-
Vascular Pharmacology Aug 2021The outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has deeply challenged the world population, but also our medical knowledge. Special attention has been paid... (Review)
Review
The outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has deeply challenged the world population, but also our medical knowledge. Special attention has been paid early to an activation of coagulation, then to an elevated rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19. These data suggested that anticoagulant drugs should be evaluated in the treatment of patients with COVID-19. The publication of unexpected high rates of VTE in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, despite receiving thromboprophylaxis, open the way to dedicated trials, evaluating modified regimens of thromboprophylaxis. Moreover, the further improvement in our comprehension of the disease, particularly the pulmonary endothelial dysfunction increased the hope that anticoagulant drugs may also protect patients from pulmonary thrombosis. In this comprehensive review, we cover the different situations where thromboprophylaxis standard may be modified (medically-ill inpatients, ICU inpatients, outpatients), and describe some of the current randomized controls trials evaluating new regimens of thromboprophylaxis in patients with COVID-19, including the preliminary available results. We also discuss the potential of anticoagulant drugs to target the thromboinflammation described in patients with severe COVID-19.
Topics: Anticoagulants; COVID-19; Humans; Pulmonary Embolism; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome; Venous Thromboembolism; Venous Thrombosis; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 34091065
DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2021.106883 -
Anatolian Journal of Cardiology Aug 2021Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in immobile patients. There is observational evidence... (Review)
Review
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in immobile patients. There is observational evidence that intercontinental air travel is associated with a high incidence of DVT and PTE during or within 48 hours of long-distance flights. This situation is known as the economy class syndrome and can affect both the cabin crew and passengers. The term "economy class syndrome" refers to the occurrence of thrombotic events that mainly occur in passengers in the economy class of the aircraft during long-haul flights. This syndrome results from several factors related to the aircraft cabin and the passenger, acting together to predispose to excessive blood coagulation, which can result in venous thromboembolism. In this review, we have shared the relationship between air travel and the formation of DVT and PTE.
Topics: Aircraft; Humans; Incidence; Pulmonary Embolism; Risk Factors; Travel; Venous Thrombosis
PubMed: 34464293
DOI: 10.5152/AnatolJCardiol.2021.S106 -
Acta Bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis Jul 2021There are no studies investigating populations of patients with both pulmonary embolism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PE-COPD) with and without deep venous...
BACKGROUND
There are no studies investigating populations of patients with both pulmonary embolism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PE-COPD) with and without deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
AIM OF THE STUDY
To define prevalence of DVT in COPD with PE and to compare characteristics of COPD patients who develop PE, with and without DVT. Secondly, we aimed to assess differences in the localization of PE among study groups. METHODS. 116 patients with PE were enrolled in a retrospective study. Clinical data as well as echocardiographic and lower limb ultrasonography records were collected for all subjects. Subjects were divided into two groups according to the presence of COPD: Group 1, 54 patients with diagnosis of PE without COPD and Group 2, 66 patients diagnosed of PE with COPD. Then, individuals of Group 2 were subdivided in two subgroups according to the presence (n=21) or absence (n=45) of DVT.
RESULTS
33% of patients with COPD and PE showed DVT. These subjects had higher PaCO2 and ejection fraction (p<0.05 for all) and higher percentage of chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus compared to those without DVT (p<0.05 for all). Moreover, in COPD-PE patients with DVT, the most frequent localization was proximal (54% of total), whereas COPD-PE patients without DVT showed a more frequent segmental localization (60% of total). No difference was found in clinical presentation and blood-chemistry tests.
CONCLUSIONS
DVT was non-common in PE-COPD patients. Chronic renal failure, and type 2 diabetes mellitus are more frequent in PE-COPD patients with DVT, that showed a higher frequency of proximal localization, thereby indicating a greater risk of more severe clinical implications. Conversely, PE- COPD subjects without DVT showed a more frequent segmental localization and were less hypercapnic. PE should be taken into account in COPD with worsening of respiratory symptoms, also in absence of DVT.
Topics: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Humans; Incidence; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Pulmonary Embolism; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Venous Thrombosis
PubMed: 34212912
DOI: 10.23750/abm.v92i3.11258 -
Deutsches Arzteblatt International Mar 2024After an acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limb, 20% to 63% of patients develop post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). In this review, we address the efficacy of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
After an acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limb, 20% to 63% of patients develop post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). In this review, we address the efficacy of compression therapy in the treatment of acute DVT of the lower limb, and for the prevention of PTS.
METHODS
12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one meta-analysis, with a total of 3751 patients, were identified in a structured literature search.
