Table 1.
Participant, PICC insertion and treatment characteristics at randomisation*
| Group 1 SPU + SSD+ CHG |
Group 2 PAL+ CHG + Tape |
Group 3 CSD+ CHG |
Group 4 TA + SPU |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At recruitment (N = 124) | (n = 40) | (n = 5) | (n = 43) | (n = 36) |
| Age (years)a | 56 (16) | 63 (20) | 57 (15) | 54 (18) |
| Sex (male) | 25 (62) | 2 (40) | 27 (63) | 25 (69) |
| Overweight/obese (n = 102) | 20 (62) | 2 (50) | 21 (58) | 16 (53) |
| Skin integrity: | ||||
| - good | 13 (32) | 1 (20) | 13 (30) | 14 (39) |
| - fair | 21 (52) | 3 (60) | 26 (60) | 18 (50) |
| - poor | 6 (15) | 1 (20) | 4 (9) | 4 (11) |
| Skin type (white) | 32 (80) | 3 (60) | 30 (70) | 26 (72) |
| Comorbidities | 31 (78) | 4 (80) | 32 (74) | 21 (58) |
| - none | 3 (8) | 1 (20) | 4 (9) | 5 (14) |
| - one | 6 (15) | 0 (0) | 7 (16) | 10 (28) |
| - two | 6 (15) | 1 (20) | 7 (16) | 5 (14) |
| - three | 6 (15) | 1 (20) | 6 (14) | 2 (6) |
| - four or more | 19 (48) | 2 (40) | 19 (44) | 14 (39) |
| Diagnosis: | ||||
| - medical | 10 (25) | 1 (20) | 14 (33) | 10 (28) |
| - surgical emergency | 9 (22) | 2 (40) | 11 (26) | 8 (22) |
| - surgical elective | 8 (20) | 0 (0) | 6 (14) | 8 (22) |
| - haematology | 4 (10) | 1 (20) | 4 (9) | 7 (19) |
| - oncology | 5 (12) | 1 (20) | 3 (7) | 3 (8) |
| - surgical oncology | 4 (10) | 0 (0) | 5 (12) | 0 (0) |
| Leucocytes lowb | 1 (2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Infection (any) | 23 (58) | 4 (80) | 24 (56) | 20 (56) |
| Antibiotic therapy: | 31 (78) | 5 (100) | 30 (70) | 28 (78) |
| - intravenous | 31 (78) | 3 (60) | 29 (67) | 27 (75) |
| - oral | 1 (2) | 3 (60) | 8 (19) | 4 (11) |
| At PICC insertion (N = 121) | (n = 39) | (n = 5) | (n = 42) | (n = 35) |
| PICC type (n = 120): | ||||
| - basilic | 35 (92) | 5 (100) | 34 (81) | 33 (94) |
| - brachial | 2 (5) | 0 (0) | 5 (12) | 1 (3) |
| - cephalic | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 3 (7) | 1 (3) |
| Subsequent insertion | 11 (28) | 0 (0) | 12 (29) | 8 (23) |
| Inserted by: | ||||
| - nurse | 36 (92) | 5 (100) | 35 (83) | 31 (89) |
| - radiographer | 3 (8) | 0 (0) | 7 (17) | 3 (9) |
| - doctor | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) |
| Insertion method: | ||||
| - ultrasound | 27 (69) | 5 (100) | 32 (76) | 22 (63) |
| - ultrasound, fluoroscopy | 12 (31) | 0 (0) | 10 (24) | 13 (37) |
| Multiple insertion attempts | 5 (13) | 1 (20) | 3 (7) | 5 (14) |
| Hair, before insertion: | 4 (10) | 0 (0) | 10 (24) | 8 (23) |
| - if yes, clippedc | 2 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Inserted on dominant side | 20 (51) | 3 (60) | 22 (52) | 19 (54) |
| Number of lumens (two)d | 27 (69) | 1 (20) | 31 (74) | 23 (66) |
| Treatment (N = 121) | (n = 39) | (n = 5) | (n = 42) | (n = 35) |
| IV fluids/medicationse: | ||||
| - fluid continuous | 29 (74) | 4 (80) | 31 (74) | 31 (89) |
| - normal saline flush | 11 (28) | 2 (40) | 5 (12) | 3 (9) |
| - chemotherapy | 3 (8) | 1 (20) | 3 (7) | 6 (17) |
| - PN (non-lipid) | 6 (15) | 0 (0) | 8 (19) | 5 (14) |
| - lipids | 7 (18) | 0 (0) | 6 (14) | 4 (11) |
| - blood products | 11 (28) | 2 (40) | 7 (17) | 8 (23) |
| - antibiotics | 31 (79) | 2 (40) | 28 (67) | 29 (83) |
| - heparin, continuous | 5 (13) | 0 (0) | 2 (5) | 5 (14) |
| Patient confused/agitated/drowsy (n = 119)f | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 6 (15) | 4 (12) |
| Ventilated/intubated (n = 119)f | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) |
| Independently mobile (n = 119)f | 22 (56) | 3 (60) | 25 (61) | 21 (62) |
| Other VAD in situf | 2 (5) | 0 (0) | 9 (21) | 9 (26) |
*Data presented on 124 randomised patients and 121 inserted peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs); number (percentage) shown unless otherwise noted. Frequencies may not add up to group size (and frequencies to 100%) due to missing data
SPU simple polyurethane dressing, SSD sutureless securement device, CHG chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated discs, PAL polyurethane with absorbent lattice pad dressing, CSD combination securement dressing, TA tissue adhesive, VAD vascular access device, PN parenteral nutrition
aMean (standard deviation) shown
bAbsolute value <1000 per microlitre
cFrequencies shown only
dOther categories omitted
eReceived at any time during the study period
fAt device removal