Comparison of UVC with PICC line insertion as a primary central line for reducing late onset sepsis in preterm infants with birth weight less than 1250grams: A randomised control trail

In this RCT we are comparing UVC with PICC to reduce the incidence of late onset sepsis in preterm infants with birth weight <1250grams. Only infants requiring central line and admitted to the neonatal unit would be recruited in this trail. UVC would be inserted with the tip just above the diaphragm and PICC would be inserted either in the upper limp or in the lower limb with the tip either at SVC to right atrium junction or in the IVC respectively. Late Onset sepsis (blood culture positive) with onset 48 hours after line insertion till 48 hours after line removal would be primary outcome of this study. Probable sepsis, line insertion related complication and survival till discharge would be the secondary outcomes. Inability to insert the line on two attempts or removal of line due to malposition or immediate complication would be considered as a failure. UVC would be removed at day 10 or earlier if not clinically indicated whereas PICC would be removed at any time clinical indication is not required. 154 infants would be enrolled in PICC group and 184 infants in UVC group assuming 25% LOS in UVC group and 15% in the PICC group with an alpha error of 5% and Power of 80% and assumed failure rate of 20% in UVC group. This would a RCT with computer generated random numbers and stratified for birth weight <1000 grams and 1000 to 1249 grams.