1900P - Seasonal impact on subcutaneous port infections among oncological patients

Background

Safe and efficient venous access is a crucial aspect of modern medical therapy in oncology. Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are among the most common complications in neutropenic cancer patients and are associated with high mortality rates. Clinical observations and current literature suggest a relationship between season and infection rates. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the seasonal impact on PORT-a-cath (PORT) infections in oncological patients.

Methods

From 2010 to 2017, 1,323 oncology patients at our center were enrolled, of whom 795 underwent planned or unplanned PORT explantation. Data collected included demographics, laboratory findings, and catheter-associated parameters. Patients suffered from both oncologic and hematologic diseases. Infection rates were calculated on a seasonal basis and compared using Fisher's exact test and logistic regression analysis.

Results

There were 176 PORT explantations (128 women; 48 men) during the warm season (June, July, August; average temperature 68.54°F or 20.3°C) and 619 PORT explantations (493 women; 126 men) during the cold season (September-May; average temperature 45.6°F or 7.56°C). The composition of the study cohorts was comparable, with an average age of 55.1 years. Out of 795 explantations, we observed 98 CRBSIs, indicating an infection rate of 12.32%. A statistically significant increase in CRBSIs was noted during the summer (18.75% vs. 10.50%), representing a 78% higher risk of infection. Logistic regression analysis identified 'season' as a significant predictor for infection, with a hazard ratio of 1.785 (95% CI: 1.105 to 2.885, p-value = 0.0179) in the warm season, while sex and age were also found to be strong predictors.

Conclusions

We demonstrated a significant increase in CRBSIs during the warm season compared to the cold season. These findings highlight the importance of considering timing for catheter implantation, specifying long-term application devices, and implementing prophylactic antibiotic regimes in oncological patient therapy management.

Clinical trial identification

12th of December 2018; Ethics vote number: 1190/2018.

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.