2.1. Protocol and registrations
This review will follow the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) [11] and the results of the steps will be presented through the PRISMA flow diagram [12]. This protocol was registered in International Prospective Register of Systematic reviews (PROSPERO), CRD42020206709, on September 28, 2020.
2.2. Search strategy
The search will be conducted in nine databases that will include: Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, EPISTEMONIKOS, Scopus, and Virtual Health Library. It will include grey literature bases, such as Clinical Trials and Google Scholar. Additionally, a search will be carried out using the references of the articles considered eligible. The search will be updated until the qualitative synthesis is carried out. There will be no restriction on the period of publication, study design, or language. The draft of search strategy to be used for electronic databases in presented in Table 1.
Table 1
Date | Database | Search strategy | Filters or limits | Hits |
10 Sept 2020 | Medline (PubMed) | ((((((((((Bone Marrow Transplantation[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Bone Marrow Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Grafting, Bone Marrow"[Title/Abstract] OR "Bone Marrow Grafting"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantation, Bone Marrow"[Title/Abstract] OR "Bone Marrow Cell Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantation, Bone Marrow Cell"[Title/Abstract])) OR ((Stem Cell Transplantation[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Stem Cell Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Stem Cell Transplantations"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantations, Stem Cell"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantation, Stem Cell"[Title/Abstract]))) OR ((Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Stem Cell Transplantation, Hematopoietic"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantation, Hematopoietic Stem Cell"[Title/Abstract]))) OR ((Transplantation, Autologous[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Transplantation, Autologous"[Title/Abstract] OR Autotransplantation[Title/Abstract] OR Autotransplantations[Title/Abstract] OR Autografting[Title/Abstract] OR Autograftings[Title/Abstract] OR "Autologous Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Autologous Transplantations"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantations, Autologous"[Title/Abstract]))) OR ((Transplantation, Homologous[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Transplantation, Homologous"[Title/Abstract] OR "Allogeneic Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantation, Allogeneic"[Title/Abstract] OR Homografting[Title/Abstract] OR "Homologous Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Allogeneic Grafting"[Title/Abstract] OR "Grafting, Allogeneic"[Title/Abstract] OR Allografting[Title/Abstract]))) OR (allotransplantation)) OR (((Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation"[Title/Abstract] OR "Stem Cell Transplantation, Peripheral"[Title/Abstract] OR "Transplantation, Peripheral Stem Cell"[Title/Abstract])) OR ("Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (PBSCT)"))) OR ("Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (PBSCT)")) AND ((((Catheterization, Peripheral[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Catheterization, Peripheral"[Title/Abstract] OR "Peripheral Catheterization"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterizations, Peripheral"[Title/Abstract] OR "Peripheral Catheterizations"[Title/Abstract] OR "Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Line Insertion"[Title/Abstract] OR "PICC Placement"[Title/Abstract] OR "PICC Placements"[Title/Abstract] OR "Placement, PICC"[Title/Abstract] OR "Placements, PICC"[Title/Abstract] OR "PICC Line Placement"[Title/Abstract] OR "PICC Line Placements"[Title/Abstract] OR "Placement, PICC Line"[Title/Abstract] OR "Placements, PICC Line"[Title/Abstract] OR "PICC Line Catheterization"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterization, PICC Line"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterizations, PICC Line"[Title/Abstract] OR "PICC Line Catheterizations"[Title/Abstract] OR "Peripheral Venous Catheterization"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterizations, Peripheral Venous"[Title/Abstract] OR "Peripheral Venous Catheterizations"[Title/Abstract] OR "Venous Catheterizations, Peripheral"[Title/Abstract] OR "Venous Catheterization, Peripheral"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterization, Peripheral Venous"[Title/Abstract])) OR ("Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheters (PICCs)" OR "Peripherally inserted central venous catheters")) OR ("peripherally inserted central venous catheter" OR "Lifecath PICC Expert" OR "peripherally inserted central catheter" OR "peripherally-inserted central venous catheter" OR "pic line" OR "picc line" OR "PowerPICC SOLO catheter" OR "Spectrum Turboject"))) AND (((Catheterization, Central Venous[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Catheterization, Central Venous"[Title/Abstract] OR "Venous Catheterization, Central"[Title/Abstract] OR "Central Catheterization"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterization, Central"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterizations, Central"[Title/Abstract] OR "Central Catheterizations"[Title/Abstract] OR "Central Venous Catheterization"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheterizations, Central Venous"[Title/Abstract] OR "Central Venous Catheterizations"[Title/Abstract] OR "Venous Catheterizations, Central"[Title/Abstract])) OR ((Central Venous Catheters[MeSH Terms]) OR ("Central Venous Catheters"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheter, Central Venous"[Title/Abstract] OR "Catheters, Central Venous"[Title/Abstract] OR "Venous Catheter, Central"[Title/Abstract] OR "Venous Catheters, Central"[Title/Abstract] OR "Central Venous Catheter"[Title/Abstract]))) | None | 17 |
2.3. Types of participants, interventions, comparator, and designs
Participants. Adult and paediatric patients undergoing HSCT. Studies in which patients received HSCT for non-oncohematological conditions and those whose PICC had a calibre less than 3 French (Fr) will be excluded.
