JCS Joint Working Group. Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism and deep vein thrombosis (JCS 2009)

Prophylactic effect of compression stockings for elevated D-dimer levels following endoscopic submucosal dissection

Objectives

A relationship between endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and deep vein thrombosis has been recognized. We previously reported that a high corrected midazolam dose (total midazolam dose/initial dose of midazolam used to induce sedation) is related to elevated D-dimer levels after ESD. In this study, the effect of compression stockings (CSs) in preventing thrombosis following ESD under sedation was evaluated by measuring D-dimer levels before and after ESD.

Methods

The participants were patients who underwent ESD for upper gastrointestinal tumors during the period between April 2018 and October 2022. Patients with pre-ESD D-dimer levels ≥1.6 µg/m and patients with corrected midazolam doses ≤3.0 were excluded. A retrospective investigation of the relationship between CS use and high post-ESD D-dimer levels (difference in D-dimer levels ≥1.0 µg/mL between before and after ESD) was conducted.

Results

There were 27 patients in the non-CS group (NCS) and 33 patients in the CS group. The number of patients with high post-ESD D-dimer levels was 13 (48.2%) in the non-CS group and six (18.2%) in the CS group; the number in the CS group was significantly lower (p = 0.024). On logistic regression analysis, a relationship was seen between the wearing of CSs and a lower number of patients with high post-ESD D-dimer levels (odds ratio 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.08-0.79, p = 0.019).

Conclusion

Wearing CSs was related to a lower risk of high post-ESD D-dimer levels. This result suggests that thrombus formation is a cause of elevated D-dimer levels after ESD.

Statins use and recurrent venous thromboembolism in the direct oral anticoagulant era: insight from the COMMAND VTE Registry-2

Statins were reported to have a potential effect of primary prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE), although that of secondary prevention remains uncertain. To investigate the association between statins use and recurrent VTE in the current era. The COMMAND VTE Registry-2 is a multicenter registry enrolling 5,197 consecutive VTE patients among 31 centers in Japan between January 2015 and August 2020. We divided the entire cohort into 2 groups according to statins use at the time of discharge; the statins (N = 865) and no statins groups (N = 4332). The statins group was older (72.9 vs. 66.7 years, P < 0.001), and less often had active cancer (22.0% vs. 30.4%, P < 0.001). The cumulative incidence of discontinuation of anticoagulation was significantly lower in the statins group (60.3% vs. 52.6%, Log-rank P < 0.001). The cumulative 5-year incidence of recurrent VTE was significantly lower in the statins group (6.8% vs. 10.1%, Log-rank P = 0.01). Even after adjusting for the confounders, the lower risk of the statins group relative to the no statins group remained significant for recurrent VTE (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.45-0.91, P = 0.01). The cumulative 5-year incidence of major bleeding was significantly lower in the statins group (12.2% vs. 14.1%, Log-rank P = 0.04), although, after adjusting for the confounders, the risk of the statins group relative to the no statins group turned to be insignificant (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.59-1.00, P = 0.054). In this large real-world VTE registry, statins use was significantly associated with a lower risk for the recurrent VTE in the current era.

Effect of direct oral anticoagulant therapy on pulmonary artery clot dissolution in intermediate high-risk pulmonary thromboembolism

BACKGROUND

Direct oral anticoagulants are the established drugs for treating pulmonary thromboembolism. The advantage of direct oral anticoagulants over conventional therapy for clot lysis and right ventricular unloading in the acute phase remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of acute treatment with direct oral anticoagulants on clot dissolution and right ventricular unloading in intermediate high-risk pulmonary thromboembolism.

METHODS

Thirty patients with intermediate high-risk pulmonary thromboembolism admitted between November 2012 and December 2018 were included; 21 and 9 were treated with direct oral anticoagulants and conventional therapy, respectively. We compared the efficacy of clot dissolution and right ventricular unloading for intermediate high-risk pulmonary thromboembolism between direct oral anticoagulant and conventional therapy in the acute phase. Efficacy was assessed by computed tomography obstruction index, right/left ventricular ratio, and brain natriuretic peptide levels between baseline and at discharge.

RESULTS

Computed tomography obstruction index, right ventricular/left ventricular ratio, and brain natriuretic peptide levels were significantly lower at discharge than at admission in both groups. The rate of improvement in computed tomography obstruction index was significantly higher in the direct oral anticoagulant therapy group than in the conventional therapy group (64 ± 15% vs. 47 ± 16%; p = 0.01). There were no significant differences in the rate of improvement in right ventricular/ left ventricular ratio and brain natriuretic peptide levels between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with conventional therapy, direct oral anticoagulants significantly reduced pulmonary artery clot burden conventional therapy in the acute treatment of intermediate high-risk pulmonary thromboembolism.

Initial hemodynamic status and Acute Mortality in Cancer patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism: from the COMMAND VTE Registry

BACKGROUND

Initial hemodynamic status in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) concerns their acute clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, the characteristics of initial hemodynamic dysfunction and acute mortality in PE patients with active cancer is still controversial.

METHODS

We analyzed the data of 1715 PE patients in the COMMAND VTE Registry to compare initial hemodynamic dysfunction, management strategies, and mortality outcomes at 30 days after PE diagnosis between patients with and without active cancer (N = 393 and N = 1322).

RESULTS

The patients with active cancer showed lower prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction (35.4% vs. 49.5%, P < 0.001), shock (6.4% vs. 11.6%, P = 0.003), and cardiac arrest (1.8% vs. 5.5%, P = 0.002) at PE diagnosis, compared with those without. The patients with active cancer less frequently received systemic thrombolysis (4.1% vs. 12.6%, P < 0.001) than those without. There was no significant difference in the cumulative 30-day incidence of PE-related death between patients with and without active cancer (4.1% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.89). The cumulative 30-day incidence of all-cause death was significantly higher in patients with active cancer than in those without (11.5% vs. 4.9%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

PE patients with active cancer less frequently present with initial hemodynamic dysfunction at PE diagnosis, compared with those without. Nevertheless, PE patients with active cancer still show a similar risk of PE-related death and a higher risk of all-cause death at 30 days after PE diagnosis, suggesting the importance of prudent management for this patient population even if their initial hemodynamic status are not compromised.

Fibrinolytic Agents in Thromboembolic Diseases: Historical Perspectives and Approved Indications

Fibrinolytic agents catalyze the conversion of the inactive proenzyme plasminogen into the active protease plasmin, degrading fibrin within the thrombus and recanalizing occluded vessels. The history of these medications dates to the discovery of the first fibrinolytic compound, streptokinase, from bacterial cultures in 1933. Over time, researchers identified two other plasminogen activators in human samples, namely urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Subsequently, tPA was cloned using recombinant DNA methods to produce alteplase. Several additional derivatives of tPA, such as tenecteplase and reteplase, were developed to extend the plasma half-life of tPA. Over the past decades, fibrinolytic medications have been widely used to manage patients with venous and arterial thromboembolic events. Currently, alteplase is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients with pulmonary embolism with hemodynamic compromise, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), acute ischemic stroke, and central venous access device occlusion. Reteplase and tenecteplase have also received FDA approval for treating patients with STEMI. This review provides an overview of the historical background related to fibrinolytic agents and briefly summarizes their approved indications across various thromboembolic diseases.

Real-world Safety and Effectiveness of Edoxaban in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism with or without Preceding Parenteral Anticoagulants: A Single-center Retrospective Study

Objective Edoxaban is an anticoagulant used for venous thromboembolism (VTE) treatment and requires pretreatment with parenteral anticoagulants. However, pretreatment is not always performed in the clinical setting. In this study, we investigated the safety and effectiveness of edoxaban treatment in patients with VTE with or without pretreatment. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 364 patients who received edoxaban for VTE treatment between September 2014 and March 2020 and investigated patient demographics, VTE recurrence, and major bleeding as clinical outcomes in patients with or without pretreatment. Furthermore, the factors contributing to pretreatment decisions were assessed. Results Patients without pretreatment (n=208) had more active cancer cases and fewer pulmonary embolism complications than those with pretreatment (n=156). Lower levels of hemoglobin and higher levels of white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein, and D-dimer at the diagnosis were found in patients who received pretreatment than in those without pretreatment. No symptomatic VTE recurrence was observed. After propensity score matching, the cumulative incidence of major bleeding was not significantly higher in patients with pretreatment than in those without it (log-rank test, p=0.136). The incidence of deteriorated VTE on imaging did not significantly differ between patients with and without pretreatment, even after propensity matching (log-rank test, p=0.414). Conclusion In a real-world clinical setting, where physicians determined the use of parenteral anticoagulant lead-in according to their experience, patient demographics, and VTE characteristics, no significant differences were found regarding safety and effectiveness in edoxaban-treated VTE patients with or without pretreatment with parenteral anticoagulants.

