A systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome, recurrent thromboembolism, and bleeding after upper extremity vein thrombosis

BACKGROUND

Data on complications after upper extremity vein thrombosis (UEVT) are limited and heterogeneous.

METHODS

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pooled proportions of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence, bleeding, and post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) in patients with UEVT. A systematic literature review was conducted of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases from January 2000 to April 2023 in accordance with the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. All studies included patients with UEVT and were published in English. Meta-analyses of VTE recurrence, bleeding, and of PTS after UEVT were performed to compute pooled estimates and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses of cancer-associated UEVT and catheter-associated venous thrombosis were conducted. Patients with Paget-Schroetter syndrome or effort thrombosis were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 55 studies with 15,694 patients were included. The pooled proportions for VTE recurrence, major bleeding, and PTS were 4.8% (95% CI, 3.8%-6.2%), 3.0% (95% CI, 2.2%-4.0%), and 23.8% (95% CI, 17.0%-32.3%), respectively. The pooled proportion of VTE recurrence was 2.7% (95% CI, 1.6%-4.6%) for patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), 1.7% (95% CI, 0.8%-3.7%) for patients treated with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), and 4.4% (95% CI, 1.5%-11.8%) for vitamin K antagonists (VKAs; P = .36). The pooled proportion was 6.3% (95% CI, 4.3%-9.1%) for cancer patients compared with 3.1% (95% CI, 2.1%-4.6%) for patients without cancer (P = .01). The pooled proportion of major bleeding for patients treated with DOACs, LMWH, and VKAs, was 2.1% (95% CI, 0.9%-5.1%), 3.2% (95% CI, 1.4%-7.2%), and 3.4% (95% CI, 1.4%-8.4%), respectively (P = .72). The pooled proportion of PTS for patients treated with DOACs, LMWH, and VKAs was 11.8% (95% CI, 6.5%-20.6%), 27.9% (95% CI, 20.9%-36.2%), and 24.5% (95% CI, 17.6%-33.1%), respectively (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this study suggest that UEVT is associated with significant rates of PTS and VTE recurrence. Treatment with DOACs might be associated with lower PTS rates than treatment with other anticoagulants.

In vitro comparison of the effectiveness of various antimicrobial locks with taurolidine in the treatment and prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections in patients receiving parenteral nutrition

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of various taurolidine solutions in the prevention and treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) caused by the entire spectrum of microbes in patients receiving parenteral nutrition in a shorter period of time.

METHODS

The in vitro method was used to test for eradication of biofilm. Different locks were used: TauroSept (2%), TauroLock (1.35%), TauroLock half concentration, and 3.5% taurolidine and tested on Staphylococcus (S.) epidermidis, S. aureus, S. hominis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa (PSAE), multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (MR PSAE), vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Klebsiella pneumoniae producing carbapenemase (KPC), Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (KLPN ESBL), Candida (C.) albicans, and C. glabrata. Broviac catheters were incubated for growth of each organism and then incubated in lock solutions. Colony forming units (CFUs) were then counted after 30 min, 60 min, and 120 min of incubation.

RESULTS

A statistically significant decrease in CFUs was observed after 30 min of taurolidine exposure for S. hominis, PSAE, KLPN ESBL, KLPN KPC, C. albicans, and C. glabrata; after 60 min of exposure for S. epidermidis, PSAE, MR PSAE, KLPN ESBL, KPC, C. albicans, and C. glabrata; and after 120 min of exposure for S. epidermidis, S. hominis, S. aureus, PSAE, MR PSAE, KLPN ESBL, KPC, C. albicans, C. glabrata.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of taurolidine is effective in the treatment of CRBSIs. Taurolidine proved to be more effective against Gram-negative microorganisms during a 30-min exposure. Using 0.675% taurolidine is still effective. To achieve the required antimicrobial effect, the catheter must be sanitized for at least 2 h.

Survival of Vascular Accesses in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Vascular access (VA) is the highest risk factor for blood infections, hospitalization, and mortality of patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The risk of mortality while using a catheter is greater than that while using grafts. The objective of this article is to know the survival rate in relation to the type of VA.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of HD patients was studied. The data gathered included age, gender, first VA at the surrogate site, days between the first and second access, number of accesses, and anatomical site of VA placement. Mean differences were estimated using χ2 or Student's t test. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier curves and included in tables. Statistical significance was established as p < 0.05. The statistical computer software package SPSSw v25 was used for the analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 896 patients were included with a mean age of 47.88 years (SD ± 16.52), the duration of the first VA was 398.81 days (±565.79), the mean number of VAs used was 2.26 (±1.15), and the median time undergoing HD was 728.73 days. The duration of catheter placement was 330.42 days, and 728.60 days for fistula use (p = 0.001). The mean number of days of renal replacement was 611.59 days for catheter and 1,495.25 days for internal arteriovenous fistula (IAVF) patients (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The survival of the initial VA is greater for the IAVF, followed by the tunneled catheters and the lowest by the non-tunneled catheters, which continue to be frequently used in our setting.

