Relevance of immobility and importance of risk assessment management for medically ill patients

Do integrated stroke units affect patient and family experience of care transitions?

PURPOSE

Patients and families identify discharge from hospital as highly challenging. Less is known about experiences of transition between acute services and inpatient rehabilitation. We aimed to understand the experiences of patients and families as they transition to inpatient rehabilitation services, before and after the opening of a new integrated stroke and rehabilitation unit (ISU).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adults were recruited 7 days after transfer to inpatient rehabilitation, in two 6-month periods before and after the opening of the ISU. Their experiences of care continuity were evaluated with a survey. Univariate analyses compared survey data pre- and post-ISU. A subset of participants completed semi-structured interviews that underwent thematic analysis.

RESULTS

150 patients were recruited (median age 60 years, range 20-92 years, 72 female). There were no differences between pre- and post-ISU survey scores for patient or family experiences (all p > 0.3). Interview analysis identified 3 major themes: "Whānaungatanga - the foundation of patient experience", "In the dark and out of control", and "A nice view…but I want to be able to do more."

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of an integrated stroke and rehabilitation unit maintained levels of patient and family satisfaction. Interviews identified important themes for services planning to improve patient experience.

Protocol for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in varicose vein surgery of the lower limbs

Pulmonary embolism is the most feared complication of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the third leading cause of cardiovascular mortality in the world, after acute myocardial infarction and stroke. The risk of VTE is virtually universal in hospitalized patients, especially those with reduced mobility. Although variable in incidence between clinical and surgical patients, up to 66.6% of events related to hospitalizations can occur after discharge, with this risk remaining for up to 90 days. Despite all the investment made in VTE prophylaxis in recent decades, there is still no consensus or specific guidelines for its prevention in patients undergoing conventional surgery for varicose veins of lower limbs. The adoption of a validated risk assessment model for VTE prophylaxis, based on the current literature, may help in the implementation and standardization of VTE prophylaxis in conventional lower limb varicose vein surgery, in addition to this benefit, it may lead to a reduction in the length of hospital stay and the number of readmissions.

New and known predictors of the postthrombotic syndrome: A subanalysis of the ATTRACT trial

Introduction

Postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) remains associated with significant clinical and economic burden. This study aimed to investigate known and novel predictors of the development of PTS in participants of the ATTRACT (Acute Venous Thrombosis: Thrombus Removal With Adjunctive Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis) trial.

Methods

We used multivariable logistic regression to identify baseline and postbaseline factors that were predictive of the development of PTS during study follow-up, as defined by a Villalta score of 5 or greater or the development of a venous ulcer from 6 to 24 months after enrollment.

Results

Among 691 patients in the study cohort (all had proximal deep vein thrombosis [DVT] that extended above the popliteal vein, of which 57% had iliofemoral DVT), 47% developed PTS. Further, we identified that Villalta score at baseline (odds ratio [OR], 1.09 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.13] per one-unit increase) and employment status (unemployed due to disability: OR, 3.31 [95% CI, 1.72-6.35] vs. employed more than 35 hours per week) were predictive of PTS. In terms of postbaseline predictors, leg pain severity at day 10 (OR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.13-1.45] per 1-point increase in a 7-point scale) predicted PTS. Also, patients receiving rivaroxaban on day 10 following randomization had lower rates of PTS (OR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.33-0.86]) than patients on warfarin.

Conclusions

Novel predictors for PTS identified in our study include baseline Villalta score, leg pain severity at 10 days, and unemployed due to disability. Our findings also suggest that the initial choice of anticoagulant to treat DVT may have an impact on the development of PTS.

Risk stratification for hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism in medical patients (RISE): Protocol for a prospective cohort study

Background

Hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the leading preventable causes of in-hospital mortality. However, its risk assessment in medically ill inpatients is complicated due to the patients’ heterogeneity and complexity of currently available risk assessment models (RAMs). The simplified Geneva score provides simplicity but has not yet been prospectively validated. Immobility is an important predictor for VTE in RAMs, but its definition is inconsistent and based on subjective assessment by nurses or physicians. In this study, we aim to prospectively validate the simplified Geneva score and to examine the predictive performance of a novel and objective definition of in-hospital immobilization using accelerometry.

