Randomized controlled trial of vascular access in newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of two methods of vascular access in newborns.

DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial.

SETTING: Neonatal intensive care unit in Regional Hospital of Valdivia, Chile.

PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-four high-risk newborns.

INTERVENTIONS: Peripherally inserted central catheter and peripheral intravenous catheter.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Length of neonatal intensive care unit stay and incidence of sepsis and phlebitis. RESULTS/DATA ANALYSIS: There were no statistically significant differences in the length of the neonatal intensive care unit stay and in the incidence of sepsis between groups. There was a significant higher incidence of phlebitis in the peripheral intravenous catheter group.

CONCLUSIONS: Although there was not a significant effect of the kind of catheter on length of neonatal intensive care unit stay, the peripherally inserted central catheter is recommended because of the decreased risk of phlebitis and the decreased number of venipuncture attempts and catheters needed to complete intravenous therapy.