Abstract:
The use of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) has increased in cancer patients. This study aimed to compare the incidence of PICC-related bloodstream infections (PICCR-BSIs) in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and in noncancer patients. We performed a secondary analysis from a retrospective, single-center, observational cohort. The PICCR-BSI incidence rates in cancer and noncancer patients were compared after 1:1 propensity-score matching. Then, the factors associated with PICCR-BSI were assessed in a Cox model. Among the 721 PICCs (627 patients) included in the analysis, 240 were placed in cancer patients for chemotherapy and 481 in noncancer patients. After propensity-score matching, the PICCR-BSI incidence rate was 2.6 per 1000 catheter days in cancer patients and 1.0 per 1000 catheter days in noncancer patients (p < 0.05). However, after adjusting for variables resulting in an imbalance between groups after propensity-score matching, only the number of PICC lumens was independently associated with PICCR-BSI (adjusted hazard ratio 1.81, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-3.22; p = 0.04). In conclusion, the incidence rate of PICCR-BSI is higher in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy than in noncancer patients, but our results also highlight the importance of limiting the number of PICC lumens in such patients.
Reference:Larcher R, Barrigah-Benissan K, Ory J, Simon C, Beregi JP, Lavigne JP, Sotto A. Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheter (PICC) Related Bloodstream Infection in Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy Compared with Noncancer Patients: A Propensity-Score-Matched Analysis. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jun 20;15(12):3253. doi: 10.3390/cancers15123253. PMID: 37370862.