Methods and analysis

RISE is a multicenter prospective cohort study. The goal is to recruit 1350 adult inpatients admitted for medical illness in three Swiss tertiary care hospitals. We collect data on demographics, comorbidities, VTE risk and thromboprophylaxis. Mobility from admission to discharge is objectively measured using a wrist-worn accelerometer. Participants are followed for 90 days for the occurrence of symptomatic VTE (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes are the occurrence of clinically relevant bleeding, and mortality. The evolution of autonomy in the activities of daily living, the length of stay, and the occurrence of readmission are also recorded. Time-dependent area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values are calculated for each RAM (i.e. the simplified and original Geneva score, Padua, and IMPROVE score) with and without the objective mobility measures to assess their accuracy in predicting hospital-acquired VTE at 90 days.

Ethics and expected impact

The ethics committee approved the protocol and the study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04439383. RISE has the potential to optimize VTE risk stratification, and thus to improve the quality of care of medically hospitalized patients.

Protocolo para a profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso em cirurgia de varizes dos membros inferiores

RESUMO O tromboembolismo pulmonar é a complicação mais temida do tromboembolismo venoso (TEV) e a terceira causa de mortalidade cardiovascular no mundo, atrás apenas do infarto agudo do miocárdio e do acidente vascular cerebral. O risco de TEV é praticamente universal nos pacientes hospitalizados, especialmente naqueles com redução da mobilidade. Embora variável em incidência entre os pacientes clínicos e cirúrgicos, até 66,6% dos eventos relacionados às internações, podem ocorrer após a alta, permanecendo este risco por até 90 dias. Apesar de todo investimento feito na profilaxia do TEV nas últimas décadas, ainda não existem consensos ou diretrizes específicos para a sua prevenção em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia convencional de varizes dos membros inferiores. A adoção de um modelo de avaliação de risco validado para a profilaxia do TEV, embasado na literatura vigente, poderá ajudar na implementação e padronização da profilaxia do TEV na cirurgia convencional de varizes de membros inferiores, além deste benefício, poderá levar a diminuição do tempo de internação hospitalar e do número de reinternações.

Prediction of Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism in Critically Ill Patients: The ICU-Venous Thromboembolism Score

OBJECTIVES

To identify risk factors and develop a prediction score for in-hospital symptomatic venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Henry Ford Health System, a five-hospital system including 18 ICUs.

PATIENTS

We obtained data from the electronic medical record of all adult patients admitted to any ICU (total 264 beds) between January 2015 and March 2018.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Symptomatic venous thromboembolism was defined as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or both, diagnosed greater than 24 hours after ICU admission and confirmed by ultrasound, CT, or nuclear medicine imaging. A prediction score (the ICU-Venous Thromboembolism score) was derived from independent risk factors identified using multivariable logistic regression. Of 37,050 patients who met the eligibility criteria, 529 patients (1.4%) developed symptomatic venous thromboembolism. The ICU-Venous Thromboembolism score consists of six independent predictors: central venous catheterization (5 points), immobilization greater than or equal to 4 days (4 points), prior history of venous thromboembolism (4 points), mechanical ventilation (2 points), lowest hemoglobin during hospitalization greater than or equal to 9 g/dL (2 points), and platelet count at admission greater than 250,000/μL (1 point). Patients with a score of 0-8 (76% of the sample) had a low (0.3%) risk of venous thromboembolism; those with a score of 9-14 (22%) had an intermediate (3.6%) risk of venous thromboembolism (hazard ratio, 6.7; 95% CI, 5.3-8.4); and those with a score of 15-18 (2%) had a high (17.7%) risk of venous thromboembolism (hazard ratio, 28.1; 95% CI, 21.7-36.5). The overall C-statistic of the model was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.85-0.88).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically diagnosed symptomatic venous thromboembolism occurred in 1.4% of this large population of ICU patients with high adherence to chemoprophylaxis. Central venous catheterization and immobilization are potentially modifiable risk factors for venous thromboembolism. The ICU-Venous Thromboembolism score can identify patients at increased risk for venous thromboembolism.

