Background: Long-term hospitalization of preterm neonates and maintaining a secure intravenous line for them to provide nutrition and drugs are serious problems among some specialists. The purpose of this study was to compare the two types of IV access: peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) and conventional peripheral IV line.

Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 117 preterm neonates with birth weight less than 1500 g were divided into the PICC line (57 cases) and peripheral IV line (60 cases) groups. The early outcomes including the duration of catheterization, catheter-related infection, and mortality rate of the neonates were compared for both groups.

Results: The mean birth weights in the PICC and peripheral IV groups were 1061±183g and 1054±217 g, respectively (P=0.7). Sepsis with positive blood culture was reported in 8 cases in the PICC group and 7 cases in the peripheral IV group (P=0.9). Moreover, 7cases with a positive catheter tip culture (colonization) were found in the PICC group. Mortality rates in the PICC and peripheral IV line groups were 6 and 5, respectively (P=0.9).

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, PICC does not increase the risk of sepsis and mortality rate in the neonates. Considering many advantages of the PICC line including its durability, it can be recommended for very low birth weight neonates.