Venous thrombosis in the elderly: incidence, risk factors and risk groups

The incidence of venous thromboembolism in total joint replacement during COVID-19 pandemic: has lockdown had an influence?

Aims

As the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic began to dip, restarting elective orthopaedics became a challenge. Protocols including surgery at ‘green’ sites, self-isolation for 14 days, and COVID-19 testing were developed to minimize the risk of transmission. In this study, we look at risk effects of 14-day self-isolation on the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in our green site hospital among patients undergoing total joint replacement (TJR).

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included 50 patients who underwent TJR. Basic demographic data was collected including, age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, body mass index (BMI), type of surgery, and complications at two and four weeks. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify risk factors associated with an increased risk of VTE.

Results

A total of 50 patients were included in our study, with 24 males and 26 females. The mean age was 67.86 (SD 11.803). Overall, 8% of patients suffered a VTE complication; symptomatic non-fatal pulmoary embolism was confirmed in 6% of patients (n = 3) as an inpatient, and symptomatic deep vein thrombosis was diagnosed in 2% of patients (n = 1) within two weeks of their operation. All patients were found to be female (p < 0.001), had a BMI > 30 (p = 0.317), and were immobile prior to their operation using walking aids (p = 0.016).

Conclusion

The incidence we report is much higher than the reported incidence in the literature, which we believe is related to the 14-day self-isolation period and immobility prior to their operation. We recommend that all patients undergoing TJR that require a period of self-isolation, are pre-assessed prior to self-isolation for their risk of VTE, potentially using mechanical and chemical prophylaxis to reduce the likelihood of developing VTE.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2020;1-12:751–756.

Nurse staffing practices and adverse events in acute care hospitals: The research protocol of a multisite patient-level longitudinal study

Aims

We describe an innovative research protocol to: (a) examine patient‐level longitudinal associations between nurse staffing practices and the risk of adverse events in acute care hospitals and; (b) determine possible thresholds for safe nurse staffing.

Design

A dynamic cohort of adult medical, surgical and intensive care unit patients admitted to 16 hospitals in Quebec (Canada) between January 2015–December 2019.

Methods

Patients in the cohort will be followed from admission until 30‐day postdischarge to assess exposure to selected nurse staffing practices in relation to the subsequent occurrence of adverse events. Five staffing practices will be measured for each shift of an hospitalization episode, using electronic payroll data, with the following time‐varying indicators: (a) nursing worked hours per patient; (b) skill mix; (c) overtime use; (d) education mix and; and (e) experience. Four high‐impact adverse events, presumably associated with nurse staffing practices, will be measured from electronic health record data retrieved at the participating sites: (a) failure‐to‐rescue; (b) in‐hospital falls; (c) hospital‐acquired pneumonia and; and (d) venous thromboembolism. To examine the associations between the selected nurse staffing exposures and the risk of each adverse event, separate multivariable Cox proportional hazards frailty regression models will be fitted, while adjusting for patient, nursing unit and hospital characteristics, and for clustering. To assess for possible staffing thresholds, flexible non‐linear spline functions will be fitted. Funding for the study began in October 2019 and research ethics/institutional approval was granted in February 2020.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this study is the first multisite patient‐level longitudinal investigation of the associations between common nurse staffing practices and the risk of adverse events. It is hoped that our results will assist hospital managers in making the most effective use of the scarce nursing resources and in identifying staffing practices that minimize the occurrence of adverse events.

Elderly people are inherently sensitive to the pharmacological activity of rivaroxaban: implications for DOAC prescribing

According to both trial and clinical data on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) elderly patients are at greatest risk of bleeding. It is unclear whether age intrinsically affects anticoagulation response. To investigate the age-related sensitivity to DOACs, we compared the pharmacological activity of the direct factor Xa inhibitor, rivaroxaban, between young and elderly subjects ex-vivo. 36 fit elderly and 30 fit young subjects [median (IQR) age: 83(75–87) vs 30(26–38) years] provided a blood sample. Clotting parameters were measured in the resultant plasma samples incubated with rivaroxaban (100–500 ng/ml). Parametric, non-parametric tests and regression lines adjusted for rivaroxaban concentration and baseline values were used to compare data. Rivaroxaban produced a greater prolongation of both Prothrombin Time (PT) and modified Prothrombin Time (mPT) (both p < 0.001) in the elderly compared to young subjects (with difference in mean PT increasing from 1.6 to 6.1s and for mPT from 23.5 to 71.1s at 100 ng/ml and 500 ng/ml plasma rivaroxaban concentration, respectively). Factor X and factor II activity was significantly lower in the elderly in the presence of rivaroxaban (p < 0.001 for both). Rivaroxaban prolonged time-based parameters and suppressed the amount of thrombin generation to a significantly greater extent in the elderly compared to young subjects [%change from baseline for Endogenous Thrombin Potential (ETP): − 35.0 ± 4.4 vs − 29.8 ± 7.4 nM*min; p = 0.002]. The use of validated DOAC assays will be of considerable benefit for monitoring elderly patients who, because of their increased sensitivity to rivaroxaban, may require lower doses of the drug for therapeutic anticoagulation.

The Cumulative Incidence and Risk Factors of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism in the Elderly

Background

Incidence and outcomes of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the elderly are still not fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and identify the risk factors of VTE recurrence in this population.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of a one-year follow-up of 277 patients aged ≥65 years with primary VTE was performed at King Abdulaziz Medical City, a tertiary care teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Demographic data, risk factors, and the consequences of VTE (recurrence, bleeding, and mortality) were recorded.

Results

Of the 277 VTE patients, 39 (14%) were diagnosed with recurrent VTE over a median follow-up period of 12 months. The cumulative incidence of recurrent VTE was 12.75 per hundred patient-year (95% CI, 8.24–17.36). In multivariate Cox regression, malignancy (hazard ratio [HR], 2.87, 95% CI, 1.32–6.24, p=0.008) and surgery (HR 2.78, 95% CI, 1.36–5.67, p=0.005) were identified as independent risk factors for recurrent VTE. Metformin had a significant independent protection effect (HR, 0.16, 95% CI, 0.08–0.33, p<0.001). During follow-up, two patients in the recurrent VTE group and five patients in the group with no recurrent VTE, all of whom were minor bleeding cases, reported no major bleeding. Seven (18%) patients in the recurrent VTE group and nine (4%) patients in the group with no recurrent VTE died (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The findings of this study show that elderly patients with initial VTE have a recurrent rate (14%), with a cumulative incidence rate of 12.75 per hundred patient-year. Malignancy and surgery were the most important clinical risk factors to impact significantly the development of recurrent VTE in our elderly population. Metformin may have a protective effect against recurrent VTE in the elderly population, and a larger study is needed to validate our findings.

Incidence of Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis in Acute Leukemia and Effect on Mortality

The cumulative incidence, risk factors, rate of subsequent venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding and impact on mortality of isolated upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UE DVT) in acute leukemia are not well-described. The California Cancer Registry, used to identify treated patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) diagnosed between 2009 and 2014, was linked with the statewide hospitalization database to determine cumulative incidences of UE DVT and subsequent VTE and bleeding after UE DVT diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the association of UE DVT on the risk of subsequent pulmonary embolism (PE) or lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LE DVT) and subsequent bleeding, and the impact of UE DVT on mortality. There were 5,072 patients identified: 3,252 had AML and 1,820 had ALL. Three- and 12-month cumulative incidences of UE DVT were 4.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.1–5.6) and 6.6% (95% CI: 5.8–7.5) for AML and 4.1% (95% CI: 3.2–5.1) and 5.9% (95% CI: 4.9–7.1) for ALL, respectively. Twelve-month cumulative incidences of subsequent VTE after an incident UE DVT diagnosis were 5.3% for AML and 12.2% for ALL. Twelve-month cumulative incidences of subsequent bleeding after an incident UE DVT diagnosis were 15.4% for AML and 21.1% for ALL. UE DVT was associated with an increased risk of subsequent bleeding for both AML (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.60–2.68) and ALL (HR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.02–2.57) but was not an independent risk factor for subsequent PE or LE DVT for either leukemia subtype. Isolated incident UE DVT was associated with increased leukemia-specific mortality for AML (HR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.16–1.73) and ALL (HR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.31–2.47). UE DVT is a relatively common complication among patients with AML and ALL and has a significant impact on bleeding and mortality. Further research is needed to determine appropriate therapy for this high-risk population.

