Treatment of venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer: Guidelines of the Italian Society for Haemostasis and Thrombosis (SISET)

[Venous thromboembolic disease: Comparison of management practices in France, Italy and Spain]

BACKGROUND

Many national and international guidelines have been established for venous thromboembolic disease (VTE). Homogeneous management practices could be expected in the different European countries. To verify this hypothesis, we compared practices in France, Italy and Spain.

METHOD

We used data from the international RIETE registry to compare VTE management between France, Italy and Spain.

RESULTS

From 2001 January to 2011 January, patients were consecutively included in France (n=1548), Italy (n=2083) and Spain (29,824). All patients received anticoagulant treatment. Low molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was the most frequently used drug as initial therapy in all three countries, but unfractionated heparin (UFH) was more frequently used in France and Italy than in Spain. In France, the proportion of patients receiving LMWH was lower than the proportion of patients with active cancer (cancer 22.5 %, long-term treatment with LMWH 17.4 %). A vena cava filter was significantly more frequently used in France (5.5 % in France, 3.2 % in Italy and 2 % in Spain, P<0.0001). High bleeding risk because of surgery with recent thromboembolic disease was the most frequent indication in France and Italy for vena cava filter placement (36.4 %, and 31.3 %, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Despite the publication of national and international guidelines, VTE management differs among the three major European countries included in the RIETE registry, France, Italy and Spain.

After deep vein thrombosis, which patients refer to vascular specialist for anticoagulant withdrawal? A Delphi study results between general practitioners and vascular specialists

AIM

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a potential serious common disease. Its management is, except in particular cases, on an outpatient basis. General practitioner's (GP) role usually includes the treatment risk/benefit reassessment. The treatment duration can vary and is difficult to define. The national and international guidelines do not explain clearly when to refer, or not, to a vascular specialist in order to stop treatment. The study's objective was to identify, for DVT, when a GP has to refer or not to a vascular specialist, for anticoagulant withdrawal.

METHODS

A modified Delphi consensus study had been conducted by a panel of general practitioners and vascular specialists to identify, in which situations all clinicians agree that GPs can stop anticoagulation on their own and other situations in which GP have to refer to vascular specialists. Clinical situations and their respective duration of anticoagulant therapy have been identified by a DVT management guideline literature research.

RESULTS

After two rounds, a strong agreement had been reached for each clinical situation. For 7 clinical situations, GPs were able to stop anticoagulation on their own, for 13 clinical situations; it was necessary to refer to a vascular specialist. We obtained a consensus regarding 3 modulating factors.

DISCUSSION

Consensual situations, in which the general practitioners may be able to stop anticoagulation themselves, are isolated distal DVT without cancer and proximal DVT caused by a major reversible risk factor. Situations justifying a vascular medical advice were unprovoked DVT, DVT in a context of pregnancy, postpartum, cancer and proximal DVT in a context of hormonal therapy.

Management of recurrent venous thromboembolism in cancer patients

Cancer is one the most prevalent risk factors in patients diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Patients with cancer and venous thromboembolism have a higher risk of mortality when compared to patients with cancer without venous thromboembolism and a higher risk of recurrent thrombosis when compared with patients with venous thromboembolism without cancer. This increased risk of recurrence is not only observed after anticoagulant treatment is stopped, but also during anticoagulant treatment. Clinical trials have shown that the use of low molecular weight heparin during the first three to six months after venous thrombosis in patients with cancer is associated with a significantly lower risk of recurrence than the use of vitamin K antagonists and, thus, low molecular weight heparin is currently recommended as the treatment of choice by international guidelines. Unfortunately, the optimal management of recurrent venous thromboembolism during anticoagulant treatment remains poorly defined. In general, patients should firstly be assessed for treatment compliance, for the occurrence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, and for the presence of mechanical compression from tumour masses. Possible strategies include switching to a different anticoagulant drug, in particular from vitamin K antagonists to low molecular weight heparin; increasing the dose of the anticoagulant drug; or inserting an inferior vena cava filter. The results of recent registries show that the current approach to cancer patients with recurrent venous thromboembolism in routine clinical practice is highly heterogeneous.

Analysis of Prethrombotic States in Patients with Malignant Tumors

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors for a prethrombotic state in patients with malignant tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Plasma d-dimer (D-D) in patients with malignant tumors was measured. Abnormal rates of D-D and possible risk factors like gender, age, type of tumor, and staging of tumor were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of 1,453 patients, 629 demonstrated plasma D-D abnormality (43.3%). The D-D abnormal rate of male patients (n=851, 43.5%) was not statistically significantly different from that for female patients (n=602, 43.0%) (p>0.05). D-D abnormal rate increased with age and was statistically significant among different age groups (p<0.05). Regarding staging of tumor, D-D abnormal rate in patients with phase I was 2.0%, 6.2% in phase II, 47.6% in phase III and 83.1% in phase IV, with statistically significant differences between phase III and II, as well as phase III and IV (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

A prethrombotic state was closely related to malignancy of tumors. The risk factors for a prethrombotic state include age and tumor stage.

Pulmonary embolus diagnosed by endobronchial ultrasound

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) imaging is commonly used to evaluate and aid in biopsy of mediastinal lymph nodes. Pulmonary arteries are readily viewable with this type of imaging modality. We present a case report of a pulmonary embolism (PE) diagnosed by EBUS. Our patient had no smoking history and presented with respiratory and constitutional symptoms, urinary retention, and leg weakness suspicious for malignancy with metastasis to spine. Chest computed tomography (CT) was suggestive of lung carcinoma and specifically showed no PE. EBUS with TBNA was requested for tissue diagnosis. A mobile filling defect consistent with a PE was observed and reported to primary team. Follow-up chest CT showed an acute PE which confirmed the diagnosis originally made by EBUS. Bronchoscopists should be aware of potential to diagnose a PE while performing EBUS. Additionally, there may be a role in using EBUS specifically to diagnose a PE in the right patient population.

