbiology laboratory (www.srga.org.accessed _ http://
 www.srga.org.accessed/ _ January 1, 2007).

 Statistics Descriptive. How many positive cultures and which type of microbes were found.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  18 years or older hospitalized in Ryhov County Hosptial, Sweden, with perhiperal
 venous catheter in situ for 48 hours or more.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Under 18 years of age.