Prevention of symptomatic pulmonary embolism for gynecologic malignancies with preoperative asymptomatic venous thromboembolism: GOTIC-VTE trial

OBJECTIVE

In Japan, perioperative prophylaxis of pulmonary embolism (PE) in gynecologic cancer patients with preoperative asymptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been well established yet. The GOTIC-VTE trial was a prospective, multi-center, single-arm clinical trial to investigate the prevention of postoperative symptomatic PE onset by seamless anticoagulant therapy from the preoperative period to 4 weeks after surgery instead of using intermittent pneumatic compression.

METHODS

Anticoagulant therapy was started immediately after asymptomatic VTE diagnosis and stopped preoperatively according to the rules of each institution. Unfractionated heparin administration was resumed within 12 hours postoperatively, and this was followed by the switch to low-molecular-weight heparin and subsequently, edoxaban; this cycle was continued for 28 days. Primary outcome was the occurrence of symptomatic PE in 28 days postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of VTE-related events in 28 days and 6 months postoperatively and protocol-related adverse events.

RESULTS

Between February 2018 and September 2020, 99 patients were enrolled; of these, 82 patients were assessed as the full analysis set, including 58 for ovarian cancer, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer; 21 for endometrial cancer; and 3 for cervical cancer. No symptomatic PE was observed within 28 days postoperatively; two patients had bleeding events (major bleeding and clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding) and three had grade 3 adverse events (increased alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, or gamma-glutamyl transferase).

CONCLUSION

The multifaceted perioperative management for gynecologic malignancies with asymptomatic VTE effectively prevented postoperative symptomatic PE.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

JRCT Identifier: jRCTs031180124.

Subclass phenotypes in patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolisms using a latent class analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) can be sub-classified based on the different phenotypes using a latent class analysis (LCA), which might be useful for selecting individual management strategies.

METHODS

In the COMMAND VTE Registry-2 database enrolling 5197 VTE patients, the current derivation cohort consisted of 1556 patients with unprovoked VTEs. We conducted clustering with an LCA, and the patients were classified into subgroups with the highest probability. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes among the developed subgroups.

RESULTS

This LCA model proposed 3 subgroups based on 8 clinically relevant variables, and classified 592, 813, and 151 patients as Class I, II, and III, respectively. Based on the clinical features, we named Class I the younger, Class II the older with a few comorbidities, and Class III the older with many comorbidities. The cumulative 3-year anticoagulation discontinuation rate was highest in the older with many comorbidities (Class III) (39.9 %, 36.1 %, and 48.4 %, P = 0.02). There was no significant difference in the cumulative 5-year incidence of recurrent VTEs among the 3 classes (12.8 %, 11.1 %, and 4.0 % P = 0.20), whereas the cumulative 5-year incidence of major bleeding was significantly higher in the older with many comorbidities (Class III) (7.8 %, 12.7 %, and 17.8 %, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

The current LCA revealed that patients with unprovoked VTEs could be sub-classified into further phenotypes depending on the patient characteristics. Each subclass phenotype could have different clinical outcomes risks especially a bleeding risk, which could have a potential benefit when considering the individual anticoagulation strategies.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm COMMAND VTE Registry-2: Unique identifier, UMIN000044816 COMMAND VTE Registry: Unique identifier, UMIN000021132.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Deep Venous Thrombosis in Intensive Inpatient Neurorehabilitation Unit

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) (deep vein thrombosis and its complication, pulmonary embolism) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients and about 7% of these cases are due to immobility secondary to a neurological impairment. Acquired brain injury (ABI) has also been recognized as one of the main risk factors for VTE. Numerous epidemiological studies have been conducted to assess the risk factors for VTE in institutionalized polytrauma patients, although there is a lack of information about neurorehabilitation wards. Since VTE is often undiagnosed, this prospective study aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of lower-limb deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in ABI patients at neurorehabilitation admission.

METHODS

ABI patients were screened for DVT on admission to the intensive rehabilitation unit (IRU) with compression ultrasonography and basal D-dimer assay and were daily clinically monitored until discharge. A total of 127 consecutive ABI patients (mean age: 60.1 ± 17.6 years; 63% male; time from event: 30.9 ± 22.1 days; rehabilitation time in IRU: 84.6 ± 58.4 days) were enrolled.

RESULTS

On admission to the IRU, the DVT prevalence was about 8.6%. The mean D-dimer level in patients with DVT was significantly higher than in patients without DVT (6 ± 0.9 vs. 1.97 ± 1.61, p-value = 0.0001). ABI patients with DVT did not show any significant clinical characteristics with respect to ABI without DVT, although a prevalence of hemorrhagic strokes and patients originating from the Intensive Care Unit and Neurosurgery ward was revealed. During the rehabilitation period, patients with DVT showed a significant difference in pharmacological DVT prophylaxis (high prevalence of nadroparin with 27.3% vs. 1.7%, p-value = 0.04) and a prevalence of transfers in critical awards (36% versus 9.5% of patients without DVT, p-value = 0.05). The mortality rate was similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research offers a more comprehensive view of the clinical development of DVT patients and confirms the prevalence rate of DVT in ABI patients as determined upon IRU admission. According to our findings, screening these individuals regularly at the time of rehabilitation admission may help identify asymptomatic DVT quickly and initiate the proper treatment to avoid potentially fatal consequences. However, to avoid time-consuming general ultrasonography observation, a more precise selection of patients entering the rehabilitation ward is required.

Causes, outcomes and diagnosis of acute breathlessness hospital admissions in Malawi: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study

Background

Hospital admission due to breathlessness carries a significant burden to patients and healthcare systems, particularly impacting people in low-income countries. Prompt appropriate treatment is vital to improve outcomes, but this relies on accurate diagnostic tests which are of limited availability in resource-constrained settings. We will provide an accurate description of acute breathlessness presentations in a multicentre prospective cohort study in Malawi, a low resource setting in Southern Africa, and explore approaches to strengthen diagnostic capacity.

Objectives

Primary objective: Delineate between causes of breathlessness among adults admitted to hospital in Malawi and report disease prevalence. Secondary objectives : Determine patient outcomes, including mortality and hospital readmission 90 days after admission; determine the diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers to differentiate between heart failure and respiratory infections (such as pneumonia) including brain natriuretic peptides, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein.

Methods

This is a prospective longitudinal cohort study of adults (≥18 years) admitted to hospital with breathlessness across two hospitals: 1) Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi; 2) Chiradzulu District Hospital, Chiradzulu, Malawi. Patients will be consecutively recruited within 24 hours of emergency presentation and followed-up until 90 days from hospital admission. We will conduct enhanced diagnostic tests with robust quality assurance and quality control to determine estimates of disease pathology. Diagnostic case definitions were selected following a systematic literature search.

Discussion

This study will provide detailed epidemiological description of adult hospital admissions due to breathlessness in low-income settings, which is currently poorly understood. We will delineate between causes using established case definitions and conduct nested diagnostic evaluation. The results have the potential to facilitate development of interventions targeted to strengthen diagnostic capacity, enable prompt and appropriate treatment, and ultimately improve both patient care and outcomes.

Pulmonary apoplexy following severe mitral valve stenosis: A case report

Hemoptysis is a common clinical symptom in emergency patients. It is characterized by the discharge of bloody sputum, which originates from the lower respiratory tract. In the majority of cases, this event is self-limiting, and only in less than 5% of cases, it is massive. Mitral valve stenosis is an uncommon cause of hemoptysis, with a prevalence of 4.2%. In rare cases of this condition, massive and sudden hemoptysis occurs, which is called pulmonary apoplexy. Here, a 35-year-old woman with a history of mitral valve stenosis is introduced who was referred to the hospital with a complaint of massive hemoptysis and sudden shortness of breath. According to the history of mitral valve stenosis, the patient was diagnosed with pulmonary apoplexy. After treatment, both the imaging findings and the patient's symptoms resolved within a short period of time. Even though pulmonary apoplexy is often severe, it can still respond well to conservative treatments and may indicate a need for immediate attention to the stenosis of the mitral valve.

Utility of plasma D-dimer for diagnosis of venous thromboembolism after hepatectomy

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially fatal complication of hepatectomy. The use of postoperative prophylactic anticoagulation in patients who have undergone hepatectomy is controversial because of the risk of postoperative bleeding. Therefore, we hypothesized that monitoring plasma D-dimer could be useful in the early diagnosis of VTE after hepatectomy.

AIM

To evaluate the utility of monitoring plasma D-dimer levels in the early diagnosis of VTE after hepatectomy.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who underwent hepatectomy at our institution between January 2017 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not they developed VTE after hepatectomy, as diagnosed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography and/or ultrasonography of the lower extremities. Clinicopathological factors, including demographic data and perioperative D-dimer values, were compared between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the D-dimer cutoff value. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression analysis to identify significant predictors.

RESULTS

In total, 234 patients who underwent hepatectomy were, of whom (5.6%) were diagnosed with VTE following hepatectomy. A comparison between the two groups showed significant differences in operative time (529 vs 403 min, P = 0.0274) and blood loss (530 vs 138 mL, P = 0.0067). The D-dimer levels on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3, 5, 7 were significantly higher in the VTE group than in the non-VTE group. In the multivariate analysis, intraoperative blood loss of > 275 mL [odds ratio (OR) = 5.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-27.0, P = 0.044] and plasma D-dimer levels on POD 5 ≥ 21 μg/mL (OR = 10.1, 95%CI: 2.04-50.1, P = 0.0046) were independent risk factors for VTE after hepatectomy.