Intervention. PICC, mono or double lumen, implanted at any stage of HSCT, through peripheral venepuncture in upper limbs (basilic, brachial or cephalic veins), guided/assisted or not by ultrasound, with the distal tip of the catheter located in the third space of the vena cava (cavo-atrial junction) confirmed by radiological examination or by intracavitary electrocardiogram.
Comparator. 1) Short term central venous catheter, double or mono-lumen, inserted by puncture, guided/assisted or not by ultrasound, into an internal jugular vein or subclavian vein and distal extremity located in the third space of the superior vena cava confirmed by radiological imaging. 2) Long-term central venous catheter, mono or double lumen, with or without cuff, inserted by dissection with the distal tip of the catheter located in the third space of the superior vena cava, confirmed by radiological examination.
Designs. Primary studies, randomized clinical trials, quasi-experimental and observational studies will be included. Review studies, reports, and case series will be excluded. There will be no restriction on publication period or language.
2.4. Types of outcome measures
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Removal of the catheter by the completion of therapy: number of patients with catheter removed at the end of the haematopoiesis recovery phase.
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Catheter days: number of days for which the patient stayed with the catheter.
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Overall mortality: death from any cause.
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Mortality associated with catheter-related complications: death confirmed by complications related to the catheter.
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Primary catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI): confirmed by two or more positive paired blood cultures, in blood collections from the catheter and peripheral venous access, with the same microorganism.
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Removal of the catheter due to complications: catheter removed by death, CRBSI, infection at the insertion site, clinical suspicion of infection such as fever of undetermined origin, sepsis, thrombosis, or pain at the insertion site or catheter tunnel (inflammatory signs without improvement).
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Catheter-related deep venous thrombosis (Catheter-related DVT): diagnosis of thrombosis, related to the catheter, confirmed by ultrasonography, venography, echocardiography, or magnetic resonance.
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Catheter-related complications include occlusion, rupture, transient or permanent malfunction, externalization, or accidental loss of the catheter.
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Complications associated with catheter insertion: clinical or mechanical complications resulting from the catheter insertion process, such as hematoma at the puncture site, pneumothorax, haemothorax, or death.
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Complications at the catheter insertion site: phlogistic signs at the insertion site or in the catheter tunnel and enlargement of the insertion ostium.
2.5. Selection of studies, inclusion, and exclusion criteria
The studies identified in the databases will be exported to the Covidence platform, and duplicates will be excluded. On this platform, four researchers (APGV, BKLD, PSU), in pairs, will make the selection by titles and abstracts according to the eligibility criteria. Disagreements will be resolved by consensus or consultation with the third reviewer (DFSA or MHML).
The selected studies will be recovered in full, and three researchers (APGV, BKLD, PSU), in pairs, will confirm the eligibility of the study by evaluating the full texts and justifications for exclusion. Disagreements will also be resolved through consensus and, when necessary, through consultation with a third researcher (DFSA or MHML).
