Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups

Standard and Extended Thromboprophylaxis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Literature Review

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, frequently experience venous thromboembolism (VTE), a potentially fatal consequence. The pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to VTE include inflammation, modifications in coagulation factors, endothelial dysfunction, and platelet activation. Numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines and markers, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, have a significant impact on the thrombotic cascade. Patients with IBD are more likely to suffer VTE for a variety of causes. Exacerbations of preexisting conditions, admission to the hospital, surgical intervention, immobilization, corticosteroid usage, central venous catheterization, and hereditary susceptibility all fit into this category. The mainstay of therapy for VTE in IBD patients includes anticoagulation that is individualized for each patient depending on the thrombosis site, severity, bleeding risk, and interaction with other drugs. In some high-risk IBD patients, such as those having major surgery or hospitalized with severe flare, preventive anticoagulation may play a role. However, the acceptance rate for this recommendation is low. Additionally, there is a subset of patients who would require extended thromboprophylaxis. The majority of the studies that looked into this question consisted of patients in the surgical setting. Emerging data suggest that risk factors other than surgery can also dictate the duration of anticoagulation. While extending anticoagulation in all patients may help reduce VTE-related mortality, identifying these risk factors is important. Hence, the decision to initiate prophylaxis should be individualized, considering the overall thrombotic and bleeding risks. This review explores the relationship between IBD and VTE, including risk factors, epidemiology, and prevention. A multifactorial approach involving aggressive management of underlying inflammation, identification of modifiable risk factors, and judicious use of anticoagulant therapy is essential for reducing the burden of VTE in this vulnerable population.

How to cite this article

Harindranath S, Varghese J, Afzalpurkar S, et al. Standard and Extended Thromboprophylaxis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Literature Review. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2023;13(2):133-141.

Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Two-year Retrospective Study of Patients Presenting With Inflammatory Bowel Disease to a Community Hospital

Objective

We set out to determine the rate of pharmacological venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis among patients admitted with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and indirectly compare it to national trends. We also assessed the demographic and clinical correlates for non-prescription of pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis among IBD patients with and without a flare.

Methods

We extracted data from 123 patients admitted to our facility with IBD from September 2018 to August 2020 retrospectively. Out of this cohort, 26 patients were excluded and 96 were included in our analysis. Baseline characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the correlates of pharmacological VTE prophylaxis use in individuals with IBD and to analyze the predictors of VTE prophylaxis use in patients with IBD flares.

Results

Out of the 96 patients with IBD included in this study, 61 (63.5%) presented with an IBD flare, and among those with a flare, 26/61 (42.6%) received VTE prophylaxis. IBD patients aged ≥ 65 years and of Black race were less likely to be placed on pharmacological VTE prophylaxis (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.20, 95% CI (0.06 - 0.70), p-value 0.012) and (AOR 0.16, 95% CI (0.05 - 0.50), p-value 0.002) respectively. Among those with a flare, the presence of bright red bleeding per rectum was associated with a low rate of pharmacologic VTE use (AOR 0.01, 95% CI (0.00 -1.78), p-value 0.001). Overall the rate of VTE prophylaxis use in the IBD patient cohort was 56.3% and this was irrespective of flare status.

Conclusion

Our study showed the low rate of pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis use in IBD patients at this center and this finding was in line with national trends. Interestingly age and the race of patients played a major role in the decision to provide pharmacological VTE prophylaxis but the reason for this finding was not explored by our study. A larger multi-center study is needed to further evaluate these relationships.

Bilateral Pulmonary Embolism in a Hospitalized Ulcerative Colitis Patient

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), though physicians may be unaware of this risk or hesitant to start pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis in the presence of active gastrointestinal bleeding. We report a case of a 38-year-old patient hospitalized with acute severe ulcerative colitis (UC) who was not placed on pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis and developed bilateral pulmonary embolism (PE). The patient's UC did not respond to medical therapy. Due to his PE, the patient’s total proctocolectomy was delayed six months. He also developed a large pelvic hematoma after colectomy requiring further surgical intervention. Hospitalized inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients require pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis unless they have life-threatening bleeding.