Recurrent venous thromboembolism in anticoagulated patients with cancer: management and short-term prognosis

BACKGROUND

Recommendations for management of cancer-related venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients already receiving anticoagulant therapy are based on low-quality evidence. This international registry sought to provide more information on outcomes after a breakthrough VTE in relation to anticoagulation strategies.

METHODS

Patients with cancer and VTE despite anticoagulant therapy were reported to the registry. Data on treatments, VTE events, major bleeding, residual thrombosis symptoms and death were collected for the following 3 months. Breakthrough VTE and subsequent recurrences were objectively verified. Outcomes with different treatment strategies were compared with Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

We registered 212 patients with breakthrough VTE. Of those, 59% had adenocarcinoma and 73% had known metastases. At the time of the breakthrough event, 70% were on low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and 27% on a vitamin K antagonist (VKA); 70% had a therapeutic or supratherapeutic dose. After breakthrough the regimen was: unchanged therapeutic dose in 33%, dose increased in 31%, switched to another drug in 24%; and other management in 11%. During the following 3 months 11% had another VTE, 8% had major bleeding and 27% died. Of the survivors, 74% had residual thrombosis symptoms. Additional VTE recurrence was less common with LMWH than with a VKA (hazard ratio [HR], 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.70) but similar with unchanged or increased anticoagulant intensity (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.45-2.63). The bleeding rate did not increase significantly with dose escalation.

CONCLUSION

Morbidity and mortality are high after recurrence of cancer-related VTE despite anticoagulation. Further treatment appears to be more effective with LMWH than with a VKA.

Thrombosis and acute leukemia

Thrombosis is a common complication in patients with acute leukemia. While the presence of central venous lines, concomitant steroids, the use of Escherichia coli asparaginase and hereditary thrombophilic abnormalities are known risk factors for thrombosis in children, information on the pathogenesis, risk factors, and clinical outcome of thrombosis in adult patients with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still scarce. Expert consensus and guidelines regarding leukemia-specific risk factors, thrombosis prevention, and treatment strategies, as well as optimal type of central venous catheter in acute leukemia patients are required. It is likely that each subtype of acute leukemia represents a different setting for the development of thrombosis and the risk of bleeding. This is perhaps due to a combination of different disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms of thrombosis, including the type of chemotherapy protocol chosen, the underlying patients health, associated risk factors, as well as the biology of the disease itself. The risk of thrombosis may also vary according to ethnicity and prevalence of hereditary risk factors for thrombosis; thus, it is advisable for Latin American, Asian, and African countries to report on their specific patient population.

Evidence-based management of anticoagulant therapy: Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th ed: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines

BACKGROUND

High-quality anticoagulation management is required to keep these narrow therapeutic index medications as effective and safe as possible. This article focuses on the common important management questions for which, at a minimum, low-quality published evidence is available to guide best practices.

METHODS

The methods of this guideline follow those described in Methodology for the Development of Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis Guidelines: Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th ed: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines in this supplement.

RESULTS

Most practical clinical questions regarding the management of anticoagulation, both oral and parenteral, have not been adequately addressed by randomized trials. We found sufficient evidence for summaries of recommendations for 23 questions, of which only two are strong rather than weak recommendations. Strong recommendations include targeting an international normalized ratio of 2.0 to 3.0 for patients on vitamin K antagonist therapy (Grade 1B) and not routinely using pharmacogenetic testing for guiding doses of vitamin K antagonist (Grade 1B). Weak recommendations deal with such issues as loading doses, initiation overlap, monitoring frequency, vitamin K supplementation, patient self-management, weight and renal function adjustment of doses, dosing decision support, drug interactions to avoid, and prevention and management of bleeding complications. We also address anticoagulation management services and intensive patient education.

CONCLUSIONS

We offer guidance for many common anticoagulation-related management problems. Most anticoagulation management questions have not been adequately studied.

Incidence and risk factors for developing venous thromboembolism in Japanese with diffuse large b-cell lymphoma

The reported incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in lymphoma patients is 5% to 17% in Western countries. The incidence and risk factors for developing VTE, however, are not well elucidated in Asian lymphoma patients. The incidence and clinical presentations of VTE were retrospectively assessed in 142 patients newly diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) from April 2006 to November 2010 at Keio University Hospital. Clinical data were collected and all episodes of symptomatic VTE confirmed by imaging were included. Patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma or DLBCL transformed from prior low-grade lymphoma were excluded. Fifteen (11%) patients had at least one episode of VTE. Five patients developed VTE before beginning chemotherapy and 8 episodes of VTE occurred during the first three cycles of chemotherapy. By univariate analysis, age 60 or over (odds ratio [OR] 4.81, confidence interval [CI] 1.04-22.20, p=0.04), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 2, 3, or 4 (OR 39.90, CI 5.05-315.20, p=0.0005), and International Prognostic Index high or high-intermediate (OR 9.40, CI 1.20-73.69, p=0.03) were identified as risk factors for developing VTE. By multivariate analysis, performance status 2, 3, or 4 remained a significant risk factor for developing VTE (OR 31.14, CI 3.79-255.62, p=0.001). The incidence of VTE in Japanese with DLBCL was comparable with that in the Western population. Patients with DLBCL and poor performance status at diagnosis were at high risk for developing VTE especially early in the course of treatment.