2.6. Data extraction and analysis
The results of the studies will be extracted in a standardized way, through Covidence plataform, by two independent reviewers (APGV, BKLD, PSU), and reviewed by a third reviewer (DFSA or MHML) when there are discrepancies in the extracted data. The studies will be characterized by author, year, design, population, intervention, control, and outcomes. For the participants, demographic and clinical variables such as age, diagnosis, type of transplant, type of catheter, calibre, time of insertion, and types of medications, blood components, and infused blood products will be included. For effectiveness outcomes, information on mortality, CRBSI, the reason for catheter removal, complications related to the catheter, thrombosis, complications during implantation, and at the insertion site will be extracted.
2.7. Quality and bias assessment
For randomized clinical trials, we will use the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2), which contains five evaluation domains: bias arising from the randomization process, bias due to deviations from intended interventions, bias due to missing outcome data, bias in the measurement of the outcome, and bias in the selection of the reported result. Domains are adopted using a guide for the judgments that contain the following options - yes, probably yes, probably not, no, and no information. The studies will be classified based on previous judgments, low risk of bias, some concerns, and high risk of bias [13].
We will use the Joanna Briggs Institute critical evaluation checklist for quasi-experimental and observational studies (cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort).
The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Quasi-experimental Studies (non-randomized experimental studies) includes nine items that include evaluation if the ‘cause’ and ‘effect’ variables are clear, similarity of participants, intervention, with or without a control group, multiples measurements of the outcome pre- and post-intervention, follow-up time, validity of outcomes measured, and statistical analysis [14].
The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies consists of eight critical evaluation items that include criteria for inclusion in the sample, description of subjects and setting, validity and reliability of exposure measured, standard criteria for condition measurement, confounding factors, validity and reliability of outcome and statistical analysis [15].
The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case-Control Studies includes information about the comparability of participants, matched case and controls, identification criteria of participants, validity and reliability of exposure, confounding factors, validity, and reliability of outcomes, exposure period, and statistical analysis [15].
Finally, The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cohort Studies includes information about the similarities and of participants’ recruitment, exposures, validity, and reliability of exposure measured, confounding factors, absence of the outcome at the start of the study, validity, and reliability of outcomes, follow-up time, and statistical analysis [15].
2.8. Synthesis
The data of similar studies will be summarized through meta-analysis obtained in fixed-effects models. For dichotomous data (removal of the catheter by the completion of therapy, global mortality, mortality associated with catheter-related complications, CRBSI, removal of the catheter due to complications, catheter-related DVT, catheter-related complications, complications associated with catheter insertion, and the catheter insertion site), the risk ratios (RR) will be presented with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and for continuous data (catheter days), the results will be treated with mean differences and 95% CI.
To verify if there is a difference in the results of the included studies, detailed evaluations of the studies will be performed and statistical techniques will be applied to identify heterogeneity. The heterogeneity will be evaluated through the chi-squared test, adopting a significance level of p < 0.10, and by the estimation of the inconsistency between studies (I²). The magnitude of heterogeneity (I²) will be assessed by the following limits: below 40% not important, 30–60% moderate, 50–90% substantial, and above 75–100% considerable heterogeneity. In the presence of substantial heterogeneity, intervention effect estimates will be calculated using random-effects models. For this analysis, we will use the RevMan 5.4 or later. A funnel plot will be generated to assess publication bias if there are 10 or more studies included in a meta-analysis. The statistical test for funnel plot asymmetry (Egger test) will be performed where appropriate [16].
If we find enough data for the analysis, we plan to perform subgroup analyses according to age (0 to 18 years, 19 to 60 years and 61 years or more) and the time of insertion (before and during HSCT). In case statistical pooling is not possible, the findings will be presented in narrative form, including tables and figures.
The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach for grading the certainty of evidence will be followed (Guyatt et al. 2009), and a Summary of Findings (SoF) will be created using GRADEPro GDT (McMaster University, ON, Canada). The outcomes reported in the SoF will be: removal of the catheter by the completion of therapy, global mortality, mortality associated with catheter-related complications, CRBSI, removal of the catheter due to complications, catheter-related DVT, catheter-related complications, complications associated with catheter insertion, and the catheter insertion site [17].