Relevance of immobility as a risk factor for symptomatic proximal and isolated distal deep vein thrombosis in acutely ill medical inpatients

Immobility is a well-recognized risk factor for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in surgical patients, whereas the level of DVT risk conferred by immobility is less defined in patients on medical wards. The aim of this study was to establish whether immobility and its duration are associated with the risk of DVT in acutely ill medical inpatients. We conducted a cohort study in acutely ill medical inpatients. Patients underwent whole leg ultrasound for suspected lower extremity DVT and were divided into two groups according to presence or absence of immobility, defined as total bed rest or sedentary without bathroom privileges. The endpoint was the detection of proximal DVT or isolated distal DVT (IDDVT). Among the 252 acutely ill medical inpatients with immobility (age 82.6 ± 10.3 years, female 63.9%), ultrasound showed 36 (14.3%) proximal DVTs and 39 (15.5%) IDDVTs, while there were 11 (4.4%) proximal DVTs and 26 (10.5%) IDDVTs among the 248 inpatients without immobility (age 73.6 ± 14.2 years, female 54.8%). The risk of proximal DVT was higher in immobile than in mobile patients (OR 3.59, 95% CI: 1.78-7.23, p = 0.0001), whereas the risk of IDDVT was similar between the two groups (OR 1.56, 95% CI: 0.92-2.66, p = 0.111). During the first 3 days of hospitalization, the frequency of all DVTs was similar in patients with and without immobility, but it was 0.26 ± 0.03 vs 0.18 ± 0.03, respectively, after 4 days. In conclusion, immobility for more than 3 days is a risk factor for proximal DVT in acutely ill medical inpatients.

Identification and Outcomes of Hospitalized Medically Ill Patients Who Are Candidates for Extended Duration Thromboprophylaxis

Background  Extended duration thromboprophylaxis (ET) for approximately 30 days can effectively and safely reduce venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk in appropriately selected medically ill patients. We sought to estimate the proportion of hospitalized medically ill patients potentially qualifying for ET and assess their post-discharge clinical and economic outcomes using a large claims database.

Methods  Using MarketScan claims from January 2012 to September 2018, we identified medically ill patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of heart failure, respiratory insufficiency, ischemic stroke, infection, or inflammatory disease and ≥1-additional risk factor for VTE. Patients < 40 years old, a length-of-stay < 3 or >30 days, receiving oral anticoagulation prior to index hospitalization or having an indication for full-dose anticoagulation were excluded, as were patients deemed high-risk for bleeding due to active, in-hospital treated cancer, gastroduodenal ulcer or bleeding within the prior 3 months, bronchiectasis, pulmonary cavitation or hemorrhage, or dual antiplatelet therapy use.

Results  We identified 2,782,988 patients ≥40 years of age and admitted for a high-risk medical illness. Of these, 724,531 patients (26.0%) were identified as ET candidates. Patients' VTE risk appeared highest in the first 30 days post-discharge (1,532/724,531, 0.2%). Adjusted post-index hospitalization costs (2018 US$) for patients with a VTE within 30 days were higher than those without VTE (Δ = $32,623 at 30 days, Δ = $43,325 at 90 days, Δ = $53,668 at 365 days; p  < 0.001 for all).

Conclusion  Post-discharge VTE in high-risk patients with medical illness is associated with substantially increased costs.

New Paradigms of Extended Thromboprophylaxis in Medically Ill Patients

Extended thromboprophylaxis given to medically ill patients for up to 45 days following an acute hospitalization remains an emerging topic among many hospital-based health care providers. Recent advancements in the field of extended thromboprophylaxis using risk stratification and careful patient selection criteria have led to an improved safety profile of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and established net clinical benefit when given to key patient subgroups at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and low risk of bleeding. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now approved the DOACs betrixaban and rivaroxaban for both in-hospital and extended thromboprophylaxis in medically ill patients in these key subgroups, which represents more than one-quarter of hospitalized medically ill patients. This has potential to significantly reduce VTE-related morbidity and mortality for these patients. Emerging data also supports reductions in the risk of arterial thromboembolism in medically ill patients with extended thromboprophylaxis post-hospital discharge using DOACs. This article aims to review the most recent concepts of predicting and preventing VTE and to discuss emerging paradigms of extended thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized medically ill patients utilizing an individualized, risk-adapted approach.

