Objective To explore the effect of peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICC) on plasma D-dimer levels in chemotherapy patients and analyze the influence factors.

Methods One hundred cancer patients who received PICC and chemotherapy were included. The plasma D-dimer levels within one week before PICC and within 4 weeks after PICC were detected by Latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay. The plasma D-dimer levels before and after PICC were compared by two related samples Wilcoxon rank sum test. The plasma D-dimer level differences between groups were analyzed by two independent samples Wilcoxon rank sum test or multiple sets of independent samples Kruskal-Wallis H test.

Results Before PICC, the plasma D-dimer level of chemotherapy patients with diabetes was 1.330 (0.463, 1.828) μg/ml, which was higher than the level of those without diabetes 0.530 (0.290, 0.965) μg/ml (P=0.021), and the differences were not statistically significant between other groups (P>0.05). On the whole, the plasma D-dimer level after PICC was 1.010 (0.593, 1.568) μg/ml, which was higher than the level before PICC 0.670(0.330, 1.293) μg/ml (P<0.001). The plasma D-dimer level of concentration differences before and after PICC in clinical stage Ⅳ was 0.400 (0.055, 0.750) μg/ml, which was higher than the level in clinical stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ 0.160 (-0.170, 0.360) μg/ml (P=0.010); the level in age≥60 years old was 0.470 (0.160, 0.790) μg/ml, which was higher than the level in age＜60 years old 0.110 (-0.060, 0.370) μg/ ml (P=0.001), and the differences between other groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05).

Conclusion PICC could elevate the plasma D-dimer levels in chemotherapy patients, and the risk factors include tumor stage Ⅳ and age≥60 years old.