Direct-access to sonographic diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in general practice: a descriptive cohort study

Background

Suspicion of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is common and requires urgent and efficient investigation due to hazardous prognosis. The traditional diagnostic pathway can be complex and time-consuming, and innovative solutions may provide easy access to diagnostics and better use of healthcare resources. We aimed to describe use, clinical outcomes and time used when providing general practitioners (GPs) with a direct-access pathway to hospital-based, single whole-leg compression ultrasound (CUS) for patients with suspected DVT. Furthermore we aimed to describe the resources used in the new direct-access pathway and compare it with the previous pathway.

Methods

We conducted a 2-year descriptive cohort study (2016–2017) including 449 consecutively referred patients for diagnosis of DVT in a Danish regional hospital. The previous pathway included pre-test at the medical department, a proximal leg CUS if required based on the pre-test and a re-scan if the first CUS was negative. The new pathway included two strategies: 1) a ‘yes-no strategy’, where GPs referred patients directly to whole-leg CUS and if positive, treated at the medical department and if negative, discharged to the GP, 2) a ‘follow-up strategy’ where GPs could require that patients were seen at the medical department, irrespective of the CUS result. Data included extractions from the Radiology Information and Patient Administrative Systems, and mean salaries of healthcare professionals at Silkeborg Regional Hospital, Denmark. Descriptive statistics were used to describe prevalence, timelines and costs.

Results

GPs referred 318 (71%) patients through the yes-no strategy and 131 (29%) via the follow-up strategy with DVT diagnosed in 48 (15%) and 51 (39%) patients, respectively (p < 0.001). For the 263 patients completed after CUS in the yes-no strategy, median pathway time was 24 min (IQI: 16–36), and for those with DVT (including both strategies) 202 min (IQI: 158–273). Direct-access pathway costs were €49.7 less per patient than the previous pathway.

Conclusion

Direct-access to CUS for suspected DVT was achievable, had short time intervals and required fewer resources. The difference in DVT prevalence indicates that GPs distinguish between patients with low and high risk of DVT.

Association between Sarcopenia/Lower Muscle Mass and Short-Term Regression of Deep Vein Thrombosis Using Direct Oral Anticoagulants

Advanced age, obesity, and muscle weakness are independent factors in the onset of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Recently, an association between sarcopenia and DVT has been reported. We hypothesized that sarcopenia related factors, observed by ultrasonography, are associated with the regression effect on the thrombus following anticoagulation therapy. The present study focused on gastrocnemius muscle (GCM) thickness and the GCM's internal echogenic brightness. We examined the association with DVT regression following direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) treatment.The prospective cohort study period was between October 2017 and August 2018. We enrolled 46 patients diagnosed with DVT by ultrasonography, who were aged >60 years old and treated with DOACs. Sarcopenia was evaluated using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia flowchart. The average DOACs treatment period was 94 days, and 29 patients exhibited thrombus regression. On univariate logistic regression analysis, sarcopenia, average GCM diameter index, and gastrocnemius integrated backscatter index were significantly associated with thrombus regression. In a multivariate model, only the average GCM diameter index correlated with thrombus regression.The average GCM diameter index is associated with DVT regression treated with DOACs. Considering the GCM diameter during DVT treatment can be a marker to make a decision for the treatment of DVT.

Rivaroxaban treatment for young patients with pulmonary embolism (Review)

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a serious, life-threatening condition that affects young populations (>18 and <50 years old, according to most literature reviews) with improved recognition of its clinical manifestations and the widespread use of sensitive imaging techniques, PE is increasingly diagnosed in younger patients. At present, there is limited understanding of the clinical features and adequate anticoagulant treatment options for this population. Most studies to date have yet to demonstrate significant differences in PE pathophysiology or symptoms between young and elderly patients. Although the overall incidence of PE is lower in young populations compared with elderly patients, important risk factors also apply for young patients. Hereditary thrombophilia is common and is a major cause of PE in younger patients. Immobilization, trauma, obesity, smoking and infection are also becoming increasingly frequent in young patients with PE. Among female patients, oral contraceptive use, pregnancy and postpartum status are predominant risk factors underlying PE. Rivaroxaban is a direct oral anticoagulant with a rapid onset of action that is associated with less drug-drug interactions compared with other therapies. Because the drug is administered at fixed doses with no requirement for routine coagulation monitoring, it is becoming an attractive option for anticoagulation treatment in young patients with PE. Therefore, the present literature review focuses on the clinical characteristics of PE and rivaroxaban therapy in younger patients.

Long-term safety and efficacy of subcutaneous C1-inhibitor in older patients with hereditary angioedema

BACKGROUND

Patients aged 65 years and older with hereditary angioedema (HAE) owing to C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency may have an altered response to treatment and are at higher risk for treatment-related adverse events (AEs) because of comorbidities and polypharmacy.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) in patients aged 65 years and older treated in an open-label extension of a phase 3 trial.

METHODS

Eligible patients (≥4 attacks for more than 2 consecutive months) were randomized to receive twice-weekly subcutaneous C1-INH with a dosage of 40 IU/kg or 60 IU/kg for 52 to 140 weeks. Safety end points and efficacy outcomes were evaluated for patients aged 65 years and above and younger than 65 years.

RESULTS

Of the 126 patients treated, 10 were 65 years and older (mean age [range], 68 [65-72 years]). A total of 8 of 10 patients had multiple comorbidities, and 6 of these 10 patients were taking more than 5 non-HAE-related drugs concomitantly. AEs occurring in more than 1 patient included injection site bruising (n = 2, related), injection site pain (n = 2, related), urinary tract infection (n = 2, unrelated), and diarrhea (n = 2, unrelated). No thromboembolic events or cases of anaphylaxis were reported. Two patients aged 65 years and older experienced unrelated serious AEs (dehydration and hypokalemia in 1 and pneumonia and an HAE attack leading to hospitalization in another). A total of 6 of 9 evaluable patients were responders, with a greater than or equal to 50% reduction in HAE attacks vs prestudy; 6 of 10 patients had less than 1 attack over 4 weeks and 3 were attack-free (median attack rate, 0.52 attacks per month).

CONCLUSION

Subcutaneous C1-INH was well-tolerated and effective in the management of HAE in patients aged 65 years and older with multiple comorbid conditions and polypharmacy.

