Catheter-related Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in cancer patients: high rate of complications with therapeutic implications.

Risk factors for complications of catheter-related Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (CRSAB) have been studied in the general patient population but have not been well defined in cancer patients. We investigated potential risk factors for intravascular and extravascular complications in these patients. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with CRSAB hospitalized at our institution between January 2001 and December 2004.