CONCLUSION

Monitoring of plasma D-dimer levels after hepatectomy is useful for early diagnosis of VTE and may avoid routine prophylactic anticoagulation in the postoperative period.

Optimal D-Dimer Cutoff Values for Diagnosing Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Comorbid Malignancies

BACKGROUND

Patients with malignancy are at high risk of venous thromboembolism, and early diagnosis is important. The Khorana score is known as a risk assessment for cancer-related thrombosis during chemotherapy, but there are still few reports on its diagnostic potential, the optimal D-dimer cutoff values for indications other than chemotherapy and the use of the Khorana score in combination with D-dimers. In this study, we examined the clinical appropriateness of increasing the D-dimer cutoff value.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 208 malignancies out of 556 patients who underwent lower extremity venous ultrasonography at our hospital over a 2-year period from January 2018 to December 2019. The optimal D-dimer cutoff value for predicting deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with malignancy was calculated by the Youden index. The usefulness of the Khorana score alone and the model combining the Khorana score with D-dimer for predicting DVT diagnosis was compared using receiver operating characteristic analysis.

RESULTS

Of 208 eligible patients, 59 (28.4%) had confirmed DVT. The optimal D-dimer cutoff value for predicting DVT comorbidity in patients with malignancy was 3.96 μg/mL. When the new D-dimer cutoff value was set at 4.0 μg/mL, the odds ratio (OR) for DVT diagnosis was 4.23 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.10-8.55, P < 0.001), which was higher than the OR of 1.33 (95% CI: 0.98-1.81, P = 0.064) for the Khorana score. The area under the curve for the Khorana score and D-dimer was 0.714, which was significantly higher than the 0.611 for the Khorana score alone, with the difference being significantly higher at 0.103 (P = 0.004, 95% CI: 0.033-0.173).

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal D-dimer cutoff value for the diagnosis of DVT in patients with malignancy was 4.0 μg/mL. It was also suggested that the combination of the Khorana score with the D-dimer level was more accurate in diagnosing DVT than the Khorana score alone.

Factors influencing postoperative bleeding after dental extraction in older adult patients receiving anticoagulation therapy

OBJECTIVES

To investigate factors influencing postoperative bleeding occurrence after dental extraction in older patients receiving anticoagulation therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included patients aged ≥ 65 years receiving one of the following anticoagulants: apixaban, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, and warfarin. Patients who underwent one to multiple tooth extractions in the geriatric dentistry clinic at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital between August 1, 2016, and November 30, 2020, were included. The outcome variable was postoperative bleeding occurrence. Logistic regression analysis was performed with the following ten factors as explanatory variables: age, sex, maximum systolic blood pressure during the extraction, type of local anesthesia, vertical incision, osteotomy, usage of surgical splints, the mesiodistal width of the extracted tooth on a radiograph, use of antiplatelet agents, and history of diabetes requiring medication.

RESULTS

Among 395 participants (mean age, 82.3 ± 6.5 years) included in this study, 75 patients experienced postoperative bleeding after tooth extraction. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratios for the vertical incision (18.400, p < 0.001), osteotomy (3.630, p = 0.00558), usage of surgical splints (1.860, p = 0.0395), and the mesiodistal width of the extracted tooth on a radiograph (1.060, p = 0.0261) were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

For dental extraction in older patients receiving anticoagulants, postoperative bleeding is more likely to occur in patients with vertical incision, osteotomy, and posterior or multiple tooth extractions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Dentists should consider suturing and adjunctive hemostatic procedures for patients undergoing vertical incision, osteotomy, and multiple tooth extractions while receiving anticoagulation therapy to minimize the risk of postoperative bleeding.

Recommendations for the management of the vascular involvement in Behçet's disease by the Japanese National Research Committee for Behçet's disease-secondary publication

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop clinical guidelines for the management of vascular Behçet's disease (BD) by the Behçet's Disease Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of the Japanese Government.

METHODS

A task force proposed clinical questions (CQs) concerning vascular BD based on a literature search. After screening, draft recommendations were developed for each CQ and brushed up in three blinded Delphi rounds, leading to the final recommendations.

RESULTS

This study provides recommendations for 17 CQs concerning diagnosis and differential diagnoses, assessment of disease activity, and treatment. The guidelines recommend immunosuppressive treatments, for both arterial and venous involvement with active inflammation. Anticoagulation is also recommended for deep vein thrombosis except in high-risk patients. Surgical and endovascular therapies can be optional, particularly in patients with urgent arterial lesions undergoing immunosuppression. In addition, two sets of algorithms for diagnosis and treatment are shown for arterial and venous involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

These recommendations are expected to serve as useful tools in the daily clinical practice of BD. This content has already been published in Japanese in the Guideline for the Management of Behçet's Disease 2020 and is submitted with permission from both the primary and secondary publishers.

The effect of the Ankle Pump Exercise (APE) counter system assisted ankle pump motion in patients after femoral neck fracture

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of the Ankle Pump Exercise (APE) counter system on moderate to high-risk Venous thromboembolism (VTE) after femoral neck fracture surgery.

METHODS

From June 2021 to June 2022, a total of 140 patients with moderate and high-risk VTE after femoral neck fracture surgery treated at the Department of Orthopedics of a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang were included and divided into observation (70 cases) and control (70 cases) groups according to whether APE counter system was used or not. The control group was given routine oral propaganda, and the observation group was given a comprehensive nursing intervention with APE counter system on the basis of the control group's treatment. The compliance rates of the two groups on the postoperative 3st, 5rd, and 7th days were compared. Moreover, the General self-efficacy scale (GSES) was used to evaluate self-efficacy before and after exercise.

RESULTS

The compliance rates of the control group and the observation group on the postoperative 3st, 5rd, and 7th days were 74.3% vs. 85.7%, 67.1% vs. 85.7%, and 61.4% vs. 82.9%. On the 5rd and 7th days, the compliance of the observation group was obviously higher than that of the control group. Moreover, the mean postoperative GSES score was also significantly higher than that in the control group (23.20 ± 3.516 vs. 25.31 ± 4.583, P < 0.05, values are expressed in mean ± standard).

CONCLUSION

APE counter system can significantly improve the compliance and self-efficacy of patients with moderate and high-risk VTE after lower limb fracture surgery.

Comparison of international guideline recommendations for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism is one of the leading causes of death due to cardiovascular disease. Timely diagnosis is crucial, but challenging, as the clinical presentation of pulmonary embolism is unspecific and easily mistaken for other common medical emergencies. Clinical prediction rules and D-dimer measurement allow stratification of patients into groups of expected prevalence and are key elements in adequate selection of patients for diagnostic imaging; however, the strengths and weaknesses of the multiple proposed prediction rules, when to measure D-dimer, and which cutoff to apply might be elusive to a significant proportion of physicians. 13 international guidelines authored by medical societies or expert author groups provide recommendations on facets of the diagnostic investigations in suspected pulmonary embolism, some of which are hallmarked by pronounced heterogeneity. This Review summarises key recommendations of each guideline, considers the most recent evidence on the topic, compares guideline recommendations on each facet of the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, and provides a synthesis on the most common recommendations.

Prevalence of preoperative asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing elective general surgery for benign disease

Background

The systemic inflammatory response following surgery as well as that of malignant disease itself is associated with a hypercoagulable state, and thromboprophylaxis is thus recommended during postoperative management of cancer patients. However, limited information is available on the prevalence of preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and its risk factors in surgical candidates, especially those receiving operations for benign diseases.

Methods

This is a retrospective observational study with data of all patients scheduled for elective general surgery between January 2011 and September 2020, undergoing lower extremity venous ultrasonography as preoperative screening for DVT. The prevalence of preoperative asymptomatic DVT was estimated and its associations with clinical variables were evaluated.

Results

Among 1512 patients included in the study, 161 (10.6%) had asymptomatic DVT before surgery. DVT prevalence was 13.7% in patients with malignant disease, while it was 8.6% in those with benign disease. The site of the thrombus was distal type in 141 (87.6%) patients, most commonly in the soleal vein. Advanced age (>70 years), female sex, and decreased hemoglobin level were significantly associated with preoperative asymptomatic DVT by multivariate analysis. The odds ratio for advanced age was the highest and rose as age increased. Malignant disease was not an independent risk factor for preoperative DVT.

Conclusion

This study showed the prevalence of asymptomatic DVT to be equal in patients with and without malignant disease undergoing elective general surgery. Preoperative DVT assessment is necessary regardless of the disease indicated for surgery, especially in patients with the risk factors identified in this study.

Artificial intelligence technology and ultrasound-guided nerve block for analgesia in total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Knee diseases are more common in middle-aged and elderly people, so artificial knee replacement is also more used in middle-aged and elderly people. Although the patient's pain can be reduced through surgery, often accompanied by moderate pain after surgery and neutralization, which not only increases the psychological burden of the patient, but also greatly reduces the postoperative recovery effect, and may also lead to the occurrence of postoperative adverse events in severe cases.