Physical Activity in the Hospital: Documentation and Influence on Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

This study describes the availability of physical activity information in the electronic health record, explores how electronic health record documentation correlates with accelerometer-derived physical activity data, and examines whether measured physical activity relates to venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis use. Prospective observational data comes from community-dwelling older adults admitted to general medicine (n = 65). Spearman correlations were used to examine association of accelerometer-based daily step count with documented walking distance and with duration of VTE prophylaxis. Only 52% of patients had documented walking in nursing and/or physical therapy/occupational therapy notes during the first three hospital days. Median daily steps recorded via accelerometer was 1,370 (interquartile range = 854, 2,387) and correlated poorly with walking distance recorded in physical therapy/occupational therapy notes (median 33 feet/day [interquartile range = 12, 100]; r = .24; p = .27). Activity measures were not associated with use or duration of VTE prophylaxis. VTE prophylaxis use does not appear to be directed by patient activity, for which there is limited documentation.

Current status of rivaroxaban in elderly patients with pulmonary embolism (Review)

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs with a high incidence rate in elderly patients, demonstrating complex clinical manifestations, as well as a difficult anticoagulant treatment strategy. Currently, there is limited understanding of the selection criteria for anticoagulant treatment in elderly patients with PE. In fact, the vitamin K antagonist warfarin, a commonly prescribed anticoagulant, has multiple disadvantages, including a narrow therapeutic range, unpredictable pharmacokinetics, multiple food and drug interactions and genetic polymorphisms resulting in poor response to this therapy; therefore, routine laboratory monitoring is required. Most elderly patients with PE fail to adhere to the treatment regimen or even discontinue it, and clinicians are equally hesitant to initiate oral anticoagulants in elderly patients with PE. This leads to a dilemma regarding the use of anticoagulation therapies and a worse prognosis for the patients. Rivaroxaban, a direct Xa factor inhibitor, has demonstrated considerable practical and clinical advantages, exhibits fast-start action pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, and has an enhanced predictable anticoagulant effect with fewer drug-drug interactions. Based on randomized controlled trials and real-world clinical practice, rivaroxaban has also been recognized as a safe and effective anticoagulant, and these advantages have improved the therapeutic compliance of elderly patients with PE. Thus, this review focused on the current status of rivaroxaban treatment for elderly patients with PE, and described its significance in changing the current anticoagulation treatment regimens for patients. It is expected that rivaroxaban will become a good choice for the treatment of PE in elderly patients.

New score including daily life independence levels with dementia is associated with the onset of deep vein thrombosis in frail older adults

AIM

The detailed risk factors of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remain unknown, and no efficient tool to assess the risk of the development of DVT among older adults has been established. This study aimed to clarify the risk factors, including the level of daily life independence, and develop an assessment score for DVT in older patients.

METHODS

We recruited 252 patients aged ≧65 years with suspected deep vein thrombosis. Risk factors for deep vein thrombosis, cognitive impairment, laboratory data and level of daily life independence were analyzed to calculate the odds ratios for the onset of DVT with logistic regressions. The Himi score was generated with factors significantly related to DVT by adjusting the respective odds ratios. The discrimination accuracy of the Himi score associated with the onset of DVT was compared with those of conventional scores (Wells score, Padua score) based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

Low levels of daily life independence, D-dimer level >3.0 μg/mL, anticoagulant use, cancer and immobilization or symptoms of the lower limbs were associated with the onset of DVT. The discrimination accuracy of Himi scores composed of these related factors was significantly higher than those of the Wells and Padua scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Achieving a better performance than did the Wells and Padua scores, the Himi score could be used to assess the risk of DVT in frail older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 414-421.

Effect of age on the functioning of hemostasis system during hip joint endoprosthesis

The study was performed on 109 osteoarthritis patients who underwent hip joint endoprosthetics; the effect of age on changes in hemostasis system, blood loss level and deep veins thrombosis development in the background of standard prevention with low-molecular heparins were studied. Before the surgery, it was determined that 56 elderly patients (60.3 ± 6.4 years) compared to 53 middle-aged patients (41.8 ± 6.8 years) had a significantly higher initial and postoperative endothelial dysfunction, higher fibrin formation and lower anticoagulant potential; however, it was found that on the background of pharmacological anticoagulant therapy the changes in the hemostasis functioning in elderly patients did not lead to an increase of either blood loss or the number of thromboses.

Evaluation of unmet clinical needs in prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism in at-risk patient groups: pregnancy, elderly and obese patients

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) accounts for an estimated 900,000 cases per year in the US alone and constitutes a considerable burden on healthcare systems across the globe.

OBJECTIVE

To understand why the burden is so high, qualitative and quantitative research was carried out to gain insights from experts, guidelines and published studies on the unmet clinical needs and therapeutic strategies in VTE prevention and treatment in three populations identified as being at increased risk of VTE and in whom VTE prevention and treatment were regarded as suboptimal: pregnant women, the elderly and obese patients.

METHODOLOGY

A gap analysis methodology was created to highlight unmet needs in VTE management and to discover the patient populations considered most at risk. A questionnaire was devised to guide qualitative interviews with 44 thrombosis and haemostasis experts, and a review of the literature on VTE in the specific patient groups from 2015 to 2017 was completed. This was followed by a Think Tank meeting where the results from the research were discussed.

RESULTS

This review highlights the insights gained and examines in detail the unmet needs with regard to VTE risk-assessment tools, biomarkers, patient stratification methods, and anticoagulant and dosing regimens in pregnant women, the elderly and obese patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Specifically, in pregnant women at high risk of VTE, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is the therapy of choice, but it remains unclear how to use anticoagulants when VTE risk is intermediate. In elderly patients, evaluation of the benefit of VTE prophylaxis against the bleeding risk is particularly important, and a head-to-head comparison of efficacy and safety of LMWH versus direct oral anticoagulants is needed. Finally, in obese patients, lack of guidance on anticoagulant dose adjustment to body weight has emerged as a major obstacle in effective prophylaxis and treatment of VTE.

Safety, effectiveness, and health care cost comparisons among elderly patients with venous thromboembolism prescribed warfarin or apixaban in the United States Medicare population

Objective: To compare safety, effectiveness, and healthcare costs of major bleeding (MB), clinically relevant non-major (CRNM) bleeding, recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), and all-cause hospitalization among elderly Medicare VTE patients prescribed warfarin vs apixaban.Methods: Using 100% Medicare data, elderly patients prescribed apixaban or warfarin within 30 days after a VTE encounter were identified. Patients had continuous health plan enrollment and no parenteral or oral anticoagulant use ≤6 months preceding the VTE encounter. Cohorts were balanced using 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the risk of MB, CRNM bleeding, recurrent VTE, and all-cause hospitalization. Generalized linear and two-part models were used to estimate MB-, recurrent VTE-, and all-cause related costs (per patient per month [PPPM]).Results: In the pre-matched cohort, 25,284 (66.9%) patients were prescribed warfarin and 12,515 (33.1%) apixaban. After 1:1 PSM, 11,363 matched pairs of apixaban-warfarin patients were included for a mean follow-up of 4.0 and 4.4 months, respectively. Matched cohorts had a mean age of 78 years and mean Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 2.9. Warfarin was associated with a higher risk of MB (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10-1.57) and CRNM bleeding (HR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.19-1.43) vs apixaban. The risks of recurrent VTE (HR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.70-1.33) and all-cause hospitalization (HR = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.99-1.12) were similar among warfarin and apixaban patients. Warfarin patients had higher MB-related ($147 vs $75; p = .003) and all-cause costs PPPM ($3,267 vs $3,033; p < .001), but similar recurrent VTE-related medical costs PPPM ($30 vs $36; p = .516) vs apixaban patients.Conclusions: Warfarin was associated with significantly higher risk of MB and CRNM bleeding as well as higher MB-related and all-cause costs vs apixaban patients. Recurrent VTE risk and costs were similar among warfarin and apixaban patients.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Preoperative Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients with End-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and the risk factors of DVT in end-stage OA patients.