Rhodotorula dairenensis fungemia in a patient with cancer

BACKGROUND

Rhodotorula species were traditionally considered non-virulent environmental microorganisms, but are nowadays considered important human pathogens, especially in immunocompromised individuals.

CASE REPORT

We present the case of a 73 year-old man with diarrhea, anorexia and fever. In the blood analyses, both aerobic blood culture bottles yielded the growth of Rhodotorula dairenensis. The MALDI-TOF MS score was inadequate to provide an identification, which was achieved by means of molecular techniques. Treatment with an echinocandin was started, but the patient died.

CONCLUSIONS

Basidiomycetous yeast genera such as Rhodotorula can cause invasive and severe infections, e.g., fungemia, especially in patients with central venous catheter or another indwelling device.

Hybrid interventions for catheter placement in pediatric intestinal rehabilitation patients with end-stage venous access

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to analyze the combined approach of endovascular and open surgical procedures for insertion of permanent central venous catheters in children with intestinal failure and end-stage venous access.

METHODS

Data of 14 children (16 interventions) with intestinal failure and end-stage venous access, treated within the pediatric intestinal rehabilitation program at our institution between September 2011 and November 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients underwent hybrid endovascular/open surgical approaches for insertion of central venous catheters. Access to central veins was established through endovascular intervention; catheter placement was achieved with combined interventional and surgical measures depending on the individual vascular conditions.

RESULTS

Median age at intervention was 47months (interquartile range (IQR),29-74), median time for interventions was 66min (IQR,42-111). Catheter placement was successfully achieved in all patients. The median dose of irradiation during angiography was 0.2Gy*cm² (IQR, 0.2-0.6), no complications occurred during or after interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Hybrid endovascular/open surgical procedures can be successfully applied for restoring or maintaining permanent central venous catheters in children with intestinal failure and end-stage venous access. These approaches are a valuable contribution in intestinal rehabilitation programs contributing to a further decrease of the need for intestinal transplantation in affected patients.

TYPE OF STUDY

Treatment Study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

[Multicenter validation study of a questionnaire assessing patient satisfaction with and acceptance of totally-implanted central venous access devices]

OBJECTIVE

Most cancer patients require a totally-implanted central venous access device (TIVAD) for their treatment. This was a prospective, multicenter, open study to: (i) develop and validate a French-language questionnaire dubbed QASICC (Questionnaire for Acceptance of and Satisfaction with Implanted Central Venous Catheter) assessing patient's satisfaction with and acceptance of their TIVAD; (ii) develop a mean score of patient's acceptance and satisfaction; (iii) look for correlation between QASICC score and TIVAD patient/tumor pathology/device characteristics.

METHODS

From 2011 November to 2012 December, the first version of the QASICC questionnaire that included 27 questions assessing seven dimensions was re-tested among 998 cancer patients in eleven French cancer hospitals (eight cancer research institutes and three university/general hospitals). The goal was: (i) to reduce the questionnaire item and dimension number (pertinency, saturation effect, item correlation); (ii) to assess its psychometric properties, demonstrate its validity and independency compared to (EORTC) QLQC30; (iii) to correlate clinical and pathological patient's/tumor's/TIVAD's parameters with the QASICC questionnaire score (the higher the overall score, the greater the acceptance and satisfaction). The questionnaire was administered to the patient 30 days (±15 days) after TIVAD's implantation.

RESULTS

Among 998 questionnaires given to cancer patients, 658 were analyzed and 464 were fully assessed as there was no missing data. Time to fill-in the questionnaire was five minutes in 90% patients. Final QASICC tool included twenty-two questions assessing four homogeneous dimensions (65%<Cronbach coefficient<85%): (i) impact on daily activities and professional activities; (ii) esthetics and privacy; (iii) pain, contribution to the comfort of the treatment; (iv) local discomfort. Respective assessment scores were 23.6%, 32.9%, 20.4% and 18.0%. Overall satisfaction score was 75.8%; global assessment score was 76.2%. These scores were significantly linked to patient's gender, anesthesia type, TIVAD's implantation side, patient's age and tumor type.

CONCLUSIONS

This second and final methodological and statistical validation of this auto-questionnaire QASICC allows us to propose it as a dedicated questionnaire to TIVAD's cancer patients by using a score assessing acceptance and satisfaction regarding their device.

Identification and characterization of catheter-related bloodstream infections due to viridans group streptococci in patients with cancer

Viridans group streptococci (VGS), a leading cause of bloodstream infection (BSI) in cancer patients, are thought to arise from the gastrointestinal tract. We sought to determine whether central venous catheters may serve as the source of VGS BSI, and to compare the ability of the newly proposed mucosal barrier injury laboratory-confirmed BSI definition to assign a VGS BSI source compared with the catheter-related BSI definition.