Central venous catheter use and the risk of infection in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A report from the Children's Cancer Group

Purpose To describe patterns of central venous catheter (CVC) use and determine the risk of infection associated with a catheter in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Patients and Methods Children with ALL (n = 1934), participating in Children's Cancer Group studies for good-prognosis ALL (CCG-1881) and intermediate-risk ALL (CCG-1891) were evaluated in a retrospective case-control study. The presence of a catheter and the occurrence of infectious complications were recorded after each treatment phase. Results Young age and enrollment in the intermediate-risk study were associated with higher rates of catheter use. During each of the first four phases of therapy, the adjusted risk of infection was two-to fourfold higher when a catheter was in place. The proportion of patients with infection during the first four phases of therapy was 2.6 times higher with a CVC (14.4% versus 5.7%). Catheter use was associated with significantly increased hospitalization rates during induction, consolidation, and interim maintenance, but not during delayed intensification. A catheter did not significantly increase the risk of fever during neutropenia. Conclusion The presence of a CVC increases the risk of infection during the early phases of low-intensity therapy for ALL.