PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Chandra Prakash Rath
AU  - Mary Thomas
AU  - Drew Sullivan
AU  - Martin Kluckow
TI  - Does the use of an iodine-containing contrast agent to visualise the PICC tip in preterm babies cause hypothyroidism? A randomised controlled trial
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2017-314665
DP  - 2018 May 28
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition
PG  - fetalneonatal-2017-314665
4099  - http://fn.bmj.com/content/early/2018/05/28/archdischild-2017-314665.short
4100  - http://fn.bmj.com/content/early/2018/05/28/archdischild-2017-314665.full
AB  - Aim To compare thyroid function tests in preterm neonates (<30 weeks and >48 hour old) exposed to iodine-based contrast with controls and ascertain the certainty of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) tip position.Methods Infants requiring a PICC were randomised to receive 0.3 mL of iodine-containing contrast or normal saline. The primary outcome was the difference in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels on day 14 post PICC insertion and on day 28 of life.Results 41 infants were randomised with no significant differences in TSH level (mIU/L) at day 14 post PICC insertion (3.1 vs 2) or on day 28 of life (2.2 vs 1.7). The PICC tip was more easily localised in the contrast group (85% vs 55%). Urinary iodine levels were significantly increased in the contrast-exposed group.Conclusion Use of contrast did not suppress subsequent thyroid function and helped visualise the PICC tip with more certainty.Clinical trial registration number ACTRN 12614000560695, pre-result.