Category: Critical Care
Keywords: vasopressor, peripheral IV, safety (PubMed Search)
Posted: 11/17/2020 by Quincy Tran, MD, PhD
(Updated: 11/12/2024)
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Summary
Our group performed a meta-analysis to assess whether it is safe to infuse vasopressor through peripheral venous catheters. We identified 9 studies with a total of 1835 patients. The prevalence of complications among the pooled patient population was 9%. Up to 96% of the complications was extravasation and almost no complications required any treatment.
A few studies reported safe infusion of norepinephrine up to 0.1 mcg/kg/min for up to 24 hours.
In exploratory meta-regression, catheter size 20 or larger was negatively associated with the rate of complications.
We also observed that studies that were published within the past 5 years reported significantly lower rate of complications from older studies. This suggested that with careful planning and monitoring, it is safe to start vasopressor through peripheral IV.
Limitation
most of the included studies were observational. No studies had enough power to statistically analyze any variables that could predict complications.
Bottom line: we should start vasopressor as soon as indicated, if we have good, reliable IV access.
Complication of vasopressor infusion through peripheral venous catheter: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Quincy K Tran, Gaurika Mester, Vera Bzhilyanskaya, Leenah Z Afridi, Sanketh Andhavarapu, Zain Alam, Austin Widjaja, Brooke Andersen, Ann Matta, Ali Pourmand.
Am J Emerg Med. 2020 Sep 28;S0735-6757(20)30842-1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.09.047. Online ahead of print.
