Implementation and evaluation of short peripheral intravenous catheter flushing guidelines: a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial

Table 3 Study outcomes by treatment group

	Control, n = 306	Intervention, n = 311	p value
PIVC failure	91 (30)	69 (22)	0.03
Device-time (accumulative days)	828	785	0.25
Incidence rate per 1000 device days	110 (89.4–135)	87·9 (69.4–111)
Incidence rate ratio	Referent	0.80 (0.58–1.11)	0.19
Secondary outcomes:
Occlusion	17 (6)	18 (6)	0.90
Leakage	17 (6)	7 (2)	0.03
Infiltration	40 (13)	32 (10)	0.28
Dislodgement	22 (7)	19 (6)	0.59
Phlebitis (research definition)	20 (9)	11 (5)	0.11
Death	3 (1)	1 (0)	0.30
Positive blood culture	4 (1)	4 (1)	0.98
Cox regression analysis
Covariate	Univariable Cox regression^a n = 617	Multivariable Cox regression^b n = 617
Study group: intervention	0.81 (0.59–1.11)*	0.78 (0.63–0.97)^†
Ward sequence (increase by one)	1.01 (0.88–1.14)	^$
Infection at baseline	1.68 (1.06–2.66)^†	1.68 (1.10–2.58)^†
Extension tubing	0.72 (0.52–1.00)*	0.71 (0.57–0.87)^†

Frequencies and column percentages shown, unless otherwise noted; p values calculated using chi-squared, rank-sum, or log-rank tests
*p < 0.20
^†p < 0.05
^aNo other adjustments other than covariate listed
^bAdjusted for within-cluster correlation

ISSN: 1741-7015