AIM

To investigate the analgesic effect of artificial intelligence (AI) and ultrasound-guided nerve block in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

METHODS

A total of 92 patients with TKA admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to January 2022 were opted and divided into two groups according to the treatment regimen. The control group received combined spinal-epidural anesthesia. The research group received AI technique combined with ultrasound-guided nerve block anesthesia. The sensory block time, motor block time, visual analogue scale (VAS) at different time points and complications were contrasted between the two groups.

RESULTS

The time of sensory block onset and sensory block perfection in the research group was shorter than those in the control group, but the results had no significant difference (P > 0.05). Duration of sensory block in the research group was significantly longer than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The time of motor block onset and motor block perfection in the research group was shorter than those in the control group, but the results had no significant difference (P > 0.05). Duration of motor block in the research group was significantly longer than those in the control group. The VAS scales of the research group were significantly lower than that of the control group at different time points (P < 0.05). The postoperative hip flexion and abduction range of motion in the research group were significantly better than those in the control group at different time points (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications was significantly lower in the research group than in the control group (P = 0.049).

CONCLUSION

In TKA, the combination of AI technology and ultrasound-guided nerve block has a significantly effect, with fewer postoperative complications and significantly analgesic effect, which is worthy of application.

Risk of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common postoperative complication in patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer (GC). Although VTE incidence may vary among cancers, guidelines rarely stratify preventive methods for postoperative VTE by cancer type. The risk of VTE in patients undergoing surgery for GC remains unclear.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to determine the risk of VTE after GC surgery and discuss the clinical value of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis in these cases. Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for articles published from their inception to September 2022.

RESULTS

Overall, 13 studies (111,936 patients) were included. The overall 1-month incidence of VTE, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE) after GC surgery was 1.8% (95% CI, 0.8-3.1%; I²=98.5%), 1.2% (95% CI, 0.5-2.1%; I²=96.1%), and 0.4% (95% CI, 0.1-1.1%; I²=96.3%), respectively. The prevalence of postoperative VTE was comparable between Asian and Western populations (1.8% vs. 1.8%; P > 0.05). Compared with mechanical prophylaxis alone, mechanical plus pharmacological prophylaxis was associated with a significantly lower 1-month rate of postoperative VTE and DVT (0.6% vs. 2.9% and 0.6% vs. 2.8%, respectively; all P < 0.05), but not PE (P > 0.05). The 1-month postoperative incidence of VTE was not significantly different between laparoscopic and open surgery (1.8% vs. 4.3%, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing GC surgery do not have a high risk of VTE. The incidence of VTE after GC surgery is not significantly different between Eastern and Western patients. Mechanical plus pharmacological prophylaxis is more effective than mechanical prophylaxis alone in postoperative VTE prevention. The VTE risk is comparable between open and laparoscopic surgery for GC.

Preoperative incidence and risk factors of deep vein thrombosis in Japanese patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty

PURPOSE

Preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a risk factor for postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE), causing severe mortality. Early detection of preoperative DVT is essential to prevent postoperative VTE. However, little is known regarding preoperative DVT in patients undergoing major surgery. The present study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors of preoperative DVT in patients admitted for total hip arthroplasty (THA).

METHODS

From August 2017 to September 2022, 243 patients admitted for THA at our institution were enrolled in this study. Patients medical records and preoperative laboratory data were retrospectively collected. According to the results of lower-limb ultrasonography, patients were divided into either the non-DVT (n = 136) or DVT (n = 43) group. The incidence of DVT and independent risk factors for preoperative DVT were investigated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

The mean age was 74.0 ± 8.4 years. Preoperative DVT was diagnosed in 43 of the 243 (17.7%) patients. The risk of DVT was significantly high (p < 0.05) in patients with advanced age, increased D-dimer levels, and malnutrition status, as assessed by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). Multivariate analysis showed that advanced age, increased D-dimer level, and malnutrition status assessed by the GNRI were independent risk factors for preoperative DVT.

CONCLUSION

A high incidence of preoperative DVT was observed in patients undergoing THA. Advanced age, increased D-dimer levels, and malnutrition assessed by the GNRI increased the risk of preoperative DVT. Screening high-risk subgroups for preoperative DVT is necessary to prevent postoperative VTE.

Unveiling the diagnostic enigma of D-dimer testing in cancer patients: Current evidence and areas of application

BACKGROUND

Cancer is a well-known risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). A combined strategy of D-dimer testing and clinical pre-test probability is usually used to exclude VTE. However, its effectiveness is diminished in cancer patients due to reduced specificity, ultimately leading to a decreased clinical utility. This review article seeks to provide a comprehensive summary of how to interpret D-dimer testing in cancer patients.

METHODS

In accordance with PRISMA standards, literature pertaining to the diagnostic and prognostic significance of D-dimer testing in cancer patients was carefully chosen from reputable sources such as PubMed and the Cochrane databases.

RESULTS

D-dimers have not only a diagnostic value in ruling out VTE but can also serve as an aid for rule-in if their values exceed 10-times the upper limit of normal. This threshold allows a diagnosis of VTE in cancer patients with a positive predictive value of more than 80%. Moreover, elevated D-dimers carry important prognostic information and are associated with VTE reoccurrence. A gradual increase in risk for all-cause death suggests that VTE is also an indicator of biologically more aggressive cancer types and advanced cancer stages. Considering the lack of standardization for D-dimer assays, it is essential for clinicians to carefully consider the variations in assay performance and the specific test characteristics of their institution.

CONCLUSIONS

Standardizing D-dimer assays and developing modified pretest probability models specifically for cancer patients, along with adjusted cut-off values for D-dimer testing, could significantly enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of VTE diagnosis in this population.

Prognostication of Patients with Pulmonary Thromboembolism with and without Residual Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Subanalysis of the J'xactly Study

Objectives: It is unclear whether patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) with and without residual deep vein thrombosis (DVT) have different prognoses, and there is debate over whether inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs) should be used in conjunction with oral anticoagulants in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE). Materials and Methods: The J'xactly involved 1,016 patients and was a multicenter, prospective, observational research. In this subanalysis, 419 patients with PE with or without residual DVT who received rivaroxaban with or without IVCFs between February 2016 and April 2018 in Japan were examined. Results: Of 419 patients with PE, 320 had residual DVT. There was no difference between the groups with and without DVT in terms of the percentage of patients who experienced symptomatic PE recurrence (2.8% [9/320] vs. 3.0% [3/99]) or who died from VTE-related complications (0.9% [3/320] vs. 1.0% [1/99]). The percentages of patients with symptomatic PE recurrence were 0% and 3.2%, and the percentages of patients who died from VTE-related causes were 0% and 1.1%, respectively, in the groups with (n=39) and without (n=281) IVCF, albeit not being statistically different. Conclusion: Patients with PE with and without residual DVT did not have a different incidence of symptomatic PE recurrence. These results require additional study to be confirmed.

Safety Profile and Effectiveness of Rivaroxaban for Patients With Venous Thromboembolism in Japan - Results From Post-Marketing Surveillance (XASSENT)

BACKGROUND

The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE; pulmonary embolism [PE] and/or deep vein thrombosis [DVT]) in Japan is increasing, but relatively small numbers of patients from Japan have been included in studies investigating rivaroxaban (a direct factor Xa inhibitor) for the treatment of VTE and preventing its recurrence.Methods and Results: An open-label, prospective, observational study (XASSENT [NCT02558465]) investigated the safety profile and effectiveness of rivaroxaban for ≤2 years in the treatment of VTE and prevention of its recurrence in Japanese clinical practice. Primary outcomes were major bleeding and symptomatic recurrent VTE. Statistical analyses were exploratory and descriptive. Overall, 2,540 patients were enrolled (safety analysis population [SAP], n=2,387; effectiveness analysis population [EAP], n=2,386). In the SAP, >80% of patients received the approved rivaroxaban dose, the mean (standard deviation) age was 66.6 (15.0) years, ≈74% were >50 kg, and 43% had a creatinine clearance ≥80 mL/min. PE+DVT, PE only, and DVT only were reported in 42%, 8%, and 50% of patients, respectively, and active cancer in 17% of patients. Major bleeding was reported in 69 patients (2.89%; 3.60%/patient-year; SAP) and symptomatic PE/DVT recurrence in 26 patients (1.09%; 1.36%/patient-year; EAP) during the treatment period.

CONCLUSIONS

XASSENT provided information on the expected proportions of bleeding and VTE recurrence during rivaroxaban treatment in Japanese clinical practice; no new concerns of safety or effectiveness were found.

Rivaroxaban treatment for asymptomatic venous thromboembolism: insights from the J'xactly study

BACKGROUND

An established treatment strategy for asymptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remains uncertain in Japan; therefore, in this study, we clarify the characteristics and outcomes of symptomatic compared to asymptomatic patients with PE or DVT.

METHODS

This prospective, multicenter sub-analysis of the J'xactly study in Japan included 1,016 patients (mean age, 68; 41% male) with venous thromboembolism (VTE) treated with rivaroxaban.

