Research led by Amsterdam UMC, across more than 5 years and 1100 patients has demonstrated a strategy for reducing inappropriate IV use by a third, an effect that was sustained across the five-year period. This should also lead to reduction in the associated infections that effect one in ten patients. These results are published today in The Lancet eClinicalMedicine .
"Infections caused by both IVs and catheters occur in more than 10% of patients and studies indicate that up to a quarter are not necessary. Simply, this means that patients are placed at an unnecessarily high risk of infection. This can delay, or even hamper their recovery," says Suzanne Geerlings, professor of internal medicine at Amsterdam UMC.
In order to combat this the research team published in 2017 a strategy in the Lancet Infectious Diseases. This strategy resulted in a 37% reduction in the number of unnecessary or, inappropriately used, catheters. "When we speak of inappropriate use, this usually refers to catheters that are placed for too long or, in the case of urinary catheters, when there is insufficient support for the patient," adds Geerlings.
Across the 1113 patients included in the study, 962 received an IV catheter, typically used for the administration of fluids, with the remaining 151 receiving a urinary catheter with the remaining 962 receiving an IV catheter. "What is really interesting is that no study has ever looked at how lasting these recommendations are, and this is true for many new.