Outcomes of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter placement in patients with systemic sclerosis: A descriptive study.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to describe the clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter placement, including first-attempt success and catheter failure (CF), in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

METHODS

A 4-month descriptive study (July-October 2024) was conducted using electronic medical records. SSc patients receiving ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheters were included. The first-attempt success rate was calculated as the number of patients in whom catheter placement was successful on the first attempt divided by the total number of patients, multiplied by 100. Catheter failure (CF) was defined as unplanned catheter removal due to complications and was calculated as the number of patients experiencing CF divided by the total number of patients, multiplied by 100. Cases requiring multiple attempts were compared with cases with single-attempt success.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven cases from 42 participants were analyzed. First-attempt success was 89.5%. Younger age and higher BMI were more frequent in patients requiring multiple punctures. CF occurred in 5.5% of cases. Multiple punctures, small vein diameter, and immunomodulatory drug infusion were associated with CF.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided catheter placement achieved a high first-attempt success rate of 89.5%, indicating that ultrasound is a useful tool for peripheral intravenous access in SSc patients and may improve clinical care quality.