Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in patients with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND To determine complications during outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) administrated through a peripheral venous line, PICC-line or PORT-A-CATH (PAC). METHODS Catheter related complications in patients with cystic fibrosis during OPAT were identified through a retrospective review of patient files supplemented by an interview. RESULTS In 64 treatment episodes with a peripheral venous line, 51 (79.7 %) used bolus injection and 13 (20.3 %) used infusion pump. 27 out of 51 (53.0 %) bolus injection episodes experienced complications, which required removal. None were observed for infusion pump treatments. The infectious complications requiring removal of peripheral venous line were 9 out of 23 (39.1 %) for the PICC line and 11 out of 26 (42.3 %) for the PAC. No anaphylaxis was observed during the OPAT treatments. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that using an infusion pump to administer the antibiotic treatment minimized peripheral venous line complications. The frequency of complications leading to removal of the catheter is about the same for PICC-lines and PACs, but the average life-time of the latter is much longer. Allergic reactions are not a major problem.