title: High body mass index correlates with increased risk of venous irritation by vinorelbine infusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vinorelbine is currently one of the most active chemotherapeutic agents. However, it is also a moderate vesicant that is well known to cause venous irritation and phlebitis. We conducted this study to identify clinical risk factors related to the incidence of venous irritation caused by peripheral vinorelbine infusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were used to investigate retrospectively a total of 201 cases of non-small cell lung cancer treated with a chemotherapeutic regimen containing vinorelbine. Venous irritation was evaluated in every course and graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria version 2.0. Gender, age, body mass index (BMI), chemotherapeutic regimen, dose of vinorelbine and prior chemotherapy were used as clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 928 vinorelbine infusions were administered to the 201 patients, among whom venous irritation occurred in 63 (31%). The incidence of venous irritation was 28% in the normal BMI (<25) group and 45% in the high BMI (25 or more) group and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.037). There were no significant correlations between the incidence of venous irritation and the clinical variables except BMI. In the multivariate analysis BMI was also a significant independent variable that correlated with increased risk of venous irritation (P = 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Care is required when using vinorelbine to treat patients with a high BMI, especially with regard to the development of venous irritation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8577, Japan. kyoh@east.ncc.go.jp
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoh
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niho
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohmatsu
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Ryutaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kakinuma
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010689:Phlebitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D008937:Mitomycins; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine