Thrombotic risk factors in patients undergoing chemotherapy via peripherally inserted central catheter

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate risk factors for venous thrombosis in patients undergoing chemotherapyvia peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC).Methods: Data regarding age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, diagnosis, medicalhistory, family history of thrombosis, haemoglobin level, and white blood cell (WBC) and plateletcounts were prospectively collected from consecutively recruited patients. Patients wereevaluated using six thrombotic risk-assessment scales prior to PICC. Assessments of the generalvenous system and the catheterized vein and limb were made. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) wasdiagnosed by colour Doppler ultrasonography. Thrombosis risk factors were identified by logisticregression analysis.Results: Thrombosis occurred in 12/188 patients (6.38%). Age >60 years, BMI>25 kg/m2 and WBC>1.4×109/l were identified as independent risk factors for thrombosis. The incidence ofthrombosis was 16.6% (12/72) in patients with one or more risk factors, and 55.5% (five of nine) inthose with two or more risk factors.Conclusions: Age >60 years, BMI>25 kg/m2 and WBC>1.4×109/l are major risk factors forthrombosis in Chinese patients undergoing PICC chemotherapy. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.