INCREASED RISK FOR PICC DVT LINKED TO LARGER CATHETER SIZE
New Briefs from the October Issue of CHEST
Larger catheter size, prior DVT, and having a prior surgery lasting longer than 1 hour are associated with an increased risk for peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)- associated DVT. PICCs are often used to provide long-term IV antibiotic therapy, chemotherapy, and total parenteral nutrition. Researchers from the University of Utah and Intermountain Healthcare analyzed a total of 2,014 PICCs inserted at a level 1 trauma center in order to understand risk factors for PICC-associated DVT. Factors that best predicted DVT included patients who had a prior DVT, those who underwent prior surgery of duration greater than 1 hour, and the use of double lumen-5 French or triple lumen 6-French catheters. Researchers conclude that rates of PICC-associated DVT may be reduced by an improved selection of patients and catheter size. This article is published in the October issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: CHEST 2010; 138(4):803–810.