International consensus on the prevention of venous and arterial thrombotic events in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of thrombotic events. Therapies for IBD have the potential to modulate this risk. The aims of this Evidence-Based Guideline were to summarize available evidence and to provide practical recommendations regarding epidemiological aspects, prevention and drug-related risks of venous and arterial thrombotic events in patients with IBD. A virtual meeting took place in May 2020 involving 14 international IBD experts and 3 thrombosis experts from 12 countries. Proposed statements were voted upon in an anonymous manner. Agreement was defined as at least 75% of participants voting as 'fully agree' or 'mostly agree' with each statement. For each statement, the level of evidence was graded according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) grading system. Consensus was reached for 19 statements. Patients with IBD harbour an increased risk of venous and arterial thrombotic events. Thromboprophylaxis is indicated during hospitalization of any cause in patients with IBD. Disease activity is a modifiable risk factor in patients with IBD, and physicians should aim to achieve deep remission to reduce the risk. Exposure to steroids should be limited. Antitumour necrosis factor agents might be associated with a reduced risk of thrombotic events.

Venous Thromboembolism Risk in Asian Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-Based Nationwide Inception Cohort Study

Background/Aims

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, to date, there have been few studies on the risk of VTE in Asian IBD patients. We aimed to estimate the incidence of VTE in Asian IBD patients and to determine if IBD is related to increased VTE risk.

Methods

We performed a population-based cohort study between 2004 and 2015 using Korean National Health Insurance data. IBD and VTE were defined by ICD-10 codes. Incidence rates of VTE were calculated among patients with IBD and among age- and sex-matched controls. Hazard ratios were estimated using Cox regression with adjustment for multiple variables. We performed additional analyses stratifying by age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score, and disease type.

Results

Among the 45,037 patients with IBD (IBD cohort) and 133,019 matched controls (non-IBD cohort) included in our analysis, 411 IBD patients and 641 controls developed VTE. The IBD cohort had a higher incidence rate ratio and risk of VTE than the non-IBD cohort (incidence rate ratio 1.92 and hazard ratio 1.93). Older age, female sex, higher CCI scores, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, use of steroids, and hospitalization were significant risk factors for VTE in patients with IBD.

Conclusions

The IBD patients in this study were approximately two times more likely to develop VTE than the non-IBD individuals. Our findings support the need for thromboprophylaxis in Asian IBD patients with various factors that further increase the risk of VTE.

The risk of venous thromboembolic events in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that has been associated with increased risk of extraintestinal manifestations, amongst which is venous thromboembolism (VTE). We assessed the risk for VTE in patients with IBD through systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

A systematic search for English language studies was conducted in Medline, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library of publications from database inception till August 10, 2020, to identify relevant studies reporting the risk of VTE in patients with IBD. The random-effects and fixed-effect models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

RESULTS

Eleven observational studies were included in this meta-analysis, involving 3,175,012 patients with IBD and 920,144,253 controls without IBD. The overall RR for VTE in patients with IBD compared to non-IBD individuals was 2.03 (95%CI 1.72-2.39). An analysis of studies with larger population size demonstrated a lower risk for VTE (RR 1.77, 95%CI 1.48-2.13) among patients with IBD, whereas studies with a smaller population size yielded a greater risk for VTE (RR 2.67, 95%CI 1.97-2.93). After adjustment for smoking and body mass index, the RR for VTE was moderately increased (RR 2.65, 95%CI 1.51-4.65).

CONCLUSIONS

The present meta-analysis shows that IBD is linked to a 2-fold increased risk for VTE. Thus, primary prevention against VTE is of the utmost importance.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a retrospective study

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare and devastating complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Early diagnosis and prompt treatment could improve prognosis. The aim of our study was to investigate the clinical data and predictive factors of inflammatory bowel disease in patients with a diagnosis of CVST. All IBD patient data were collected from July 2013 and September 2020. Clinical data, predictive factors and prognosis were compared between IBD patients with CVST and the IBD control group. The incidence of CVST in our study was 0.48%. The mean age of IBD patients with CVST was 34.9 years. The average duration of IBD was 4 years when cerebrovascular events occurred. The clinical presentation of CVST included headache (73.1%), vomiting (30.8%), limb dysmetria (26.9%), speech impairment (11.5%), blurred vision (7.7%), epileptic seizures (7.7%) and drowsiness (3.8%). The most common location for CVST was the transverse sinus (61.5%) followed by the superior sagittal sinus (30.8%). Anaemia, low albumin and elevated D-dimer were independent predictors of CVST in patients with IBD. Anticoagulation therapy was effective. The prognosis of IBD patients with CVST was worse than that of IBD patients without CVST. Early identification of the risk and clinical features of CVST in IBD patients is important. Prompt antithrombotic therapy is a safe and effective treatment.

