Phlebitis rate and time kinetics of short peripheral intravenous catheters.

BACKGROUND: An observational prospective cohort study was carried out on complication rates and time kinetics of phlebitis caused by short peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) in inpatients on 15 hospital wards in four hospitals in Cologne, Germany. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We observed 1,582 patients with 2,495 PIVCs daily using standardized questionnaires. Phlebitis was defined using modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. RESULTS: Average phlebitis rates were 27 per 100 patients and 104 per 1,000 catheter days. Median duration of PIVC was 2 days (25 percentile = 2 days; 75 percentile 3 days). Time kinetics (Kaplan-Meier) were linear. CONCLUSION: Linear time kinetics of PIVC phlebitis do not support CDC recommendations for an elective PIVC change after 72 hours, provided daily monitoring of the insertion site occurs.