Quality of Life Tools for VAD Patients: Is There a Gap?

Vascular access devices (VADs) like PIVCs, midlines, and PICCs are vital for patient care, but their impact on quality of life (QoL) isn’t well understood. This scoping review explored existing research to determine whether validated tools exist to measure QoL specific to these devices.

Study Overview
The review analyzed 21 studies involving adult patients with PIVCs, midlines, or PICCs, covering over two decades of research. The authors searched major databases without date restrictions, including studies in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Key Findings

• No validated, device-specific QoL tool was identified for PIVCs, midlines, or PICCs.
• Most studies used generic cancer or chronic disease QoL instruments (e.g., EORTC QLQ-C30, SF-36, Karnofsky scale).
• Some studies developed ad-hoc questionnaires, but these lacked external validation.
• The majority of research focused on cancer patients, with little data on other populations needing long-term VADs.

Conclusion
This review highlights a clear gap in the availability of validated QoL instruments for patients with peripherally inserted vascular access devices. There is a pressing need to develop and validate patient-centered tools to better guide VAD selection, management, and support.

Read More:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2445147925000396?via%3Dihub   

Authors: Saloa Unanue-Arza, Orlaith Hernon, Selene Lurueña-Rodríguez, Caitriona Duggan, Victoria Armenteros-Yeguas, Peter J. Carr