The IVCare Adaptive Platform Trial: Towards Zero Bloodstream Infections in IV Catheters
Thirty-five per cent of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections (BSIs) in Australian hospitals are caused by intravenous (IV) therapy via IV catheters. These ‘catheter-associated BSI’ (CABSI) prolong hospital length of stay, increase healthcare costs and risk of death. CABSI prevention may benefit from the numerous commercial products and clinical practices that exist, but few have been formally studied.
To test the large number of potential solutions using traditional, simple, parallel randomised controlled trials (RCTs) would be expensive and slow the progress of knowledge generation and translation.
To address this, building on previous large-scale, multicentre RCTs, we will establish an innovative experimental platform, with a core dataset co-designed by clinicians and consumers. This adaptive RCT will rapidly evaluate numerous interventions to identify clinical and cost-effective strategies that prevent IV therapy-related harm.
We will establish a world-first adaptive platform RCT for IV therapy, and the first of this design in nursing. Given its priority to consumers and clinicians, the initial focus will be CABSI prevention - testing interventions across 3 infection prevention domains.
Project aims:
Prevent bloodstream entry of microorganisms through the catheter insertion site.
Prevent bloodstream entry of microorganisms through the internal catheter lumen.
Prevent bloodstream entry of microorganisms by improved catheter stewardship.
Quick Survey for Health Professionals:
The IVCare trial aims to evaluate a range of infection-prevention interventions (e.g., connectors, securement devices, access-cleaning devices, locks) for their ability to prevent CLABSI in hospitals across Australia, with the potential to expand to other countries in the future.
We are seeking input from health professionals involved in the care of patients with CVADs for kidney failure or cancer. The purpose is to gather feedback that will help inform the trial design and support its implementation.
The survey takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete:
https://uniofqueensland.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3wmJQLMJzvzCwM6
Contact: Prof Claire Rickard, c.rickard@uq.edu.au
Funding: Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and Medical Research Future Fund