METHODS

From March 2015 to June 2017, 521 patients with knee degenerative osteoarthritis undergoing knee arthroplasty were enrolled; 458 patients (87.9%) were admitted for primary total knee arthroplasty and 63 patients (12.1%) were admitted for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Parameters were compared using χ² or t-test for both the groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors.

RESULTS

The incidence of preoperative DVT was 6.7% (n = 35). Age in preoperative DVT group was significantly more than the non-DVT group (72.54 ± 6.53 vs. 68.65 ± 7.35, P = 0.002). Preoperative D-dimer >0.5 μg/mL (P < 0.001) was also associated with preoperative DVT in knee osteoarthritis patients. The incidence increased with age significantly (2.17% in <65 years, 6.86% in ≥65 <75 years, and 12.26% in ≥75 years) (P = 0.008). Thus, age (P = 0.041, OR 1.075, 95% CI [1.002-1.110]) and D-dimer >0.5 μg/mL (P < 0.001, OR 4.441, 95% CI [1.942-10.153]) were the independent risk factors for preoperative DVT in knee osteoarthritis patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of DVT in end-stage osteoarthritis was 6.7%. The results suggest that older people aged over 75 and D-dimer > 0.5 μg/mL were risk factors for DVT among patients admitted to the hospital for total knee arthroplasty. Instrumental screening should be encouraged, especially in subgroups at higher risk for preoperative DVT.

Incidence of inpatient venous thromboembolism in treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the association with switching biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in the real-world setting

Objectives

To assess incidence rates (IRs) of VTE in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on different DMARDs and DMARD switchers.

Methods

Adults with RA on a DMARD between 2007 and 2017 were studied in a US claims database. Conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD) users, first biologic/targeted synthetic DMARD (b/tsDMARD) users and b/tsDMARD switchers (from a b/tsDMARD to another b/tsDMARD) were followed for inpatient VTE (pulmonary embolism (PE)/deep vein thrombosis (DVT)). Crude and adjusted IR and 95% CIs of VTE were estimated. HRs for VTE were estimated via Cox regression. VTE risk was also evaluated by number of switches between b/tsDMARDs and in patients without a VTE history.

Results

The age and sex standardised IR (95% CI) of VTE (per 100 person-years) was 0.86 (0.70 to 1.03), 0.60 (0.52 to 0.68) and 0.58 (0.51 to 0.65) for b/tsDMARD switchers, first b/tsDMARD users and csDMARD users, respectively. After adjustment, b/tsDMARD switchers had an increased risk of VTE, compared with csDMARD users, HRadj (95% CI) being 1.36 (1.16 to 1.58), 1.36 (1.13 to 1.63) and 1.47 (1.18 to 1.83) for VTE, DVT and PE, respectively. Compared with first b/tsDMARD users, the HRadj (95% CI) for VTE was 1.35 (1.15 to 1.60) for first b/tsDMARD switchers and 1.48 (1.19 to 1.85) for second b/tsDMARD switchers.

Conclusions

In RA, b/tsDMARD switchers have a higher VTE risk compared with csDMARD users and first b/tsDMARD users. Switching b/tsDMARDs may be a proxy for higher disease severity or poorly controlled RA and an important confounder to consider in obtaining unbiased estimates of VTE risk in observational RA safety studies.

Permanent atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism in elderly patients without deep vein thrombosis: is there a relationship?

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Permanent Atrial Fibrillation (pAF) is associated with increased risk of embolic complications. The relationship between pAF and pulmonary embolism (PE) has not been extensively investigated in elderly patients. Here, we aim at verifying whether pAF is associated to an increased risk of PE in a cohort of elderly patients with and without Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

METHODS

235 patients older than 65 years with PE with or without pAF were retrospectively enrolled and stratified by the absence or presence of DVT. The diagnosis of PE was performed by computed tomography angiography (CTA). Right echocardiographic parameters were monitored. The severity of PE was evaluated by CTA quantization (PE score = 1, involvement of main branches of pulmonary artery) and by dimer-D (> 3000 µg/L).

RESULTS

DVT was identified only in 51 cases of PE (21.7%). pAF prevalence was higher in PE without than in those with DVT (64.9% vs. 35.1%, p < 0.01). PE severity was more evident in pAF patients without than in those with DVT. Multivariate analysis of the role of pAF on PE severity confirms these results (RR = 3.41 for PE score = 1, and 8.55 for dimer-D > 3000 µg/L).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that in elderly patients with PE, the prevalence of pFA was doubled, in the absence of DVT, and it is associated with a more severe PE in the absence than in the presence of DVT. Thus, in the absence of DVT, pFA should be considered as cause of PE.

TNF-α-driven inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction define the platelet hyperreactivity of aging

Aging and chronic inflammation are independent risk factors for the development of atherothrombosis and cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that aging-associated inflammation promotes the development of platelet hyperreactivity and increases thrombotic risk during aging. Functional platelet studies in aged-frail adults and old mice demonstrated that their platelets are hyperreactive and form larger thrombi. We identified tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) as the key aging-associated proinflammatory cytokine responsible for platelet hyperreactivity. We further showed that platelet hyperreactivity is neutralized by abrogating signaling through TNF-α receptors in vivo in a mouse model of aging. Analysis of the bone marrow compartments showed significant platelet-biased hematopoiesis in old mice reflected by increased megakaryocyte-committed progenitor cells, megakaryocyte ploidy status, and thrombocytosis. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis of native mouse megakaryocytes showed significant reprogramming of inflammatory, metabolic, and mitochondrial gene pathways in old mice that appeared to play a significant role in determining platelet hyperreactivity. Platelets from old mice (where TNF-α was endogenously increased) and from young mice exposed to exogenous TNF-α exhibited significant mitochondrial changes characterized by elevated mitochondrial mass and increased oxygen consumption during activation. These mitochondrial changes were mitigated upon TNF-α blockade. Similar increases in platelet mitochondrial mass were seen in platelets from patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, where TNF-α levels are also increased. Furthermore, metabolomics studies of platelets from young and old mice demonstrated age-dependent metabolic profiles that may differentially poise platelets for activation. Altogether, we present previously unrecognized evidence that TNF-α critically regulates megakaryocytes resident in the bone marrow niche and aging-associated platelet hyperreactivity and thrombosis.

Pathologic up-regulation of TNFSF15–TNFRSF25 axis sustains endothelial dysfunction in unprovoked venous thromboembolism

Aims

The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying unprovoked venous thromboembolism (uVTE) are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in uVTE pathogenesis by using ex vivo expanded endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), which represent a valuable non-invasive tool for the assessment of endothelial function.

Methods and results

We isolated and expanded ECFCs from the peripheral blood of uVTE patients and observed that these cells underwent earlier senescence and showed lower growth rate compared with ECFCs obtained from healthy donors. Through microarray expression profiling, we demonstrated that 2905 genes were differentially expressed between patients and controls. Among them, the anti-angiogenic cytokine TNF superfamily member 15 (TNFSF15) and its death-receptor TNFRSF25 were up-regulated in uVTE ECFCs, and this finding was validated by RT-qPCR. TNFSF15 up-regulation was confirmed at the protein level in ECFC supernatants, and the in vivo relevance of these findings was further corroborated by demonstrating that also the plasmatic levels of TNFSF15 are increased in uVTE patients. After proving that exogenous TNFSF15 exerts pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative activity on control ECFCs, we demonstrated through blocking experiments that TNFSF15 up-regulation contributes to impaired survival and proliferation of uVTE ECFCs.

