Novel Antimicrobial Dressing in Peripheral Intravenous Catheters (PIVCs)

This study is a multi-centre, two-arm, parallel group adaptive Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to test effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and safety of 3M™ Tegaderm™ Antimicrobial IV Advanced Securement dressings with standard polyurethane dressings for PIVCs. The study has two phases. Phase I is an internal feasibility pilot for which only feasibility outcomes will be considered (no analysis). At this time (n=300) an independent Data Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC) comprised of a biostatistician, physician and expert trialist will review pre-defined blinded analyses of feasibility and safety data. Phase II will then go ahead if feasibility outcomes are satisfactory, and will involve continuation of trial recruitment to complete a definitive RCT. If Phase II does not proceed then all outcomes will be reported at the end of Phase I. Setting and sample: Australia: The ProP Trial will be undertaken in the general medical/surgical and oncology/hematology departments at the Queensland Children's Hospital (QCH; Site 1), and the general medical/surgical departments at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH; Site 2) Brisbane, Australia. These are both large quaternary referral teaching hospitals (Site 1: 359 beds; Site 2: 929 beds). France: The ProP Trial will be undertaken in the University Hospital of Poitiers (PUH), a large referral teaching hospital with 959 acute beds. Patients will be recruited at the Emergency Department, before being admitted to medical wards. Sample size: Phase 1: The investigators will recruit 300 patients (200 Australia and 100 France) with 150 patients per arm. This sample size is not determined by statistical power but to test protocol feasibility and gain estimates of effect to inform a sample size calculation for a full trial. The investigators aim to recruit 300 patients over 16 weeks (19 per week). Phase 2: The investigators will continue recruitment to the sample size recommended by the DSMC and the Trial Steering Committee. The investigators anticipate this will be no more than a sample of 2624 patients (1312/group) which would have 90% power to detect an absolute 5% reduction in the primary outcome from 22% to 17% (2-way alpha 0.05) (http://powerandsamplesize.com/calculators).