THE EFFECT OF BODY MASS INDEX ON PERMANENT TUNNELED INTRAVASCULAR CATHETER COMPLICATIONS IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

Aim: Permanent tunneled intravascular catheters (PTIC) areincreasingly used in children. Although the effects of body mass index (BMI) oncomplications in different surgical procedures in children have been studied,there is no study evaluating the effects of BMI on management of PTIC. Herein,we aimed to evaluate the correlation between BMI and complications seen in childrenwith PTIC.Methods: Patients who underwent PTIC placement between 2006and 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic characteristics, underlyingdiseases, catheter indications, surgical reports, BMI values and complicationswere evaluated. BMI values were evaluated in five groups according topercentile (p) ranges. Results were statistically analyzed and a p-value &lt;0,05 was considered statistically significant.Results: 400 patients were included in the study – 182 female(45.5 %) and 218 male (54.5 %). Intravascular catheter line-associatedbloodstream infection (CLABSI) and wound infection (WI) were the most commoncomplications. The BMI percentile groups were &lt;3 p, 3-15 p, 15-85 p, 85-97 pand &gt;97 p, containing 26, 26, 259, 58, 31 patients respectively. CLABSI was foundto be highest in the &lt;3 p group (13 patients 50 %). As BMI decreased, CLABSIrates have been found to be significantly increased (p &lt;0.001). WIwas found to be highest in the &gt;97 p group (17 patients, 44.7 %). WI rateswere found significantly higher as the patients BMI increases (p &lt;0.001).Conclusion: While patients with higher BMI are at more risk ofWI, the risk of CLABSI decreases. It appears that BMI has a protective effecton CLABSI.&nbsp;</p