Patients must receive high-quality and safe health care. Peripheral venous catheterization (PVC) exposes patients to complications, mostly phlebitis. This study investigated the incidence of phlebitis and its PVC-related risk factors among patients in the medical and surgical emergency departments of the Souro Sanou University Hospital Center (CHUSS) in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. This prospective cross-sectional study took place from July 4 to August 3, 2018. The incidence of PVC-related phlebitis was calculated and its risk factors were identified by logistic regression, with SPSS software version 20 (entry option), with significance set at 5%. The 511 patients included in the study had a mean age of 44.7 (95% CI 43.1-46.3) years. The mean duration of PVC was 3.1 days. Of these patients, 149 developed phlebitis, for an incidence of 29.2% (95% CI 25.0%-33.0%). There was no statistically significant difference between the two emergency (medical and surgical) departments. Second-degree phlebitis accounted for slightly more than half the cases (53%). Risk factors associated with the occurrence of PVC-related phlebitis were female gender, catheterization duration more than 3 days, small size of the catheter, and the healthcare worker's failure to use friction in washing with a hydroalcoholic hand solution. Preventive measures are essential.
Keywords: Burkina Faso; peripheral venous catheterization; phlebitis; risk factors.