However, only limited data are available on current infectious and noninfectious complications of PICCs in this patient population. The aim of the study is to define the current rate of infectious and noninfectious complications of PICCs, the causative agents, and to define possible risk factors associated with these complications.

Methods: A prospective surveillance

study was conducted at the Schneider Children Medical Center of Israel. All patients in whom a PICC was inserted between August 2004 and October 2006 were included. Demographic, clinical, and microbiologic data were collected by a questionnaire completed by the anesthesiologist at the time of insertion and removal of each catheter. Items covered epidemiologic, clinical, and

microbiologic data.

Results: A total of 279 PICCs Z-VAD-FMK purchase were inserted selleck inhibitor in 221 patients. There were no complications at insertion. Mean dwell time was 30 days. One hundred seventy-seven (63%) of all PICC placements were free of complications. Twenty-six catheters (9.3%) were dislodged accidentally; 38 (13.6%) were removed for mechanical problems: tears in 5, leaks in 12, and obstructions in 21; 38 (13.6%) were removed for an infectious complication: phlebitis in 13 (4.6%, 1.5/1000 PICC days), exit-site infection in 10 (3.5%, 1.1/1000 PICC days), PICC-associated bloodstream infection in 12 (4.3%, 1.4/1000 PICC days), and PICC-related ITF2357 concentration bloodstream infection in 4 (1.4%, 0.4/1000 PICC

days); 15 more were removed for presumed infection (5.3%, 1.7/1000 PICC days). On multivariate analysis, composite indication for PICC use and older patient age were significantly associated with infectious complications.

Conclusions: PICCs are safe and may be used for prolonged periods. In our center, the rates of infectious complications are lower than for tunneled central venous catheters. Accidental dislodgement is not uncommon and may be prevented by use of sutures, occlusive dressing, and education of patients, families, and medical staff.”
“We have studied the epitaxial growth and photoluminescent (PL) properties of Eu3+-doped ZnO layers in correlation with structural analyses. Incorporation of Eu3+ ions into a ZnO host resulted in deterioration in crystal quality and lattice distortion. The spectral structure of Eu3+ emission revealed that Eu3+ ions were located at site symmetries lower than the original C-3v of the Zn2+ ion sites in a hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO, which allowed for efficient red luminescence based on the electric dipole transitions. Moreover, we have found an anticorrelation of PL intensity between the excitonic and Eu3+ emissions, related to energy transfer from the ZnO host to the Eu3+ ions. The excitonic structure at the band edge was obscured upon doping with Eu3+ ions due to the formation of a band tail around 3.2 eV.