Trial reportArchives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition2024
2% chlorhexidine gluconate aqueous versus 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol for skin disinfection prior to percutaneous central venous catheterisation: the ARCTIC randomised controlled feasibility trial.
Trial report in Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Management of umbilical venous and arterial catheter: Neonatal European Vascular Access Team- ESPR Recommendation 2.Pediatric research · 2026Article
- Infection prevention: neonatal European vascular access team - ESPR recommendation 8.Pediatric research · 2026Article
- Exit site management: neonatal european vascular access team - ESPR recommendation 7.Pediatric research · 2026Article
- Incidence of late onset bloodstream infections and use of preventive practices in very low birth weight infants in Spain: the NeoKissEs cohort surveillance experience.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2026Article
- Seeing beyond the obvious: pragmatic skin care guidance for infants 22-24 weeks gestational age.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2025Review
- The use of 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol for skin disinfection prior to central venous catheterization in infants: a national survey of the Italian Society of Neonatology.Italian journal of pediatrics · 2025Article
- Efficacy and safety of three antiseptics for neonatal skin disinfection: a cohort study.Pediatric research · 2025Article
- Impact of daily octenidine skin washing versus nonwashing on antiseptic tolerance of coagulase-negative staphylococci in two neonatal intensive care units with different skin cleansing practices.Infection prevention in practice · 2024Article
- Chlorhexidine gluconate for antisepsis in preterm neonates: A review of safety and efficacy.Pediatric dermatologyReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveCatheter-related sepsis (CRS) is a major complication with significant morbidity and mortality. Evidence is lacking regarding the most appropriate antiseptic for skin disinfection before percutaneous central venous catheter (PCVC) insertion in preterm neonates. To inform the feasibility and design of a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) of two antiseptic formulations, we conducted the Antiseptic Randomised Controlled Trial for Insertion of Catheters (ARCTIC) feasibility study to assess catheter colonisation, sepsis, and skin morbidity.
designFeasibility RCT.
settingTwo UK tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units. PATIENTS: Preterm infants born <34 weeks' gestation scheduled to undergo PCVC insertion.
interventionsSkin disinfection with either 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)-aqueous or 2% CHG-70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) before PCVC insertion and at removal. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Proportion in the 2% CHG-70% IPA arm with a colonised catheter at removal. MAIN FEASIBILITY OUTCOMES: Rates of: (1) CRS, catheter-associated sepsis (CAS), and CRS/CAS per 1,000 PCVC days; (2) recruitment and retention; (3) data completeness. SAFETY OUTCOMES: Daily skin morbidity scores recorded from catheter insertion until 48 hours post-removal.
results116 babies were randomised. Primary outcome incidence was 4.1% (95% confidence interval: 0.9% to 11.5%). Overall catheter colonisation rate was 5.2% (5/97); CRS 2.3/1000 catheter days; CAS 14.8/1000 catheter days. Recruitment, retention and data completeness were good. No major antiseptic-related skin injury was reported.
conclusionsA definitive comparative efficacy trial is feasible, but the very low catheter colonisation rate would make a large-scale RCT challenging due to the very large sample size required. ARCTIC provides preliminary reassurance supporting potential safe use of 2% CHG-70% IPA and 2% CHG-aqueous in preterm neonates. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN82571474.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.