Proportion of US Hospitalized Medically Ill Patients Who May Qualify for Extended Thromboprophylaxis

Extended thromboprophylaxis with oral anticoagulation can reduce the risk of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in high-risk patients. We sought to estimate the proportion of medically ill patients in the United States who might qualify for extended thromboprophylaxis according to the criteria used in the Medically-Ill Patient Assessment of Rivaroxaban versus Placebo in Reducing Post-Discharge Venous ThromboEmbolism Risk (MARINER) trial. We analyzed 2014 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data that provide a 20% weighted annual sample of all discharges from US acute-care hospitals. Hospitalizations for acute medically ill patients were identified as those with a primary discharge diagnosis code for heart or respiratory failure, ischemic stroke, infection, or inflammatory diseases. Patients were excluded if they were <40 years old, admitted for surgery or trauma, had a length of stay <3- or >35-days, or were contraindicated to nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants. The modified International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism (IMPROVE)-VTE score was used to stratify patients’ risk for postdischarge VTE, with a score of 2 to 3 suggesting patients were at moderate- and ≥4 as high-risk. Of the 35 358 810 hospitalizations in the 2014 NIS, 1 849 535 were medically ill patients admitted for heart failure (10.1%), respiratory failure (12.2%), ischemic stroke (8.8%), infection (58.5%), or inflammatory diseases (10.4%). The modified IMPROVE-VTE score classified 1 186 475 (64.1%) of these hospitalizations as occurring in moderate-risk and 407 095 (22.0%) in high-risk patients. This real-world study suggests a substantial proportion of acute medically ill patients might benefit from extended thromboprophylaxis using the modified IMPROVE-VTE score and clinical elements of the MARINER trial.

Role of ambulation to prevent venous thromboembolism in medical patients: where do we stand?

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) encompasses the spectrum of manifestations of deep venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism and is a common, serious, and preventable complication in hospitalized patients. Although immobility plays an important role in determining VTE risk in medical patients, no clear and uniform criteria exist to guide clinicians in assessing immobility. The variation in the descriptions that do exist makes it difficult to interpret and compare the results of randomized clinical trials with respect to the influence of different levels of immobility on the magnitude of VTE risk and the role that early ambulation as an isolated factor plays in prevention of such events. Understanding these limitations is a prerequisite for the proper use and interpretation of VTE risk assessment tools and for indicating the best strategy for preventing venous thrombosis in hospitalized medical patients. The objective of this study was to review the main evidence reported in the literature on the role of ambulation in prevention of VTE.

Venous Thromboembolism in Neurocritical Care Patients

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially life-threatening complication among critically ill patients. Neurocritical care patients are presumed to be at high risk for VTE; however, data regarding risk factors in this population are limited. We designed this study to evaluate the frequency, risk factors, and clinical impact of VTE in neurocritical care patients.

METHODS

We obtained data from the electronic medical record of all adult patients admitted to neurological intensive care unit (NICU) at Henry Ford Hospital between January 2015 and March 2018. Venous thromboembolism was defined as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or both diagnosed by Doppler, chest computed tomography (CT) angiography or ventilation-perfusion scan >24 hours after admission. Patients with ICU length of stay <24 hours or who received therapeutic anticoagulants or were diagnosed with VTE within 24 hours of admission were excluded.

RESULTS

Among 2188 consecutive NICU patients, 63 (2.9%) developed VTE. Prophylactic anticoagulant use was similar in patients with and without VTE (95% vs 92%; P = .482). Venous thromboembolism was associated with higher mortality (24% vs 13%, P = .019), and longer ICU (12 [interquartile range, IQR 5-23] vs 3 [IQR 2-8] days, P < .001) and hospital (22 [IQR 15-36] vs 8 [IQR 5-15] days, P < .001) length of stay. In a multivariable analysis, potentially modifiable predictors of VTE included central venous catheterization (odds ratio [OR] 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69-5.38; P < .001) and longer duration of immobilization (Braden activity score <3, OR 1.07 per day; 95% CI, 1.05-1.09; P < .001). Nonmodifiable predictors included higher International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism (IMPROVE) scores (which accounts for age >60, prior VTE, cancer and thrombophilia; OR 1.66; 95% CI, 1.40-1.97; P < .001) and body mass index (OR 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08; P = .007).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite chemoprophylaxis, VTE still occurred in 2.9% of neurocritical care patients. Longer duration of immobilization and central venous catheterization are potentially modifiable risk factors for VTE in critically ill neurological patients.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis using the Caprini score

