Risk factors for skin injuries in cancer patients with peripherally inserted central catheter: A prospective multicenter cohort study

Background: The risk factors for skin injuries remain poorly understood in cancer patients with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC). We herein aimed at exploring the effect of clinical factors on the risk of PICC-related skin injuries. Methods: We included 1245 cancer patients with PICC from 16 hospitals in Suzhou, China. The study outcome was in-hospital skin injuries, including contact dermatitis, skin (epidermal) stripping, tension injury, allergic dermatitis, skin tear, maceration, folliculitis, and pressure injury. Results: During hospitalization, 274 patients (22.0%) developed skin injuries after prolonged use of an indwelling catheter. Univariable logistic regression analysis identified several risk factors for PICC-related skin injuries; multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the following factors independently and significantly (p 25 kg/m2 versus