Conclusion

By providing evidence that TNFSF15 impairs ECFC functions crucial to endothelial repair, and that uVTE patients have increased TNFSF15 levels both ex vivo and in vivo, the results of this study suggest that pathologic up-regulation of TNFSF15–TNFRSF25 axis may contribute to uVTE pathogenesis, and may represent the target for novel therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing recurrences in uVTE patients.

Efficacy of low-dose rivaroxaban in an 88-year-old female with pulmonary embolism: A case report

RATIONALE

Rivaroxaban has numerous advantages over traditional anticoagulation therapy. Fixed doses can be administered without requiring routine monitoring of coagulation, and anticoagulation efficacy is more predictable. Safety, including fewer drug interactions, and reduced bleeding, is also improved with rivaroxaban based on current recommendations. The goal of this report was to explore if low-dose rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily was effective in an elderly patient who developed minor bleeding when treated with rivaroxaban (10 mg twice daily) for a pulmonary embolism.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We present an 88-year-old female with dyspnea and fatigue, which became increasingly worse over a month in the absence of medication. Her weight was 64 kg. Routine coagulation assays and renal function were normal at time of admission.

DIAGNOSIS

Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism were confirmed by venous compression ultrasonography and computed tomography pulmonary angiography.

INTERVENTIONS

Oral rivaroxaban 10 mg twice daily was administered, but the patient developed hemoptysis and gum bleeding 5 days later. The dose of rivaroxaban was reduced to 10 mg once daily, and bleeding gradually disappeared after 3 days.

OUTCOME

At follow-up 90 days after treatment, the patient reported no discomfort. Venous compression ultrasonography and computed tomography pulmonary angiography showed normal results; therefore, treatment was terminated.

LESSONS

Elderly patients exhibit variable tolerance of anticoagulants, warranting careful consideration of the risk of bleeding. Low-dose rivaroxaban was an effective treatment for pulmonary embolism in the elderly patient presented here.

Evaluation of unmet clinical needs in prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism in high-risk patient groups: cancer and critically ill

Background

Clinical practice shows that venous thromboembolism (VTE) presents a substantial burden in medical patients, and awareness and advocacy for its primary and secondary prevention remains inadequate. Specific patient populations, such as those with cancer and the critically ill, show elevated risk for VTE, bleeding or both, and significant gaps in VTE prophylaxis and treatment exist in these groups.

Objective

To present novel insights and consolidated evidence collected from experts, clinical practice guidelines and original studies on the unmet needs in thromboprophylaxis, and on the treatment of VTE in two high-risk patient groups: patients with cancer and the critically ill.

Methodology

To identify specific unmet needs in the management of VTE, a methodology was designed and implemented that assessed gaps in prophylaxis and treatment of VTE through interviews with 44 experts in the field of thrombosis and haemostasis, and through a review of current guidelines and seminal studies to substantiate the insights provided by the experts. The research findings were then analysed, discussed and consolidated by a multidisciplinary group of experts.

Results

The gap analysis methodology identified shortcomings in the VTE risk assessment tools, patient stratification approaches for prophylaxis, and the suboptimal use of anticoagulants for primary prophylaxis and treatment.

Conclusions

Specifically, patients with cancer need better VTE risk assessment tools to tailor primary thromboprophylaxis to tumour types and disease stages, and the potential for drug–drug interactions needs to be considered. In critically ill patients, unfractionated heparin is not advised as a first-line treatment option, and the strength of evidence is increasing for direct oral anticoagulants as a treatment option over low-molecular-weight heparins.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12959-019-0196-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

How I manage anticoagulant therapy in older individuals with atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism

Anticoagulant therapy is the most effective strategy to prevent arterial and venous thromboembolism, but treating older individuals is challenging, because increasing age, comorbidities, and polypharmacy increase the risk of both thrombosis and bleeding. Warfarin and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are underused and often underdosed in the prevention of stroke in older patients with atrial fibrillation because of concerns about the risk of bleeding. Poor adherence to anticoagulant therapy is also an issue for older patients with atrial fibrillation and those at risk of recurrent pulmonary embolism. In this review, we present 5 clinical cases to illustrate common challenges with anticoagulant use in older patients and discuss our approach to institute safe and effective antithrombotic therapy.

The endothelial tumor suppressor p53 is essential for venous thrombus formation in aged mice

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly people. Increased expression of tumor suppressor protein 53 (p53) has been implicated in vascular senescence. Here, we examined the importance of endothelial p53 for venous thrombosis and whether endothelial senescence and p53 overexpression are involved in the exponential increase of VTE with age. Mice with conditional, endothelial-specific deletion of p53 (End.p53-KO) and their wild-type littermates (End.p53-WT) underwent subtotal inferior vena cava (IVC) ligation to induce venous thrombosis. IVC ligation in aged (12-month-old) End.p53-WT mice resulted in higher rates of thrombus formation and greater mean thrombus size vs adult (12-week-old) End.p53-WT mice, whereas aged End.p53-KO mice were protected from vein thrombosis. Analysis of primary endothelial cells from aged mice or human vein endothelial cells after induction of replicative senescence revealed significantly increased early growth response gene-1 (Egr1) and heparanase expression, and plasma factor Xa levels were elevated in aged End.p53-WT, but not in End.p53-KO mice. Increased endothelial Egr1 and heparanase expression also was observed after doxorubicin-induced p53 overexpression, whereas p53 inhibition using pifithrin-α reduced tissue factor (TF) expression. Importantly, inhibition of heparanase activity using TF pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI2) peptides prevented the enhanced venous thrombus formation in aged mice and restored it to the thrombotic phenotype of adult mice. Our findings suggest that p53 accumulation and heparanase overexpression in senescent endothelial cells are critically involved in mediating the increased risk of venous thrombosis with age and that heparanase antagonization may be explored as strategy to ameliorate the prothrombotic endothelial phenotype with age.

Thrombosis and Thromboprophylaxis in Gynecology Surgery

Gynecologic surgery offers unique challenges, as pelvic surgery places patients at an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Prevention of VTE is a goal of patients, policy makers, and surgeons. In this review, we address the current research and recommendations for VTE prophylaxis.

Preoperative Evaluation of Soleal Vein Diameter by Ultrasound Is Beneficial for Prophylaxis of Deep Vein Thrombosis after Total Knee or Hip Arthroplasty

Purpose

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the association between preoperative soleal vein (SV) diameter and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) following total joint arthroplasty (TJA).

Methods

A total of 402 patients were enrolled, with 229 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and 173 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). Ultrasonography was performed 1-3 days preoperatively, on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7, or before discharge and during follow-up. The SV diameter was assessed preoperatively. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to compare parameters between the DVT group and the non-DVT group.

Results

78 patients (19.4%) were found to have DVT during hospitalization and after discharge and 14 patients (3.5%) developed symptomatic DVT. Multiple regression analysis showed that SV diameter, advanced age, and surgery type were independent predictors of postoperative DVT. In the logistic regression analysis for symptomatic DVT, SV diameter was found to be the only predictor. In the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis for the value of SV diameter in diagnosing DVT, the area under curve (AUC) was 0.701 ((95% CI 0.636-0.766), P<0.001) and when the cut-off value of SV diameter was set at 0.57 cm, the sensitivity and specificity of SV diameter were 62.7% and 72.1%, respectively.

Conclusions

SV diameter was an independent risk factor for total and symptomatic DVT after TJA. Preoperative ultrasound screening of the SV diameter may be beneficial for the prevention of postoperative DVT.

Risk factors for deep vein thrombosis of lower extremities in Sudanese women

Aim

In this study, we aimed to analyze the genetic and acquired risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremities among Sudanese women.