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) including pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is one of the leading causes of preventable cardiovascular disease in the United States (US) and is the number one preventable cause of death following a surgical procedure. Post-operative VTE is associated with multiple short and long-term complications. We will focus on reviewing the many faces of VTE in detail as they represent common challenging scenarios in clinical practice.

Infection as cause of immobility and occurrence of venous thromboembolism: analysis of 1635 medical cases from the RIETE registry

Several risk assessment models include infection and immobility among the items to be considered for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention. However, information on patients with infection leading to immobility and developing VTE are limited, as well as on the role of specific types of infection. Data were collected from the worldwide RIETE registry, including patients with symptomatic objectively confirmed VTE, and followed-up for at least 3 months. The overall population of RIETE at June 2013 (n = 47,390) was considered. Acute infection leading to immobility was reported in 3.9 % of non-surgical patients. Compared with patients immobilized due to dementia, patients with infection had a shorter duration of immobilization prior to VTE (less than 4 weeks in 94.2 vs. 25.9 % of cases; p < 0.001). During the 3-month follow-up, VTE patients with infection versus those with dementia had a lower rate of fatal bleeding (0.5 vs. 1.1 %; p < 0.05) or fatal PE (1.7 vs. 3.5 %; p < 0.01). Patients with respiratory tract infections had more likely PE as initial VTE presentation than other types of infection (62.3 vs. 37.7 %; p < 0.001). Significantly more patients with pneumonia than those with other respiratory infections had received VTE prophylaxis (50.2 vs. 30.6 %; p < 0.001). Following VTE, patients with sepsis showed a significantly higher risk of fatal bleeding. Based on our real-world data, infection seems to contribute to the pathogenesis of VTE by accelerating the effects of immobility. Its role as VTE risk factor probably deserves further attention and specific assessment in order to optimize VTE prophylaxis and treatment.

Thromboprophylaxis use and concordance with guidelines among medical and surgical patients in Morocco

INTRODUCTION

No data are available on thromboprophylaxis use in Morocco. Our aim was to characterize patients at risk of venous thromboembolism and assess the rate of appropriate thromboprophylaxis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a national, observational, multicentre survey of venous thromboembolism risk and thromboprophylaxis use in hospitalized patients. Data were collected on a predefined date in three university hospitals in Morocco using a standardized pre-printed form. Thromboembolic risk was assessed according to the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) 2008 guidelines. Patients were classified as "thromboprophylaxis indicated" or "thromboprophylaxis not indicated".

RESULTS

784 patients were analysed: 307 (39.2%) medical and 477 (60.8%) surgical. 421 (53.7%) were female. Medical patients were older than surgical patients (57.6 ± 11.5 vs. 46.2 ± 16.9 years, p<0.0001) and were more likely to have risk factors for thromboembolism (50.5% vs. 45.7% of patients, p=NS). 57% of patients without contraindications or bleeding risk were at risk of thromboembolism according to ACCP guidelines and thromboprophylaxis was prescribed to 42.8% of these patients. In contrast, 7.4% of patients with no thromboembolic risk also received thromboprophylaxis (proportion agreement: 61.0%; Kappa=0.296). Over half (54.5%) of medical patients at risk of thromboembolism did not receive thromboprophylaxis whereas 6.3% of those with no risk did receive it (proportion agreement: 76.4%; Kappa=0.433). These figures were 57.9% and 9.2%, respectively, for surgical patients (proportion agreement: 52.7%; Kappa=0.191). Thromboprophylaxis was given to 19.2% of patients with contraindications or a bleeding risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Educational initiatives are imperative to inform doctors about appropriate thromboprophylaxis.