Multivariate analysis of medical adhesive-related skin injury at the site of peripherally inserted central catheter insertion in cancer patients: A prospective cohort study.

Objective: At the site of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) catheterization in tumor patients, medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI) was reported related to patient age, infusion of certain chemotherapeutic agents, and tumor type, but did not review its relation to the use of clear patches and the puncture site of PICC. This study aims to analyze the risk factors for MARSI in more detail to provide supported data for reducing MARSI.

Method: Total 382 cancer patients receiving catheterization via PICC were involved in this study from March 1, 2021, to September 28, 2021. According to MARSI occurrence or not, they were assigned into MARSI or non-MARSI group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the risks of MARSI occurrence at PICC insertion site.

Results: 15% (60 of 382 cases) resulted in MARSI, out of which 8.1% (31/382) was categorized as contact dermatitis, and 7.1% (27/382) as mechanical injuries. The univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in six aspects of the study, including BMI, MARSI history, dressing types, treatment by paclitaxel or 5-FU versus oxaliplatin, dressing frequency, and catheterization at biceps brachii medial (p < 0.05). Via multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was discovered that except for previously reported risk factors, dressing change frequency (OR (95% CI) = 7.49 (2.36-23.80), p = 0.001), catheterization at biceps brachii medial (OR (95% CI) = 4.07 (1.82-9.10), p = 0.001), and breast cancer (OR (95% CI) = 3.27 (1.05-10.15), p = 0.041), there were significant risk factors for MARSI occurrence in tumor patients with PICC catheterization.

Conclusion: Our study revealed a high incidence of MARSI at the PICC insertion site of cancer patients, presenting with contact dermatitis and mechanical injury. Independent risk factors were previous history of MARSI, a diagnosis of breast cancer, frequent dressing replacement, use of paclitaxel or 5-FU, and PICC catheterization at biceps brachii medial.