RESULTS

Asymptomatic PE patients (47% of PE patients) were more likely to have active cancer and asymptomatic proximal DVT at lower severity than symptomatic PE patients, despite no differences in age, sex, or the proportion receiving intensive 30 mg/day-rivaroxaban. Patients with asymptomatic DVT (34% of DVT patients) were older, had higher rates of female sex, active cancer, and distal DVT, and received shorter, less intense rivaroxaban treatment. Incidences did not differ between asymptomatic and symptomatic PE patients for recurrent symptomatic VTE (hazard ratio [HR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-1.62; P = 0.31) or major bleeding (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.20-2.33; P = 0.58), nor between asymptomatic and symptomatic DVT patients for recurrent symptomatic VTE (HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.23-1.40; P = 0.21) and major bleeding (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 0.54-3.97; P = 0.45).

CONCLUSIONS

The real-world composite adverse event rate for treatment with rivaroxaban, as physician-adjusted for dose and duration, was similar for asymptomatic and symptomatic patients regardless of the presence of PE or DVT, suggesting a favorable safety profile for potential rivaroxaban treatment for asymptomatic VTE.

Risk Factors for Elevated D-Dimer Levels in Patients with Gastrointestinal Tumors Treated with Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is almost always performed with a sedative because of the longer procedure times involved. The risk of post-ESD deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been reported as relatively high, and D-dimer levels are sometimes elevated after ESD. This retrospective study evaluated factors affecting changes in D-dimer levels from before to after ESD to identify causes of elevated D-dimer levels after ESD. This retrospective analysis included 117 patients with gastrointestinal tumors resected using ESD. After excluding eight patients with pre-ESD levels of D-dimer >1.5 μg/mL, factors correlating with changes in D-dimer from before to after ESD were analyzed using logistic regression analysis in 109 patients. Sedation was accomplished primarily using midazolam, but, because the sedative effect of midazolam shows marked inter-individual variability, a "corrected midazolam dose" was determined by dividing the total midazolam dose by the initial dose to correct for inter-individual differences in the sedative effect of midazolam. This value was used as one potential explanatory variable in the subgroup analysis of the 103 patients who received midazolam. In the subgroup analysis using the corrected midazolam dose as an explanatory variable, only the corrected midazolam dose correlated with a change in D-dimer ≥1.0 μg/mL in multivariate analysis (odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43-0.95; p = 0.030). The corrected midazolam dose correlated with increases in post-ESD D-dimer levels. This potential relationship indicates that patients undergoing ESD and requiring extended sedation may be at increased risk of DVT.

Evidence-based pharmacological prophylaxis recommendations for venous thromboembolism in hospitalized acutely ill medical patients: a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines

Venous thromboembolism is a complex multifactorial disease considered the most common cause of preventable deaths in hospitalized patients. Recommendations about pharmacological venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in adult hospitalized patients are available in clinical practice guidelines for optimization of healthcare delivery and improvement of patient outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines using ADAPTE to synthesize recommendations for pharmacological prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized medical patients at a medium complexity university hospital. Recommendations for pharmacological prophylaxis were extracted from seven clinical practice guidelines considered of high quality after assessment with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. These recommendations will support discussion with specialists and implementation of practices in the setting of the hospital studied.

Clinical significance of lung cross-sectional area measured by computed tomography in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: The correlation with pulmonary hemodynamics and the limitations

The percentage cross-sectional area of the lung under five (%CSA<5) is the percentage of pulmonary vessels with <5 mm2 area relative to the total lung area on computed tomography (CT). The extent that %CSA<5 is related to pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is unclear, as is the effect of pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) on %CSA<5. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of %CSA<5 in patients with CTEPH. We studied 98 patients (64 females, mean age 62.5 ± 11.9 years), who underwent CT with %CSA<5 measurement and right heart catheterization (RHC). Patients were classified into groups based on eligibility for PEA. We compared the %CSA<5 with pulmonary hemodynamics measured by RHC in various groups. In 38 patients who underwent PEA, the relationship between %CSA<5 and pulmonary hemodynamics was also evaluated before and after PEA. Significant correlations between %CSA<5 and pulmonary vascular resistance, and compliance, and pulmonary artery pulse pressure were observed in all patients. Pulmonary hemodynamics in the patients who underwent or were eligible for PEA showed a significant correlation with %CSA<5. Additionally, %CSA<5 was significantly lower in the postoperative than in the preoperative group. There was no correlation between changes in %CSA<5 and pulmonary hemodynamics before and after PEA. Furthermore, %CSA<5 did not correlate significantly with prognosis. %CSA<5 may reflect pulmonary hemodynamics in CTEPH with central thrombosis. Furthermore, %CSA<5 was reduced by PEA postoperatively. However, %CSA<5 is not a prognostic indicator, its clinical usefulness in CTEPH patients is limited, and further validation is required.

Age and long-term outcomes of patients with venous thromboembolism: From the COMMAND VTE Registry

BACKGROUND

There is still a scarcity of data on the relation between age and long-term clinical outcomes of patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

METHODS

The COMMAND VTE Registry was a multicenter registry enrolling 3027 consecutive patients with acute symptomatic VTE in Japan between January 2010 and August 2014. We divided the entire cohort into 3 groups: patients aged <65 years (N = 1100, 36.7%), patients aged 65 ≤ and ≤ 80 years (N = 1314, 43.4%), and patients aged >80 years (N = 603, 19.9%).

RESULTS

Discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy during the follow-up period was most frequent in patients aged <65 years (44%, 38% and 33%, P < 0.001). The cumulative 5-year incidences were 12.7%, 9.8% and 7.4% for recurrent VTE, 10.8%, 12.2% and 14.9% for major bleeding, and 23.0%, 31.4%, and 38.6% for all-cause death. Adjusting for cofounders and taking into account the competing risk of all-cause death, the lower risk of patients aged >80 years, and those aged 65 ≤ and ≤ 80 years relative to those aged <65 years remained significant for recurrent VTE (65 ≤ age ≤ 80 years, HR: 0.71, 95%CI: 0.53-0.94, P = 0.02; age > 80 years, HR: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.39-0.89, P = 0.01), and the risk remained insignificant for major bleeding (65 ≤ age ≤ 80 years, HR: 1.00, 95%CI: 0.76-1.31, P = 0.98; age > 80 years, HR: 1.17, 95%CI: 0.83-1.65, P = 0.37).

CONCLUSIONS

In the current real-world VTE registry, there was no significant difference in the risk of major bleeding depending on different age groups, while younger patients showed an excess risk for recurrent VTE compared with older patients.

Relationship between baseline D-dimer and prognosis in Japanese patients with venous thromboembolism: Insights from the J'xactly study

Background

D-dimer is a biomarker of fibrin production and degradation, and changes in D-dimer concentration suggest fibrin clot formation, which is associated with thromboembolism and hypercoagulable states. Thus, an elevated D-dimer concentration could be a useful prognostic predictor for patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Methods and results

In this subanalysis of the J'xactly study, a prospective multicenter study conducted in Japan, we examined the clinical outcomes of 949 patients with VTE stratified by baseline D-dimer concentration. The median D-dimer concentration was 7.6 μg/ml (low D-dimer group: <7.6 μg/ml [n = 473, 49.8%]; high D-dimer group: ≥7.6 μg/ml [n = 476, 50.2%]). The mean age of the patients was 68 years, and 386 patients (40.7%) were male. Compared with the low D-dimer group, the high D-dimer group had more frequent pulmonary embolism with or without deep vein thrombosis (DVT), proximal DVT, atrial fibrillation, or diabetes mellitus, and underwent intensive treatment with 30 mg/day rivaroxaban. The incidence of composite clinically relevant events (recurrence or exacerbation of symptomatic VTE, acute coronary syndrome [ACS], ischemic stroke, death from any cause, or major bleeding) was higher in the high D-dimer group than in the low D-dimer group (11.1% vs. 7.5% per patient-year; hazard ratio, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.04; p = 0.025). There was no significant difference between the high and low D-dimer groups in the incidence of VTE (2.8% vs. 2.5% per patient-year, respectively; p = 0.788), ACS (0.4% per patient-year vs. not observed, respectively; p = 0.078), or major bleeding (4.0% vs. 2.1% per patient-year, respectively; p = 0.087), but there was a significant difference in the incidence of ischemic stroke (1.0% per patient-year vs. not observed, respectively; p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Elevated D-dimer concentration may be an important prognostic predictor in Japanese patients with VTE.Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN CTR, UMIN000025072 (https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm).

Evaluation of perioperative D-dimer concentration for predicting postoperative deep vein thrombosis following hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery

PURPOSE

This study was performed to investigate the predictive value of the perioperative D-dimer concentration for the development of postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after hepatobiliary-pancreatic (HBP) surgery.

METHODS

The subjects of this retrospective study were 178 patients who underwent HBP surgery in our hospital between January, 2017 and December, 2021. The D-dimer concentration was measured preoperatively and on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3, and 5. Postoperative DVT was diagnosed based on compression ultrasonography in both lower limbs on POD 6 or 7.