Methods

A total of 136 women were enrolled in the study, including 75 DVT patients and 61 healthy controls. Demographic and clinical data were collected using a specific questionnaire. Citrated blood samples of patients and controls were used for coagulation assays, and DNAs isolated from EDTA-blood samples were used for the detection of Factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A mutations using multiplex polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

Results

Both gene mutations were found to be absent from all 136 subjects, and therefore did not account for the incidence of DVT in Sudanese women. Of the 75 DVTs, 70 (93.3%) were localized in the left leg and 5 (6.7%) in the right leg. Additionally, 84% of the DVTs were proximal and 16% were distal. Among the 75 patients, 22 (29.33%) were postpartum, 7 (9.33%) were pregnant, and 46 (61.33%) were nonpregnant. Levels of prothrombin fragment 1+2, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and D-dimer were significantly higher in DVT patients than in healthy controls (P<0.0001).

Conclusion

Risk factors that most significantly affected patients in the 18–45 years age group were pregnancy and oral contraceptive usage, whereas those that most significantly affected patients in the 66–90 years age group were immobility, heart disease, and history of DVT.

Increased risk of deep vein thrombosis in end-stage renal disease patients

Background

Previous studies have shown that chronic kidney disease increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is the risk of pulmonary embolism among persons with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Information on the incidence of DVT in ESRD is limited, and no studies have been conducted in the Asian population. The aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of DVT in Asian ESRD patients by comparing with the non-ESRD patients and to identify the associated risk factors.

Methods

This study retrieved patients who were diagnosed with ESRD (ICD-9-CM codes 585 or 586) between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2010, from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. All ESRD patients had received a catastrophic illness card from the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan, with the major illness identified as ESRD. Patients who had DVT before the index date or who had incomplete records were excluded from the analysis. A total of 4865 ESRD patients were enrolled. There are 3564 ESRD patients included after exclusion of patients with previous DVT and patients with incomplete records. The control subjects were randomly selected as the patients without ESRD by matching study subjects according to age (±3 years), gender, and the year of admission at a 2:1 ratio from the same dataset.

Results

The incidence rate of DVT was substantially higher in the ESRD group than in the without-ESRD group (20.9 vs. 1.46 per 10^4 person-years). The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR 13.92; 95% CI 9.25–20.95) of DVT for the ESRD patients was 13.92 times that for the non-ESRD patients. ESRD patients older than 50 years had a higher risk of DVT (aHR 1.65; 95% CI 1.13–2.40; P = 0.01). Hyperlipidemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of DVT (aHR 1.73; 95% CI 1.08–2.78; P = 0.02). ESRD patients with three or more comorbidities were substantially more likely to have DVT (aHR 1.45; 95% CI 1.03–2.03; P = 0.03).

Conclusions

ESRD patients had a higher risk of DVT than non-ESRD patients. Among the ESRD patients, being older than 50 years and having dyslipidemia increased the risk of DVT.

Total Hip Replacement Provokes Endothelial Dysfunction

Surgery represents an increased risk of different perioperative complications. Endothelial function (EF) is a key mechanism responsible for cardiovascular homeostasis and is involved in thromboembolic complications. We aimed to follow changes of EF in an early postoperative period in patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR). Endothelial function was assessed noninvasively in 70 consecutive patients who underwent an elective THR under spinal anesthesia. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and low flow-mediated constriction capability of the brachial artery, which are indicators of EF were measured before the operation (baseline), 24 hours after the operative procedure, and 5 to 7 days postoperatively. Baseline FMD was 12.3% and decreased a day after surgery to 7.3% ( P < .001). After 5 to 7 days, it gradually increased to 9.2%. However, on average, it was lower than before surgery ( P < .001). The median duration of THR was 85.0 (65.0-100.0) minutes, the average hospital length of stay was 7 days. Total hip replacement is associated with an immediate decrease in FMD which remains significantly decreased 5 to 7 days after the surgery compared with the preoperative value. These results indicate that surgery provokes endothelial dysfunction and deteriorates cardiovascular homeostasis. This effect could be involved in cardiovascular complications in the postoperative period.

Molecular and Clinical Issues about the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Older Patients: A Focus on Parkinson's Disease and Parkinsonism

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common and potentially life-threatening condition which includes both deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). VTE has a significant clinical and epidemiological impact in the elderly, and its incidence increases to more than 1% per year in older patients, suggesting the presence of specific age-related risk factors in this population. Immobilization seems to predominate as the main cause in patients admitted for medical acute illness in medicine wards, and there is evidence of a high risk in older patients with immobilization resulting from advanced forms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), regardless of the presence of an acute medical condition. In this review, we would to discuss the recent evidence on clinical, molecular and epidemiological features of VTE in older frail subjects focusing on patients with PD and parkinsonism. We also discuss some therapeutic issues about the risk prevention and we suggest a thorough comprehensive geriatric assessment that can represent an optimal strategy to identify and prevent the VTE risk in these patients.

Use of oral anticoagulants in German nursing home residents: drug use patterns and predictors for treatment choice

AIMS

Information on utilization of oral anticoagulants (OACs) in nursing homes is scarce. This study aimed to (i) describe OAC use in German nursing home residents, (ii) examine factors influencing whether treatment is initiated with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and (iii) assess which conditions predict switching to NOAC instead of continuing VKA.

METHODS

Using claims data (2010-2014), we studied a cohort of new nursing home residents aged ≥65 years receiving OAC. Further, OAC use in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) was examined over the years.

RESULTS

Overall, 16 804 patients (median age: 85 years, 75% female, 44% with renal disease) were included. The majority received phenprocoumon as first OAC (58.0%), followed by rivaroxaban (28.1%). Over the study period, NOAC use increased substantially. Initiating NOAC instead of VKA was predicted by a previous stroke (adjusted odds ratio: 1.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.49-2.08). In contrast, renal disease predicted VKA initiation (0.66; 0.59-0.75) as did the presence of a prosthetic heart valve. Switching from VKA to NOAC was predicted by a stroke (2.55; 2.00-3.24), bleeding events and a recent hospitalization. During 2010-2014, the proportion of AF patients with a CHADS2 score ≥2 receiving OAC increased from 27% to 46%.

CONCLUSIONS

NOACs are increasingly used in German nursing homes, both for initial anticoagulation but also in VKA pre-treated patients. Switching from VKA to NOAC was substantially influenced by aspects such as intended higher effectiveness and safety but probably also practicability due to less blood monitoring.

Impact of age, comorbidity, and polypharmacy on the efficacy and safety of edoxaban for the treatment of venous thromboembolism: An analysis of the randomized, double-blind Hokusai-VTE trial

BACKGROUND

Many patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) are elderly, have multiple comorbidities and take several concomitant medications. Physicians may prefer warfarin over direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in such patients because comparative data are lacking. This analysis was designed to determine the effects of advanced age, comorbidities, and polypharmacy on the efficacy and safety of edoxaban and warfarin in patients with VTE.

METHODS

Using data from the Hokusai-VTE study, we report rates of recurrent VTE and of clinically relevant bleeding by age category (<65, 65-75, and ≥75; <80 versus ≥80years), and by number of comorbidities (0, 1-2, >2) and concomitant medications (<3, 3-5, >5). Hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for edoxaban versus warfarin were determined and Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to construct time-to-event curves. At 3months, pre- and postdose levels of edoxaban were measured using mass spectrometry. For warfarin-treated patients, the time in therapeutic range was calculated. The study was approved by institutional review boards; informed consent was obtained.

