Incidence of venous thromboembolism in patients with hematologic malignancies related to upper extremity peripherally inserted central venous catheters.

Abstract

6586 Background: Central venous catheters (CVCs) are an integral part of management in patients with hematological malignancies (HMs). CVCs are not without risk however, including DVT which adds significant morbidity. Peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) via the brachiocephalic veins were the most common CVCs utilized at the Medical College of Wisconsin for patients with HMs. Recent evidence has indicated an increased risk of DVT in patients with PICCs. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients admitted to our institution from 2009-2011 with a HM and a CVC placed based upon CPT codes. A chart review was performed and those with a radiologic-confirmed DVT were identified. Results: From 2009-2011, 487 patients with HMs had 1091 CVCs placed. Diagnoses included lymphoproliferative disorders (35.8%), acute leukemia excluding APL (23.8%), APL (1.6%), plasma cell dyscrasias (34.6%), MDS (1.7%), CML (1.6%), and other diagnoses (0.7%). Of the CVCs placed 51% were in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (HCT) and 49% were placed in non-HCT patients. A total of 91 DVTs were documented and confirmed. DVTs occurred in 85 of 728 PICCs (11.7%), 3 of 104 implanted ports (2.9%), 3 of 249 tunneled CVCs (1.2%), and 0 of 10 other CVCs. DVT rates were similar between HCT (47 of 556, 8.4%) and non-HCT (44 of 535, 8.2%) patients. The highest number of DVTs were associated with plasma cell dyscrasias (29 of 378, 7.7%) followed by lymphoproliferative disorders (28 of 391, 7.2%), acute leukemia (26 of 260, 10%), APL (3 of 18, 16.6%), MDS (3 of 19, 15.8%), and CML (2 of 17, 11.7%). Two DVTs occurred in the setting of warfarin therapy, 5 while on prophylactic and 9 while on therapeutic LMWH. The mean duration from line placement to DVT was 21 days (range 1-169). Using standard chi-squared evaluation, PICC lines were significantly more likely to be associated with DVTs than tunneled or implanted CVCs (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Brachiocephalic PICC-lines are associated with a high incidence of DVT in patients with HMs compared to other CVCs. We have currently changed our practice to utilizing a tunneled internal jugular PICCs for central venous access.