RESULTS

Postoperative DVT developed in 21 (11.8%) of the 178 patients. The D-dimer concentration was significantly higher in the patients with than in those without postoperative DVT before surgery and on PODs 1, 3, and 5. The highest area under the curve of the D-dimer concentration for predicting DVT was 0.762 on POD 3. Multivariate analysis revealed that the D-dimer concentration on POD 3 was an independent predictive risk factor for postoperative DVT, along with the preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate. Preoperative albumin and D-dimer concentrations were also identified as independent predictive factors of an increase in D-dimer concentration on POD 3.

CONCLUSIONS

The D-dimer concentration on POD 3 is a useful predictor of DVT after HBP surgery.

Clinical characteristics, management strategies and outcomes of patients with recurrent venous thromboembolism in the real world

There is a paucity of data on management strategies and clinical outcomes after recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE). In a multicenter registry enrolling 3027 patients with acute symptomatic VTE, the current study population was divided into the following 3 groups: (1) First recurrent VTE during anticoagulation therapy (N = 110); (2) First recurrent VTE after discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy (N = 116); and (3) No recurrent VTE (N = 2801). Patients with first recurrent VTE during anticoagulation therapy more often had active cancer (45, 25 and 22%, P < 0.001). Among 110 patients with first recurrent VTE during anticoagulation therapy, 84 patients (76%) received warfarin at recurrent VTE with the median prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) value at recurrent VTE of 1.6, although patients with active cancer had a significantly higher median PT-INR value at recurrent VTE compared with those without active cancer (2.0 versus 1.4, P < 0.001). Within 90 days after recurrent VTE, 23 patients (20.9%) during anticoagulation therapy and 24 patients (20.7%) after discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy died. Active cancer was a major cause of recurrent VTE during anticoagulation therapy as a patient-related factor, while sub-optimal intensity of anticoagulation therapy was a major cause of recurrent VTE during anticoagulation therapy as a treatment-related factor, particularly in patients without active cancer.

Rivaroxaban Treatment for Patients With Unprovoked or Provoked Venous Thromboembolism ― Subanalysis of the J’xactly Study ―

Background: The efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) remain unclear.

Methods and Results: In this subanalysis of the J’xactly study, a multicenter prospective observational study, we evaluated the safety and effectiveness of rivaroxaban in patients with acute VTE according to unprovoked (n=388) or provoked (n=557) VTE status. Median follow-up was 21.2 months. Compared with patients in the provoked group, patients in the unprovoked group were younger, less likely to be female, and had higher body weight. The incidence of symptomatic VTE recurrence was significantly higher in the unprovoked than provoked VTE group (3.54% vs. 1.77% per patient-year; P=0.032). There was no significant difference in the incidence of major bleeding events between rivaroxaban-treated patients with unprovoked and provoked VTE (2.31% vs. 3.75% per patient-year; P=0.289). Although the proportion of patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² who were non-users of antiplatelet agents was higher in the unprovoked VTE group, there was no interaction effect (BMI: 4.58% vs. 1.55% per patient-year [P=0.040; P for interaction=0.361]; concomitant antiplatelet agent non-users: 3.65% vs. 1.72% per patient-year [P=0.028; P for interaction=0.627]).

Conclusions: This subanalysis suggests the safety and effectiveness of rivaroxaban in patients with unprovoked VTE. In such patients, DOAC discontinuation should be considered carefully, particularly in those not using antiplatelet agents and those with a high BMI.

Causes of long-term mortality in patients with venous thromboembolism in the real world: From the COMMAND VTE registry

INTRODUCTION

There is still a scarcity of data on causes of long-term mortality in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The COMMAND VTE Registry is a physician-initiated, retrospective, multicenter cohort study in which consecutive 3027 patients with acute symptomatic VTE among 29 centers in Japan were included between January 2010 and August 2014. We investigated detailed causes and risk factors for long-term mortality.

RESULTS

During a median observation period of 1218 days, a total of 764 patients died, and the prevalence of active cancer was higher in patients who died than in patients alive (61 % versus 10 %, P < 0.001). The cumulative incidences of cardiac death, pulmonary embolism (PE)-related death, bleeding death, cancer death, and non-cardiovascular non-cancer death were 2.2 %, 2.9 %, 2.0 %, 16.1 %, and 6.7 % at 5 years, respectively. The incidence of cancer death increased gradually, which was the most common cause of long-term death. Among patients without active cancer, the incidence of PE-related death increased rapidly and became a plateau beyond the acute phase, whereas the incidence of non-cardiovascular non-cancer death kept increasing, which became most common in the long term. The separate multivariable analysis among patient with and without active cancer identified independent risk factors of all-cause death including a few patient characteristics among patients with active cancer and several patient characteristics among patients without active cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer was the most common cause of long-term mortality, while non-cardiovascular non-cancer death became most common among patients without active cancer.

Optimal quality of vitamin K antagonist therapy in Japanese patients with venous thromboembolism

BACKGROUND

Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) remains an essential option for venous thromboembolism (VTE), although direct oral anticoagulants have become available. However, there is a paucity of data on the optimal intensity and quality of control for VKA in Japanese.

METHODS

The COMMAND VTE Registry is a multicenter registry enrolling consecutive 3027 patients with acute symptomatic VTE among 29 centers in Japan. The current study population consisted of 1938 patients who received VKA with prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) measurement >5 times. The primary outcome measure was a composite of symptomatic VTE recurrence or major bleeding at 1 year. The presumed optimal quality of VKA therapy was defined as the combination of PT-INR range and time in therapeutic range (TTR) with the numerically lowest event rate.

RESULTS

The group with TTR ≥70 % based on PT-INR range ≥1.5 and <2.0 showed the lowest cumulative incidence rate. The cumulative 1-year incidence and the adjusted risk for the primary outcome measure were significantly lower in the optimal quality group than in the non-optimal quality group (5.2 % vs. 11.7 %, p = 0.001, and HR 0.49, 95%CI 0.28-0.81). Similarly, the cumulative 1-year incidences of a recurrent VTE, major bleeding, and all-cause death were significantly lower in the optimal quality group (recurrent VTE: 2.5 % vs. 6.0 %, p = 0.02; major bleeding: 2.8 % vs. 7.0 %, p = 0.008; and all-cause death: 2.8 % vs. 12.6 %, p < 0.0001). The lower risk of the optimal quality group relative to non-optimal quality group for the clinical outcomes was consistent regardless of the etiology of VTE (active cancer, transient risk factor, and unprovoked).

CONCLUSIONS

The current VTE registry showed the optimal intensity of VKA therapy was target PT-INR range ≥1.5 and <2.0, which could support the current Japanese guideline recommendation, and the good quality of control for VKA therapy of TTR ≥70 % was independently associated with better outcomes.

Characteristics and clinical outcomes of Japanese patients with venous thromboembolism receiving under-dose rivaroxaban: subanalysis of J'xactly

OBJECTIVE

Rivaroxaban is commonly prescribed to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE). Although lower than standard dosages (under-dosing) may be administered in the real-world setting, data on subsequent clinical outcomes in Japanese patients are lacking.

METHODS

The prospective, multicenter, observational J'xactly study enrolled patients with acute symptomatic/asymptomatic deep vein thromboses (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), or both, who were prescribed rivaroxaban. This subanalysis investigated patient characteristics and outcomes associated with rivaroxaban under-dosing.

RESULTS

Among 1016 evaluable patients, 667 (65.6%) received an initial standard dosage of rivaroxaban (30 mg/day) and 349 (34.4%) received an initial under-dosage (20 mg/day, n = 22; 15 mg/day, n = 282; and 10 mg/day, n = 45). Those receiving an under-dose had significantly lower body weight and slower pulse rate compared with the standard-dose group regardless of DVT or PE status. Under-dosing was common for distal DVTs, but less frequent for massive/submassive PEs. There were no differences between under-dose and standard-dose groups in the incidences of recurring symptomatic VTEs (DVT: 1.77% vs. 3.35% per patient-year, p = .138; PE: 0.84% vs. 2.84% per patient-year, p = .208) or major bleeding (DVT: 3.55% vs. 3.41% per patient-year, p = .960; PE: not observed vs. 2.83% per patient-year, p = .132).

CONCLUSIONS

In the real-world setting, rivaroxaban under-dosing for patients with VTE occurred in those with lower body weight, slower pulse rate, distal DVT, or non-massive PEs. There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical outcomes for patients received under-dose of rivaroxaban at the discretion of the physicians in the clinical practice compared with those received standard dose of rivaroxaban.

IMPROVE bleeding score predicts major bleeding in advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients with venous thromboembolism

BACKGROUND

The incidence of venous thromboembolism has been reported as 20% in cancer patients. Anticoagulation therapy is the standard treatment for venous thromboembolism. On the other hand, bleeding should be carefully managed, because advanced cancer, particularly gastrointestinal cancer, carries a high risk of bleeding. However, the optimal management for cancer-associated thromboembolism remains to be clarified.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer, including gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, who were treated with chemotherapy between 2014 and 2018 for the incidence and characteristics of venous thromboembolism and bleeding.