RESULTS

Recurrent VTE increased with advanced age, multiple comorbidities, and polypharmacy in warfarin-treated patients but not with edoxaban. Edoxaban was more effective than warfarin in patients ≥75years of age and in those with multiple comorbidities. In the 517 patients over 80years of age, recurrent VTE occurred in 2.8% given edoxaban and in 5.7% given warfarin (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.21-1.24). Bleeding increased with age, comorbidity, and polypharmacy regardless of treatment, but the relative safety of edoxaban versus well-managed warfarin was maintained. Age, comorbidity, and polypharmacy did not impact edoxaban concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that a once-daily fixed dose of edoxaban is more effective and at least as safe as warfarin in high-risk VTE patients identified by older age, more comorbidities, and polypharmacy.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT00986154.

The risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with hepatitis C

Some studies suggest that patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Unfortunately, available data on this association are contrasting. A systematic review and meta-analysis of literature studies was performed to evaluate the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with HCV. Studies reporting on VTE risk associated with HCV were systematically searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and EMBASE databases. Six studies (10 data-sets) showed a significantly increased VTE risk in 100,364 HCV patients as compared with 8,471,176 uninfected controls (odds ratio [OR]: 1.900; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.406, 2.570; p<0.0001). These results were confirmed when specifically considering the risk of DVT (6 studies, OR: 1.918; 95 %CI: 1.351, 2.723; p<0.0001), whereas a trend towards an increased risk of PE was documented in HCV patients (4 studies, OR: 1.811; 95 %CI: 0.895, 3.663; p=0.099). The increased VTE risk associated with HCV infection was consistently confirmed when analysing four studies reporting adjusted risk estimates (OR: 1.876; 95 %CI: 1.326, 2.654; P<0.0001), and after excluding studies specifically enrolling populations exposed to transient risk factors for VTE (4 studies, OR: 1.493; 95 %CI: 1.167, 1.910; p=0.001). Meta-regression models suggested that age and male gender may significantly impact on the risk of VTE associated with HCV-positivity. Results of our metaanalysis suggest that HCV-infected subjects may exhibit an increased risk of VTE. However, further high quality studies are needed to extend and confirm our findings.

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.

Impact of age on the efficacy and safety of extended-duration thromboprophylaxis in medical patients

The EXCLAIM study enrolled hospitalised acutely ill medical patients with age >40 years and recently-reduced mobility into a trial of extended-duration anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis. This post-hoc analysis evaluated the impact of age on patient outcomes. After completion of open-label therapy with enoxaparin 40 mg once-daily (10 ± 4 days), eligible patients underwent randomisation to receive double-blind therapy of enoxaparin (n=2,975) or placebo (n=2,988) for 28 ± 4 days. During follow-up, the venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk increased with age in both treatment groups. In patients with age >75 years, those who received extended-duration enoxaparin had lower incidence of VTE (2.5% vs 6.7%; absolute difference [AD] [95% confidence interval]: −4.2% [−6.5, −2.0]), proximal deep-vein thrombosis (2.5% vs 6.6%; AD −4.1 % [−6.2, −2.0]), and symptomatic VTE (0.3% vs 1.5%; AD −1.2% [−2.2, −0.3]), in comparison to those who received placebo. In patients with age ≤75 years, those who received enoxaparin had reduced VTE (2.4% vs 2.8%; AD −0.4% [−1.5, 0.7]) and symptomatic VTE (0.2% vs 0.7%; AD −0.6% [−1.0, −0.1]) in comparison to those who received placebo. In both age subgroups, patients who received enoxaparin had increased rates of major bleeding versus those who received placebo: age >75 years (0.6% vs 0.2%; AD +0.3% [−0.2, 0.9], respectively); age ≤75 years (0.7% vs 0.2%; AD +0.5% [0.1, 0.9]). Patients in both age subgroups that received enoxaparin had similar low bleeding rates (0.6% and 0.7%, respectively). VTE risk increased with age, though the bleeding risk did not. Patients with age >75 years had a more favourable benefit-to-harm profile than younger patients.

Thrombosis: A major contributor to global disease burden

Thrombosis is a common pathology underlying ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke, and venous thromboembolism (VTE). The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) documented that ischaemic heart disease and stroke collectively caused one in four deaths worldwide. GBD 2010 did not report data for VTE as a cause of death and disability. We performed a systematic review of the literature on the global disease burden due to VTE in low, middle and high income countries. Studies from Western Europe, North America, Australia, and Southern Latin America (Argentina) yielded consistent results with annual incidences ranging from 0.75 to 2.69 per 1,000 individuals in the population. The incidence increased to between 2 and 7 per 1,000 among those 70 years of age or more. Although the incidence is lower in individuals of Chinese and Korean ethnicity, their disease burden is not low because of population aging. VTE associated with hospitalisation was the leading cause of disability-adjusted-lifeyears (DALYs) lost in low and middle income countries, and second in high income countries, responsible for more DALYs lost than nosocomial pneumonia, catheter-related blood stream infections, and adverse drug events. VTE causes a major burden of disease across low, middle, and high income countries. More detailed data on the global burden of VTE should be obtained to inform policy and resource allocation in health systems, and to evaluate if improved utilisation of preventive measures will reduce the burden.

Note: The copyright for the article is being held by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis under a CC-BY-NC-ND license.

Dilemmas in the management of venous thromboembolism in older patients

Venous thromboembolism most commonly affects older patients. Despite the high incidence in this population, challenges remain in terms of the understanding of its presentation, diagnosis and management. Old age is associated with multi-morbidities which may complicate the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism as signs or symptoms may be attributed to underlying medical conditions. The presence of certain comorbidities (such as congestive cardiac failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) also increases the risk of venous thromboembolism, but could mimic the clinical features of pulmonary embolism. In addition, the physiological processes associated with ageing and factors such as immobility and malignancy, which are more common in older people, will further increase the thrombotic risk. Dilemmas also exist with treatment decisions because of the concomitant increased risk of bleeding, comorbidities, polypharmacy, frailty and the risk of falls.

Platelet oxidative stress as a novel target of cardiovascular risk in frail older people

The average lifespan of humans and the percentage of people entering the 65 and older age group are growing rapidly. Within this age group, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) increase steeply and are the most common cause of death. During aging, experimental and clinical studies support the pivotal role played by reactive oxidant species in the mechanism of platelet activation. Frailty has been implicated as a causative and prognostic factor in patients with CVD. Oxidative stress is increased in frail older people, and may lead to accelerated aging and higher incidence of oxidative diseases such as CVD. The present article aims to highlight the relative contribution of platelet oxidative stress as a key target of frailty in elderly people with CVD.

Functional Impairment and Risk of Venous Thrombosis in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

To determine the role of age-specific risk factors for thrombosis in older age, such as functional impairment.

DESIGN

Case-control study.

SETTING

The Age and Thrombosis-Acquired and Genetic risk factors in the Elderly Study, a two-center study conducted in the Netherlands and the United States from 2008 to 2011.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals aged 70 and older with a first-time deep venous thrombosis in the leg or pulmonary embolism (n = 401) and controls aged 70 and older (n = 431) without a history of thrombosis. Exclusion criteria were active malignancy and severe cognitive disorders.

MEASUREMENTS

The thrombotic risk associated with functional impairment, defined as impairment in two or more activities of daily living (ADLs), impaired mobility (inability to walk outside), sedentary lifestyle (≥20 h/d sleeping or sitting), and low handgrip strength (<15th percentile), was assessed. Odds ratios (ORs) adjusted for age, sex, and study center with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and population attributable risks (PAR) were calculated.

