Arterial punctures safe for arterial blood gas analyses, study reveals

Denmark: Arterial punctures (APs) are safe procedures for arterial blood gas (ABG) analyses, reveals a recent study in the journal ERJ Open Research. The findings showed that the major complication rate within 7 days was 0.14%. Further, it was shown that patients on antithrombotic medication were at increased risk of developing major complications. 

Arterial punctures are much-used medical procedures for arterial blood gas analyses. To date, no large studies have been performed on the major complication rate of APs. Considering this, Sacha C. Rowling, Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, fDenmark, and colleagues aimed to describe the risk of major complications within 7 days after puncture and investigate whether using antithrombotic medication affected this. 

The study included all APs performed for ABG analysis at three Danish hospitals from January 1, 1993, to February 25, 2013. APs ordered by the anesthesiology department, intensive care unit (ICU), or in patients <18 years old were excluded. Data on the patient level were extracted from the Danish Civil Registration System, Danish National Patient Registry, and Odense Pharmaco-Epidemiologic Database (OPED). To begin with, two clinicians compiled a list with all procedures and diagnoses that could possibly be an APs consequence. Further, the selected procedures and diagnoses were categorized independently  three surgeons and used to indicate the complication rate.