RESULTS

In total, 194 patients (120 men, 74 women) were enrolled in this study. The underlying pathology was gastric cancer in 74 cases and colorectal cancer in 120 cases. Of the 194 patients, 40 patients (20.6%) were diagnosed with venous thromboembolism and 10 patients (5.2%) were diagnosed with concomitant pulmonary thromboembolism. Conversely, bleeding was observed in 29 patients (15%). The location of bleeding was the primary tumor in 17 cases, metastatic tumor in 9 and hemorrhagic gastric ulcer in 3. Within the venous thromboembolism group (n = 40), bleeding was observed in 10 patients (25%). Multivariate analysis showed that International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism (IMPROVE) bleeding score ≥7 correlated significantly with major bleeding (P = 0.01). In patients with a low risk of bleeding, major bleeding was observed in only three patients.

CONCLUSIONS

IMPROVE bleeding score may predict the risk for bleeding in gastrointestinal cancer patients with venous thromboembolism. Selecting patients with a low risk of bleeding using with IMPROVE bleeding score is expected to contribute to the safer management of anticoagulation therapy for cancer-associated thromboembolism.

Anticoagulation strategies and clinical outcomes after bleeding events during anticoagulation therapy for venous thromboembolism in the practice-based Japanese registry

There is a paucity of data on anticoagulation strategies and clinical outcomes after bleeding events for venous thromboembolism (VTE). In a multicenter Japanese registry enrolling 3027 patients with acute symptomatic VTE, after excluding 430 patients with thrombolysis and 207 patients without anticoagulation therapy, the current study population consisted of 2390 patients, who were divided into patients with major bleeding, clinically relevant non-major (CRNM) bleeding and no bleeding during anticoagulation therapy. All-cause death at 90 days after the bleeding events was evaluated as the primary outcome. There were 189 patients with major bleeding, 147 patients with CRNM bleeding, and 2054 patients without bleeding. Among 189 patients with major bleeding, 142 patients (75%) discontinued anticoagulants, of whom patients with temporary discontinuation and those with permanent discontinuation accounted for 63 patients (44%) and 79 patients (56%), and 58 patients (30.7%) died within 90 days after the bleeding events. The multivariable logistic regression model among patients with bleeding events revealed that active cancer and bleeding events within 90 days after VTE diagnosis were independently associated with 90-day mortality after the bleeding events (active cancer: OR 5.05, 95%CI 2.82-9.05; bleeding events within 90 days after VTE diagnosis: OR 2.23, 95%CI 1.25-3.96). In this practice-based large registry, anticoagulants were frequently discontinued in patients who experienced major bleeding events during anticoagulation therapy and nearly half of them restarted anticoagulants with mortality rate of approximately 30% within 90 days after the bleeding events, and active cancer was the most prevalent cause of death.Clinical trial registration COMMAND VTE Registry: http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm . Unique identifier: UMIN000021132.

Prospective validation to prevent symptomatic portal vein thrombosis after liver resection

BACKGROUND

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after liver resection is rare but can lead to life-threatening liver failure. This prospective study evaluated patients using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (E-CT) on the first day after liver resection for early PVT detection and management.

AIM

To evaluate patients by E-CT on the first day after liver resection for early PVT detection and immediate management.

METHODS

Patients who underwent liver resection for primary liver cancer from January 2015 were enrolled. E-CT was performed on the first day after surgery in patients undergoing anatomical resection, multiple resections, or with postoperative bile leakage in the high-risk group for PVT. When PVT was detected, anticoagulant therapy including heparin, warfarin, and edoxaban was administered. E-CT was performed monthly until PVT resolved.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of PVT was 1.57% (8/508). E-CT was performed on the first day after surgery in 235 consecutive high-risk patients (165 anatomical resections, 74 multiple resections, and 28 bile leakages), with a PVT incidence of 3.4% (8/235). Symptomatic PVT was not observed in the excluded cohort. Multivariate analyses revealed that sectionectomy was the only independent predictor of PVT [odds ratio (OR) = 12.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.22-115.97; P = 0.003]. PVT was found in the umbilical portion of 75.0% (6/8) of patients, and sectionectomy on the left side showed the highest risk of PVT (OR = 14.10; 95%CI: 3.17-62.71; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Sectionectomy on the left side should be chosen with caution as it showed the highest risk of PVT. E-CT followed by anticoagulant therapy was effective in managing early-phase PVT for 2 mo without adverse events.

Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Not-Retrieval Inferior Vena Cava Filter Under Anticoagulation

Since permanent inferior vena cava (IVC) filters increase deep vein thrombosis (DVT), filter retrieval should be performed as possible. Despite the guideline recommendation, IVC filters are not always retrieved in clinical practice. To date, many patients with not-retrieval IVC filters have been prescribed anticoagulant therapy, but the long-term prognosis, including venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding events, remains unknown. In this study, 195 patients who underwent IVC filter implantation between 2006 and 2017 at 3 institutions in Niigata City have been investigated about their deaths, VTE recurrence, and bleeding events. After peaking 2009, the number of IVC filter implantation gradually decreased. During observational period, there were 158 patients with not-retrieval IVC filters (the overall retrieval rate of 19.0%). The not-retrieval group included significantly older and more patients with cancer compared to the retrieval group. Anticoagulation therapy was continued in 88% of the not-retrieval group. During a mean follow-up of 5.0 years, 6 symptomatic DVT events associated with inadequate control of anticoagulation and 13 bleeding events were observed. A total of 52 patients died and only the presence of cancer was prognostic risk factor. Although long-term anticoagulation therapy may be associated with bleeding events, there were few recurrent VTE under optimal anticoagulation. It is anticipated that even if the IVC filter cannot be retrieved, appropriate anticoagulation is useful for prevention of DVT recurrence despite the risk of bleeding.

Cardiac Arrest Due to Pulmonary Embolism After Posterior Spinal Fusion in a Patient With Acute Paraplegia Caused by a Metastatic Spinal Tumor Associated With Congenital Antithrombin III Deficiency

Congenital antithrombin (AT) III deficiency has a high incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism due to reduced anticoagulation. In this study, we report a case of a patient who experienced cardiac arrest due to pulmonary embolism after emergency posterior spinal fusion for acute paraplesia due to a metastatic spinal tumor associated with AT III deficiency. A 49-year-old man with a history of familial AT III deficiency visited our hospital due to difficulty in walking caused by a progressive paralysis of the lower limbs. Clinical examination revealed multiple bone metastases due to prostate cancer and spinal cord compression caused by a pathological fracture of the T1 vertebral body. He had low AT III activity levels and high D-dimer levels. The following day, he underwent posterior spinal decompression and fusion. However, he had pulmonary embolism with cardiac arrest three days after surgery. He recovered without sequelae after emergency thrombectomy following resuscitation. Patients with AT III deficiency who cannot walk due to a metastatic spinal tumor inevitably develop deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. To avoid lethal pulmonary embolism, preventing deep vein thrombosis should be prioritized before surgery, even in the presence of acute progressive paraplegia.

Incidence, clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of postoperative symptomatic venous thromboembolism: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, clinical characteristics and prognosis of postoperative symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Japan.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study. Two data sets, Contemporary ManageMent AND outcomes in patients with Venous ThromboEmbolism (COMMAND VTE) Registry and Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists (JSA) annual report, were used for current analyses.

SETTING

Eighteen of 29 centres participated in the COMMAND VTE Registry.

PARTICIPANTS

Acute symptomatic patients with VTE who had undergone surgery 2 months prior to the diagnosis at 18 centres from January 2010 to December 2013 were identified in the COMMAND VTE Registry. From each centre's JSA annual report, the overall population that had received anaesthetic management during this period was retrieved.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the incidences and clinical characteristics of postoperative symptomatic VTE. The secondary outcomes were recurrent VTE, major bleeding and all-cause death.

RESULTS

We identified 137 patients with postoperative symptomatic VTE, including 57 patients with pulmonary embolism. The incidences of postoperative symptomatic VTE and pulmonary embolism were 0.067% and 0.028%, respectively, based on data from 2 03 943 patients who underwent surgery, managed by anaesthesiologists, during the study period. The incidences of postoperative symptomatic VTE varied widely, depending on surgical and anaesthetic characteristics. Postoperative symptomatic VTE occurred at a median of 8 days after surgery, with 58 patients (42%) diagnosed within 7 days. The cumulative incidence, 30 days after VTE, of recurrent VTE, major bleeding, and all-cause death was 3.0%, 5.2%, and 3.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study, combining the large real-world VTE and anaesthesiology databases in Japan revealed the incidence, clinical features and prognosis of postoperative symptomatic VTE, providing useful insights for all healthcare providers involved in various surgeries.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

D-dimer level significance for deep vein thrombosis screening in the third trimester: a retrospective study

Background

Venous thromboembolism often develops after surgery and childbirth, resulting in death in some cases. Although early deep vein thrombosis (DVT) detection can predict pulmonary thromboembolism, there is no early screening method for DVT in pregnant women. Lack of consensus regarding significance or setting and cut-off value interpretation of D-dimer levels further impedes venous thromboembolism screening in pregnant women.

