Activation of coagulation and deep vein thrombosis after bone marrow harvesting and insertion of a Hickman-catheter in ABMT patients with malignant lymphoma

Evidence of activation of coagulation was sought in serial plasma samples from 25 ABMT candidates with malignant lymphoma admitted for bone marrow harvesting: 10 females and 15 males, median age 41 years (range 27-58 years), Nineteen patients had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and six had Hodgkin's disease, Of those with NHL, 14 had high-grade and five low-grade disease, The plasma levels of markers of activation (prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, thrombin-antithrombin complexes, fibrinopeptide A and fibrinmonomers) increased significantly (P < 0.001) in association with harvesting, Except for fibrinopeptide A, the indicators of activation were still significantly elevated 24 h after marrow aspiration, beta-thromboglobulin, a marker of the platelet release reaction, also increased significantly (P < 0.01), Four out of nine patients in whom a long-term central venous catheter was inserted just after marrow aspiration, developed catheter-related deep vein thrombosis, verified venographically, shortly after harvesting, These results suggest that patients with malignant lymphoma undergoing marrow harvesting develop a hypercoagulable state, and that insertion of a central intravenous catheter immediately after marrow harvesting should be avoided to prevent the development of symptomatic deep vein thrombosis.