High risk of deep vein thrombosis associated with peripherally inserted central catheters in lymphoma

// Xi Zhang 1, * , Jia-Jia Huang 1, * , Yi Xia 1, * , Chao-Feng Li 2 , Yu Wang 1 , Pan-Pan Liu 1 , Xi-Wen Bi 1 , Peng Sun 1 , Tong-Yu Lin 1 , Wen-Qi Jiang 1 , Zhi-Ming Li 1 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 510060 Guangzhou, China 2 Department of Information, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 510060 Guangzhou, China * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Zhi-Ming Li, email: lzmsysu@sysucc.org.cn Keywords: peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC), thrombosis, lymphoma Received: February 17, 2016 Accepted: March 28, 2016 Published: April 07, 2016 ABSTRACT Peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) are widely used in cancer patients. Although PICC is a convenient tool, its use is associated with an obvious increase in the incidence of venous thrombosis. The risk factors for deep vein thrombosis associated with the use of PICCs in cancer patients are largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of PICC-associated thrombosis in lymphoma compared with its incidences in other types of cancer. A total of 8028 adult cancer patients inserted with PICC between June 2007 and June 2015 were included in this study. A total of 249 of the 8028 included patients (3.1%) inserted with PICC developed upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (PICC-UEDVT). Patients with lymphoma were more likely to have PICC-UEDVT than those with other types of malignancies (7.1% vs. 2.80%; P < 0.001). Logistic analysis revealed that a lymphoma diagnosis was a risk factor for UEDVT in cancer patients inserted with PICC (OR: 3.849, 95% CI: 2.334–6.347). Patients with lymphoma may be more predisposed to developing PICC-UEDVT than those with other types of malignancies. Identifying the mechanism underlying the relationship between PICC-UEDVT and lymphoma requires further study.