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Implanted catheters and ports are widely used for the administration of chemotherapeutic and supportive drugs. These vascular access devices occasionally become thrombosed, but the frequency of this complication and the predisposing factors are uncertain.
To identify risk factors for catheter-related thrombosis and venous thromboembolism (VTE), French investigators conducted a prospective multicenter cohort study involving 3032 consecutive outpatients with solid tumors and implanted ports. Symptomatic catheter thromboses, VTE, and arterial occlusions were confirmed by objective testing during 12 months of follow-up.
Results were as follows:
Catheter-related upper extremity thrombosis occurred in 3.8% of patients and was associated with pulmona…