Central venous catheter use increases ischemic stroke risk: a nationwide population-based study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Medical Procedures

Background:

• Central venous catheter (CVC) placement is a frequent procedure for critically ill patients.
• Ischemic stroke is a known complication associated with CVC placement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between CVC placement and ischemic stroke risk.
• Focus on an Asian population to understand specific risk factors.

Main Methods:

• Population-based retrospective study utilizing the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.
• Propensity score matching was employed to compare 34,164 patients with CVC placement against a control group without CVC placement.
• Analysis included cumulative incidence rates and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for ischemic stroke.

Main Results:

• CVC placement was associated with a significantly increased annual incidence of ischemic stroke (19.5 vs. 11.6 per 10,000 person-years; aSHR=1.4).
• Patients aged 35 years or younger with CVC placement exhibited a markedly higher stroke risk (aSHR=14.3) compared to older patients.
• Within one year of follow-up, the ischemic stroke incidence rate was approximately 3.25-fold higher in the CVC group.

Conclusions:

• Central venous catheter placement elevates the risk of ischemic stroke.
• The increased risk is particularly pronounced in younger patients (≤35 years).
• Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms and implications of this finding.