A postdischarge venous thromboembolism risk calculator for inflammatory bowel disease surgery

BACKGROUND

Guidelines recommend extended chemoprophylaxis for venous thromboembolism in high-risk patients having operations for inflammatory bowel disease. Quantifying patients' risk of venous thromboembolism, however, remains challenging. We sought (1) to identify factors associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing colorectal resection for inflammatory bowel disease and (2) to develop a postdischarge venous thromboembolism risk calculator to guide prescribing of extended chemoprophylaxis.

METHODS

Patients who underwent an operation for inflammatory bowel disease from 2012 to 2018 were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for colectomy and proctectomy procedure targeted modules. Postdischarge venous thromboembolism included pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis diagnosed after discharge from the index hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the association of patient/operative factors with postdischarge venous thromboembolism. A postdischarge venous thromboembolism risk calculator was subsequently constructed.

RESULTS

Of 18,990 patients, 199 (1.1%) developed a postdischarge venous thromboembolism within the first 30 postoperative days. Preoperative factors associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism included body mass index (1.9% with body mass index ≥35 vs 0.8% with body mass index 18.5-24.9; odds ratio 2.34 [95% confidence interval 1.49-3.67]), steroid use (1.3% vs 0.7%; odds ratio 1.91 [95% confidence interval 1.37-2.66]), and ulcerative colitis (1.5% vs 0.8% with Crohn's disease; odds ratio 1.76 [95% confidence interval 1.32-2.34]). Minimally invasive surgery was associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism (1.2% vs 0.9% with open; odds ratio 1.42 [95% confidence interval 1.05-1.92]), as was anastomotic leak (2.8% vs 1.0%; odds ratio 2.24 [95% confidence interval 1.31-3.83]) and ileus (2.1% vs 0.9%; odds ratio 2.60 [95% confidence interval 1.91-3.54]). The predicted probability of postdischarge venous thromboembolism ranged from 0.2% to 14.3% based on individual risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors are associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism after an operation for inflammatory bowel disease. A postdischarge venous thromboembolism risk calculator was developed which can be used to tailor extended venous thromboembolism chemoprophylaxis by individual risk.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Thrombosis: A National Inpatient Sample Study

Introduction  Thrombosis is more common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients than the general population, but disease-specific correlates of thrombosis remain unclear.

Methods  We performed a retrospective analysis of discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample between 2009 and 2014, using International Disease Classification codes to identify IBD and non-IBD patients with or without thrombosis. We used NIS-provided discharge-level weights to reflect prevalence estimates. Categoric variables were analyzed by Rao-Scott Chi-square test, continuous variables by weighted simple linear regression, and covariates associated with thrombosis by weighted multivariable logistic regression.

Results  Thrombosis prevalence in IBD was significantly greater than in non-IBD, 7.52 versus 4.54%, p  < 0.0001. IBD patients with thrombosis were older and more likely to be Caucasian than IBD without thrombosis, each p  < 0.001. Thrombosis occurred most commonly in the mesenteric vein. Thrombotic risk factors in IBD include surgery, ports, malignancy, dehydration, malnutrition, and steroids at 53.7, 13.2, 13.1, 12.4, 8.9, and 8.2%, respectively. Those with thrombosis had greater severity of illness, 1.42 versus 0.96; length of stay, 7.7 versus 5.5 days; and mortality, 3.8 versus 1.5%; all p  < 0.0001. Adjusting for age and comorbidity, odds ratios for predictors of thrombosis included ports, steroids, malnutrition, and malignancy at 1.73, 1.61, 1.34, and 1.13, respectively, while Asian race, 0.61, was protective, each p  < 0.001.

Conclusion  Thrombosis prevalence is 1.7-fold greater in IBD than non-IBD patients. Adjusting for age and comorbidity, the odds ratio for thrombosis in IBD was 73% higher with ports, 61% higher with steroids, 34% with malnutrition, and 13% with malignancy. Whether long-term anticoagulation would benefit the latter is unknown.