www.scholarsresearchlibrary.com t Available online a Scholars Research Library Annals of Biological Research, 2012, 3 (10):4741-4746 (http://scholarsresearchlibrary.com/archive.html) ISSN 0976-1233 CODEN (USA): ABRNBW 4741 Scholars Research Library Evaluation of the severity of peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis during one year period in an Iranian educational hospital, Kerman, Iran Farhad Sarafzadeh 1 , Gholamreza Sepehri 2*, Maryam Yazdizadeh 3 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran 2 Department of Pharmacology, Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran 3 Physiology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT Peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis is the most common side effect of peripheral catheterizations. In this study, the effect of different variables on the severity of peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis have been investigated during one year period (2011 - 2012). Patients undergoing peripheral intravenous catheter procedure in surgery, pediatric, internal disease, gynecology, emergency, infectious, ICU and CCU wards were selected for study protocol. The correlation between the severity of peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis and the variables such as underlying disease, injected drug, duration of catheterization, Intravenous (IV) line location, type of peripheral intravenous catheter, sex and age were recorded in all of patients with peripheral intravenous catheter . Severity of peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis was the most in patients with foot IV line, ICU&CCU wards and in the diabetic patients. However, there was no significant correlation between the severity of peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis and sex, age, type of drug, duration of catheterization and type of peripheral intravenous catheter . The peripheral IV catheter should be minimized in the ICU&CCU wards and in the diabetic patients. Use of IV catheter is recommended be in hand and wrist especially in elderly and diabetic. Keywords: Peripheral intravenous catheter; Phlebitis, Risk factors _________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Suppurative peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis(ST) is defined an inflammation of the vein wall that is caused by the presence of microorganisms and frequently associated with thrombosis and bacteremia and may be classified into four forms: superficial, central, cavernous sinus, and infection of the portal vein[1-2].In the U.S. hospitals, more than 40 million admitted patients annually undergo intravascular(IV) catheterization [1]. ST is a certain problem in burned patients, for whom it represents a main cause of death due to infection. In several high series of burned patients, ST developed in 4% to 8% and increased in frequency if cutdowns were performed. ST also is found in other admitted patients especially patients with cancer and those receiving steroid therapy[3-8]. ST was estimated to represent a minimum incidence of 0.12% of all admissions[7, 9-13]. ST also is common between drug addicts[14]. This condition is unusual in children but may occur as a complication related to IV therapy 15 . Irritation to the wall of vein, with the subsequent development of ST, is more common with polyethylene catheters than with catheters constructed of Teflon or silastic material[11, 16-17]. Superficial ST that is associated with IV catheter, the rout of infection may involve migration from the skin between the catheter wall and perivascular tissue, infection of IV fluid and hub, or hematogenous dissemination from an contaminated focus elsewhere. The relative