RESULTS

Risk of venous thrombosis was 2.9 times greater (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.6-5.3) in individuals with impairment in ADLs, three times as great (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.9-4.7) in those with impaired mobility, four times as great (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 2.5-6.3) in those with a sedentary life style, and 2.3 times as great (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.5-3.4) in those with weak handgrip strength. PARs were 8% for ADL disability, 13% for inability to walk outside for 15 minutes, 29% for sedentary lifestyle, and 13% for weak hand grip strength.

CONCLUSION

In individuals aged 70 and older, functional impairments are a major risk factor for venous thrombosis. These findings may help providers caring for older people be more aware of venous thrombosis risk.

Geriatric Patient Safety Indicators Based on Linked Administrative Health Data to Assess Anticoagulant-Related Thromboembolic and Hemorrhagic Adverse Events in Older Inpatients: A Study Proposal

Background

Frail older people with multiple interacting conditions, polypharmacy, and complex care needs are particularly exposed to health care-related adverse events. Among these, anticoagulant-related thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events are particularly frequent and serious in older inpatients. The growing use of anticoagulants in this population and their substantial risk of toxicity and inefficacy have therefore become an important patient safety and public health concern worldwide. Anticoagulant-related adverse events and the quality of anticoagulation management should thus be routinely assessed to improve patient safety in vulnerable older inpatients.

Objective

This project aims to develop and validate a set of outcome and process indicators based on linked administrative health data (ie, insurance claims data linked to hospital discharge data) assessing older inpatient safety related to anticoagulation in both Switzerland and France, and enabling comparisons across time and among hospitals, health territories, and countries. Geriatric patient safety indicators (GPSIs) will assess anticoagulant-related adverse events. Geriatric quality indicators (GQIs) will evaluate the management of anticoagulants for the prevention and treatment of arterial or venous thromboembolism in older inpatients.

Methods

GPSIs will measure cumulative incidences of thromboembolic and bleeding adverse events based on hospital discharge data linked to insurance claims data. Using linked administrative health data will improve GPSI risk adjustment on patients’ conditions that are present at admission and will capture in-hospital and postdischarge adverse events. GQIs will estimate the proportion of index hospital stays resulting in recommended anticoagulation at discharge and up to various time frames based on the same electronic health data. The GPSI and GQI development and validation process will comprise 6 stages: (1) selection and specification of candidate indicators, (2) definition of administrative data-based algorithms, (3) empirical measurement of indicators using linked administrative health data, (4) validation of indicators, (5) analyses of geographic and temporal variations for reliable and valid indicators, and (6) data visualization.

Results

Study populations will consist of 166,670 Swiss and 5,902,037 French residents aged 65 years and older admitted to an acute care hospital at least once during the 2012-2014 period and insured for at least 1 year before admission and 1 year after discharge. We will extract Swiss data from the Helsana Group data warehouse and French data from the national health insurance information system (SNIIR-AM). The study has been approved by Swiss and French ethics committees and regulatory organizations for data protection.

Conclusions

Validated GPSIs and GQIs should help support and drive quality and safety improvement in older inpatients, inform health care stakeholders, and enable international comparisons. We discuss several limitations relating to the representativeness of study populations, accuracy of administrative health data, methods used for GPSI criterion validity assessment, and potential confounding bias in comparisons based on GQIs, and we address these limitations to strengthen study feasibility and validity.

Global Burden of Thrombosis: Epidemiologic Aspects

Thromboembolic conditions were estimated to account for 1 in 4 deaths worldwide in 2010 and are the leading cause of mortality. Thromboembolic conditions are divided into arterial and venous thrombotic conditions. Ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke comprise the major arterial thromboses and deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism comprise venous thromboembolism. Atrial fibrillation is a major risk factor for stroke and systemic arterial thromboembolism. Estimates of the global burden of disease were obtained from Global Burden of Disease Project reports, recent systematic reviews, and searching the published literature for recent studies reporting measures of incidence, burden, and disability-adjusted life-years. Estimates per 100 000 of the global incidence rate (IR) for each condition are ischemic heart disease, IR=1518.7; myocardial infarction, IR=139.3; ischemic stroke, IR=114.3; atrial fibrillation, IR=77.5 in males and 59.5 in females; and venous thromboembolism, IR=115 to 269. Mortality rates (MRs) for each condition are ischemic heart disease, MR=105.5; ischemic stroke, MR=42.3; atrial fibrillation, MR=1.7; and venous thromboembolism, MR=9.4 to 32.3. Global public awareness is substantially lower for pulmonary embolism (54%) and deep-vein thrombosis (44%) than heart attack (88%) and stroke (85%). Over time, the incidence and MRs of these conditions have improved in developed countries, but are increasing in developing countries. Public health efforts to measure disease burden and increase awareness of symptoms and risk factors need to improve, particularly in low- and middle-income regions to address this leading cause of morbidity and mortality.

Thrombin Generation in Patients With Suspected Venous Thromboembolism

Increasing number of patients with clinically suspected venous thromboembolism is referred to radiological departments for definitive diagnosis. A simple assay to exclude the diagnosis and avoid radiological examinations is needed. We have reported correlations between D-dimer and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 measured in plasma and urine. To further develop an analysis based on urine, more understanding of thrombin generation in these patients is needed. The aim of this study was to compare ex vivo thrombin generation with in vivo markers in plasma and urine in patients with and without venous thromboembolism. Urine and blood samples were collected from patients with suspected venous thromboembolism. Commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to analyze the samples for in vivo thrombin generation. The ex vivo thrombogram parameters were measured by the calibrated automated thrombogram assay. Venous thromboembolism was verified with compression ultrasound of the lower extremity deep veins or with computer tomography of the pulmonary arteries. Venous thromboembolism was diagnosed in 117 of 591 patients, and they had significantly higher levels of urine and plasma prothromin fragment 1 + 2, D-dimer, lag time, time to peak, and endogenous thrombin potential when adjusted for covariates. The pattern of ex vivo and in vivo thrombin generation in patients with suspected venous thromboembolism was comparable when adjusted for covariates. Prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 in plasma and urine reflects thrombin generation ex vivo in the same manner. This indicates that urine may be an alternative substrate to quantify a procoagulant state.

Incidence of venous thromboembolism in care homes: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Care home residents have venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk profiles similar to medical inpatients; however, the epidemiology of VTE in care homes is unclear.

AIM

To determine the incidence of VTE in care homes.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Observational cohort study of 45 care homes in Birmingham and Oxford, UK.

METHOD

A consecutive sample of care home residents was enrolled and followed up for 12 months. Data were collected via case note reviews of care home and GP records; mortality information was supplemented with Health and Social Care Information Centre (now called NHS Digital) cause of death data. All potential VTE events were adjudicated by an independent committee according to three measures of diagnostic certainty: definite VTE (radiological evidence), probable VTE (high clinical indication but no radiological evidence), or possible VTE (VTE cannot be ruled out). (Study registration number: ISTCTN80889792.) RESULTS: There were 1011 participants enrolled, and the mean follow-up period was 312 days (standard deviation 98 days). The incidence rate was 0.71 per 100 person years of observation (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.26 to 1.54) for definite VTE, 0.83 per 100 person years (95% CI = 0.33 to 1.70) for definite and probable VTE, and 2.48 per 100 person years (95% CI = 1.53 to 3.79) for definite, probable, and possible VTE.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of VTE in care homes in this study (0.71-2.48 per 100 person years) is substantial compared with that in the community (0.117 per 100 person years) and in people aged ≥70 years (0.44 per 100 person years). Further research regarding risk stratification and VTE prophylaxis in this population is needed.