Objectives: To characterise the use of peripherally inserted central catheters in paediatric cardiac patients and to identify risk factors associated with their complications.
Materials and methods: Observational retrospective cohort study in paediatric cardiac patients who underwent peripherally inserted central catheter placement in a tertiary children's hospital from January 2000 to June 2018.
Results: 1822 cardiac patients underwent 2952 peripherally inserted central catheter placements in the study period. Median age was 29 days, with survival to hospital discharge of 96.4%. Successful placement achieved 94.5% of attempts, with a median line duration of 12 days. Factors associated with successful placement were the use of general anaesthesia (odds ratio 7.52, p < 0.001) and year of placement (odds ratio 1.08, p < 0.001). The incidence of complications was 28.6%, with thrombosis/occlusion being the most frequent (33%). Thrombosis/occlusion were associated with two and three lumens (odds ratio 1.96, p < 0.001 and 4.63, p = 0.037, respectively). Lines placed by interventional radiology had decreased infiltration (odds ratio 0.20, p = 0.002) and lower migration/malposition (odds ratio 0.36, p < 0.001). The use of maintenance intravenous fluids (odds ratio 3.98, p = 0.008) and peripheral tip position (odds ratio 3.82, p = 0.001) were associated with increased infiltration. The probability of infection decreased over time (odds ratio 0.79, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Peripherally inserted central catheters in paediatric cardiac patients have complication rates similar to other paediatric populations. A prospective assessment of the factors associated with their complications in this patient population may be beneficial in improving outcomes.
Keywords: children; complications; paediatric cardiac patients; peripherally inserted central catheter.