Clinical Trials Improve the Safety and Effectiveness of Intensive Care for Patients

Posted on: June 12, 2023

Patients in intensive care often require central intravenous lines or central venous access devices (CVADs) that deliver life-saving fluids and medicines. However, these lines come withCVAD.png potential complications like blockages or infections, which can be serious for already vulnerable patients. 

Current practice reduces the risk of some complications by keeping lines open with a saline solution, but saline doesn't prevent blocks due to clots or infections.

For this reason, Island Health is taking part in a clinical trial to study whether a different fluid (KiteLock Sterile Locking Solution™) is safer and better at keeping lines free from blockages and infections. If study results show that KiteLock is better than saline, this research will inform practice at Island Health and across the country. 

Not only would reducing complications save costs by reducing infections and length-of-stay; it may ultimately improve care and outcomes for patients in intensive care now and in future.

The study—Control of Line Complications with KiteLock (CLiCK) in the critical care unit, or CLiCK for short—was initiated by Dr. Steven Reynolds, a researcher and critical care physician at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. 

Since February 2023, Island Health Principal Investigators Dr. Gordon Wood (RJH) and Dr. David Forrest (NRGH) have worked with Sub-Investigators Dr. Daniel Ovakim, Dr. Colin Casault, and Dr. Mark James alongside Clinical Research Nurse Coordinators Fiona Auld, Jessica Craighead (RJH) and Linh Vu (NRGH) and Clinical Research Coordinator Sethany Vorng (NRGH) to enroll patients into the study. 

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From left: Clinical Research Nurse Coordinators Jessica Craighead and Fiona Auld.

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From left: Clinical Research Coordinator Sethany Vorng and Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator Linh Vu.

The study team has the support of Clinical Research Coordinator Dana Loenen and research assistant and Island Medical Program student Lindsay Degraaf, and works closely with ICU nurses to enroll patients, review cases, and collect and analyze data.

For Fiona​ Auld, Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator at RJH, “This study is truly a collaborative effort, and we're really happy to contribute to a BC-grown study to improve care through research. Island Health's participation is made possible by strong support from the ICU nursing staff, and we have real-time contact and support with the study team at Royal Columbian in this collaboration. It's a joy to work with such a talented and committed group."

  • If you're interested in supporting clinical trials at Island Health as a coordinator or investigator, contact Clinical Research Manager Deborah.Parfett@islandhealth.ca

  • If you're interested in learning about opportunities to participate in clinical trials and other studies, visit www.reachbc.ca.