Abstract:
Background: Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are associated with complications including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and infections. However, the risk factors for developing DVT specifically during PICC-related infections remain poorly understood.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study in a tertiary-care hospital in Reunion Island, examining adult patients with PICC-related infections between January 2021 and March 2022. Venous Doppler ultrasound results, microbiological data, and clinical variables were analyzed. Univariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with PICC-related DVT.
Results: Among 63 patients with PICC-related infections, 40 underwent Doppler ultrasound examinations, with 12 (19 %) diagnosed with PICC-DVT. Infections with Staphylococcus aureus (P = 0.05) and local signs (P = 0.04) were significantly associated with PICC-DVT. Enterobacterales were the predominant pathogens (42.5 %). The incidence rate of PICC-DVT was 5.0/1000 catheter-days in patients with PICC-related infections.
Conclusions: Staphylococcus aureus infection and local signs are associated with PICC-DVT. Our findings suggest that these factors should be considered when managing patients with PICC-related infections. Prospective studies are needed to develop clinical prediction tools to identify which patients would benefit most from Doppler ultrasound.
Reference:Petitgas P, Bun R, Tounkara B, Simac C, Bertolotti A, Poubeau P, Koumar Y, Manaquin R, Diallo K, Andry F. Risk factors for deep vein thrombosis during peripherally inserted central catheter-related infections: A retrospective study. Infect Dis Now. 2025 Dec;55(8):105181. doi: 10.1016/j.idnow.2025.105181. Epub 2025 Oct 25. PMID: 41429714.