This study aimed to examine the utility of third-trimester serum D-dimer levels as a screening test for DVT during pregnancy and to determine the frequency of asymptomatic DVT using lower-limb compression ultrasonography.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study included 497 pregnant women who underwent elective cesarean section at term in our hospital between January 2013 and December 2019. Serum D-dimer levels were preoperatively measured at 32–37 weeks’ gestation. The presence or absence of DVT in patients with serum D-dimer levels ≥ 3.0 µg/ml, the cut-off value, was examined using compression ultrasonography. In all patients, the presence or absence of clinical venous thrombosis (symptoms such as lower-limb pain, swelling, and heat sensation) was examined within 4 postoperative weeks.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Guideline 2015 was referred to determine risk factors for the onset of venous thrombosis during pregnancy. Among those, we examined the risk factors for DVT that result in high D-dimer levels during pregnancy.

Results

The median age and body mass index were 35 (20–47) years and 21.2 (16.4–41.1) kg/m², respectively. Further, the median gestational age and D-dimer levels were 37 weeks and 2.1 (0.2–16.0) µg/ml, respectively. Compression ultrasonography was performed on 135 (26.5%) patients with a D-dimer level ≥ 3.0 µg/ml, with none of the patients showing DVT. All patients were followed up for 4 postoperative weeks, with none presenting with venous thromboembolism. Multivariate analysis showed that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are an independent risk factor for venous thromboembolism that causes high D-dimer levels (odds ratio: 2.48, 95% confidence interval: 1.05–6.50, P = 0.04).

Conclusion

There may be low utility in screening for DVT using D-dimer levels in the third trimester. Further, prepartum asymptomatic DVT has a low frequency, indicating the low utility of compression ultrasonography.

Trial registration

Institutional Review Board of Tottori University Hospital (IRB no. 20A149).

Design and Baseline Data for a Prospective Observational Study of Rivaroxaban in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism in Japan (XASSENT)

Background  The efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban have been demonstrated in phase 3 trials of patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE; pulmonary embolism [PE] and deep vein thrombosis [DVT]). Data regarding rivaroxaban treatment of VTE in routine Japanese clinical practice remain limited.

Objectives  XASSENT will evaluate rivaroxaban treatment of VTE in real-world Japanese clinical practice. We report the study design and baseline patient characteristics.

Methods  XASSENT (NCT02558465) is an open-label, prospective observational, post-marketing surveillance cohort study in patients receiving rivaroxaban treatment for VTE. Enrolment took place between November 2015 and March 2018. XASSENT will follow patients for up to 2 years. Primary outcome variables: major bleeding and symptomatic recurrent VTE. Statistical analyses are exploratory and descriptive.

Results  Baseline patient characteristics at June 2020 ( n  = 2,299) are presented (58.2% female; mean age 66.7 years; mean weight 60.9 kg). The population encompasses patients with wide-ranging characteristics including older age, low weight, and renal dysfunction. Most participants (67.6%) had a history of VTE risk factors at baseline. Half of the population (50.4%) had DVT only; 41.4% had DVT with PE; 8.2% had PE only. Overall, 68.4% were inpatients and 77.1% had symptomatic VTE. Rivaroxaban was prescribed for initial treatment in 84.6% of patients and maintenance treatment in 15.4%. Most were prescribed the approved dose of rivaroxaban for initial (30 mg daily; 84.4%) or maintenance (15 mg daily; 81.9%) treatment of VTE in Japan. The most common reason for selecting non-recommended dose was ‘elderly’.

Conclusions  Results from XASSENT will complement phase 3 trial data and inform clinical practice.

Long-Term Prevalence of Disaster-Related Deep Vein Thrombosis in Minamiaso Village After the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) among evacuees in Minamiaso, a village which was temporarily isolated after the earthquakes, from the acute to recovery phase after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes (GLIDE no: EQ-2016-000033-JPN).

METHODS

This prospective study, which was approved by Fukui University Medical Research Ethics Committee (approval no. 20160024 and 20160089), enrolled 181 evacuees (73.9 ± 11.6 y) who participated in a series of 3 DVT screenings using portable ultrasound machines conducted over 19 mo. All participants completed a questionnaire before the screenings, and none of the participants attended all 3 screenings. Data analysis was performed using EZR version 1.41.

RESULTS

The DVT prevalence was 14.3% (79.4 ± 8.2 y) at first screening of evacuees staying in shelters and 18.5% (71.5 ± 13.1 y) and 12.2% (72.8 ± 10.9 y) in second and third screenings of evacuees staying in temporary housing, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed age ≥75 y and alcohol consumption as independent risk factors in the entire cohort and in patients aged ≤74 y, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A high DVT prevalence over a long time period of 19 mo was observed where survivors were temporarily isolated after the disaster.

Severity of pulmonary embolism at initial diagnosis and long-term clinical outcomes: From the COMMAND VTE Registry

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of data on the long-term clinical outcomes according to the severity of pulmonary embolism (PE) at initial diagnosis.

METHODS

The COMMAND VTE Registry is a multicenter registry enrolling 3027 consecutive patients with acute symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE). After excluding 1312 patients without PE, the current study population consisted of 1715 patients with PE, who were divided into 3 groups according to the clinical severity; massive PE, sub-massive PE and low-risk PE.

RESULTS

There were 179 patients (10%) with massive PE, 742 patients (43%) with sub-massive PE, and 794 patients (46%) with low-risk PE. By the landmark analysis at 3 months, the cumulative incidences of recurrent VTE were similar among the 3 groups both within and beyond 3 months (Massive PE: 2.9%, Sub-massive PE: 4.2%, and Low-risk PE: 3.3%, P = 0.61, and 4.3%, 8.8%, and 7.8% at 5 years, P = 0.47, respectively). After adjusting confounders, the risk of massive PE relative to low-risk PE for recurrent VTE beyond 3 months remained insignificant (adjusted HR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.13-1.51, P = 0.27). Patients with massive PE at initial diagnosis more often presented as severe recurrent PE events than those with sub-massive and low-risk PE.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current real-world large registry, the long-term risk of overall recurrent VTE in patients with massive PE at initial diagnosis did not significantly differ from those with sub-massive and low-risk PE beyond 3 months, although patients with massive PE at initial diagnosis more frequently developed recurrent VTE as PE with severe clinical presentation.

Feasibility and Safety of a Novel Leg Exercise Apparatus for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis after Total Joint Arthroplasty of the Lower Extremities-A Pilot Study

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a severe complication in orthopedic surgeries. Herein, we developed a novel leg exercise apparatus (LEX) to encourage postoperative limb movement in bedridden patients to prevent VTE. We aimed to evaluate its feasibility and safety in individuals at risk of VTE. Twenty patients (four men, 16 women) who underwent total joint arthroplasty in the lower extremity were enrolled in this prospective study. Exercise using the LEX was performed for 5 min at 30 cycles/min, four times/day during postoperative days 1–7. Clinical assessments included the evaluation of vital signs, venous ultrasonography, and blood tests within seven days postoperatively, and adverse events (pulmonary embolism and cerebral hemorrhage) were monitored. Overall, 16/20 (80%) patients completed the 7-day exercise regimen. There were no cases of severe adverse events, changes in vital signs, or lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis in patients who performed exercises with the LEX. Thus, the results of this pilot study show that this novel apparatus may be a safe and feasible tool for VTE prophylaxis after joint arthroplasty of the lower extremities.

Direct-acting oral anticoagulants versus warfarin in relation to risk of gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly used, with studies showing a lower risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), but overall data for GIB risk remains debatable. The objective was to assess non-fatal and fatal GIB risk in patients on DOACs compared with warfarin from randomized clinical trials (RCTs).

Methods

RCTs comparing warfarin and DOACs for various indications (atrial fibrillation, thromboembolism, insertion of mechanical heart valves) were included. The primary endpoint was any GIB event. Other clinical events, such as fatal GIB, and effects of age (≤60 years or older), time in therapeutic range for warfarin, and choice of individual DOACs on GIB risk, were also assessed.

Results

14 RCTs were included, comprising 87,407 participants (DOACs n=46,223, warfarin control n=41,184). The risk of GIB with DOACs was similar to that of warfarin (relative risk [RR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.85-1.27). Compared with warfarin, rivaroxaban (RR 1.23, 95%CI 1.03-1.48) and dabigatran (RR 1.38, 95%CI 1.12-1.71) had a higher risk of any GIB, whereas fatal GIB risk was lower in the DOACs group (RR 0.36, 95%CI 0.15-0.82). The risk of DOAC-related fatal GIB was lower in patients aged ≤60 years and in those with poor coagulation control (RR 0.39, 95%CI 0.15-0.98).

Conclusions

DOACs compared with warfarin have a lower risk of fatal GIB, especially in those aged <60 years and those with poor coagulation control. However, the risk of GIB was comparable with warfarin and DOACs, except for rivaroxaban and dabigatran.