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Inpatients with solid organ malignancies are at high risk for complications associated with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), but high-quality data in this population are lacking. In this study, researchers assessed frequencies of PICC-related complications in 3200 hospitalized adults (median age, 67) with solid tumors who received PICCs at 50 hospitals in Michigan. The most common malignancies were cancers of the lung, colon, and breast. The most common indications for PICC placement were antibiotic administration (35%), ease of access (22%), parenteral nutrition (18%), and chemotherapy (16%).
Key findings were:
Major PICC-related complications occurred in 15% of patients: occlusion in 10%, central line–associated bloodstream …