Abstract
BACKGROUND: A continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI) is an effective method of multiple drug administration commonly encountered in end of life care when the oral route is compromised. At present, current practice is to limit syringe driver infusion time to a maximum of 24 hours as dictated by available chemical stability data. However, the ability to deliver prescribed medication by a CSCI over 48 hours may have numerous benefits in both patient care and health service resource utilisation. AIM: To examine and present the current evidence base for the stability of 48-hour multiple-drug CSCIs in current clinical practice. DESIGN: A systematically-structured review following PRISMA guidelines. DATA SOURCES: Three electronic databases and the grey literature were searched with no time limits. Empirical studies reporting data on the chemical stability of continuous subcutaneous infusions or solutions stored in polypropylene syringes were included. RESULTS: Twenty-one empirical studies were included in this review reporting chemical compatibility and stability of 32 discrete combinations of twenty-four drugs tested at a variety of different drug concentrations. The majority of combinations reported were assessed as being chemically compatible. The greatest risk of clinically significant chemical degradation was observed with midazolam. Only one study reported the microbiological stability of the solution examined. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently limited evidence for the physical, chemical and microbiological stability of solutions for continuous subcutaneous infusion over a period of 48 hours. More stability data is required before the use of 48-hour CSCIs can be evaluated for use within clinical practice.