RESULTS
Two RCTs showed that adding compression therapy to drug treatment in the first 9 days of the acute phase of lower limb DVT led to more rapid pain relief (p<0.050) and less swelling (remaining difference in circumference, 1 cm versus 3 cm, p<0.050). As for the prevention of PTS, four RCTs showed a short-term benefit or no benefit of compression therapy. In three further RCTs, medical compression stockings (MCS) brought about a 16% to 27% absolute reduction of the frequency and severity of PTS (47% vs. 20 %, p<0.001; 40% vs. 21% (95% confidence intervals [29.9; 50.1] and [12.7; 29.5], respectively; and 58% vs. 42%, relative risk [RR] 0.73 [0,55; 0.96]). The benefit of MCS was also confirmed in a recent meta-analysis (RR 0.66 [0.44; 0.99], I2 = 88%). Thigh-length MCS were not superior to knee-length MCS for the prevention of PTS (33% vs. 36%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.93 [0.62; 1.41]). Individual, symptomoriented tailoring of the duration of treatment was not inferior to a fixed treatment duration of 24 months (29% vs. 28%; odds ratio [OR] 1.06 [0.78;1.44]).
CONCLUSION
Compression therapy relieves symptoms in acute DVT and lessens the frequency and severity of PTS. It is therefore recommended as standard treatment.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Acute Disease; Evidence-Based Medicine; Lower Extremity; Postthrombotic Syndrome; Prevalence; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Factors; Stockings, Compression; Treatment Outcome; Venous Thrombosis
PubMed: 38260965
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0001 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Aug 2023With the increasing prevalence of osteoarthritis of the hip and knee, total joint replacement, the end-stage treatment, provides pain relief and restoration of function,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
With the increasing prevalence of osteoarthritis of the hip and knee, total joint replacement, the end-stage treatment, provides pain relief and restoration of function, but is often associated with massive blood loss. Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been reported to reduce perioperative blood loss in hip or knee arthroplasty. However, the optimal dose of TXA administration remains controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis combining data from 5 trials comparing the efficacy and safety of one fixed dose of 1 g intravenously administered TXA with two doses of 1 g each administered intravenously for hip or knee arthroplasty.
METHODS
PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library were searched from January 2000 to February 2023. Our meta-analysis included randomized controlled trials and cohort studies comparing the efficacy and safety of different doses of intravenous TXA (IV-TXA) for THA or TKA. The observation endpoints included total blood loss, postoperative hemoglobin drop, blood transfusion rate, length of hospital stay, incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE). Meta-analysis was performed according to Cochrane's guidelines and PRISMA statement. The Danish RevMan5.3 software was used for data merging.
RESULTS
Five cohort studies involving 5542 patients met the inclusion criteria. Our meta-analysis showed that the two groups were significantly higher in total blood loss (mean difference (MD) = - 65.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) [- 131.46, 0.26], P = 0.05); blood transfusion rate (risk difference (RD) = 0.00, 95% CI [- 0.01, 0.02], P = 0.55); postoperative hemoglobin (MD = 0.02, 95% CI [- 0.09, 0.13], P = 0.31); postoperative hospital stay days (MD = - 0.13), 95% CI [- 0.35, 0.09], P = 0.25); DVT (RD = 0.00, 95% CI [- 0.00, 0.01], P = 0.67); PE (RD = 0.00, 95% CI [- 0.01, 0.00], P = 0.79). There was some inherent heterogeneity due to variance in sample size across each major study.
CONCLUSION
1 dose of 1 g and 2 doses of 1 g IV-TXA each time have similar effects on reducing blood loss, blood transfusion rate, postoperative hemoglobin level, and postoperative hospital stay after TKA or THA, without increasing the risk of postoperative complications risk. For patients at high risk of thromboembolic events, one dose of 1 g TXA throughout surgery may be preferred. However, higher-quality RCT is needed to explore the optimal protocol dose to recommend the widespread use of TXA in total joint arthroplasty. Trial registration We conducted literature selection, eligibility criteria evaluation, data extraction and analysis on the research program registered in Prospero (CRD42023405387) on March 16, 2023.
Topics: Humans; Tranexamic Acid; Antifibrinolytic Agents; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Venous Thrombosis; Blood Loss, Surgical; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Administration, Intravenous; Pulmonary Embolism; Hemoglobins
PubMed: 37563702
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-023-03929-9 -
Cardiology Journal 2021The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic has presently stunted the growth of the airline industry....
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic has presently stunted the growth of the airline industry. Despite the setbacks, pre-COVID-19 passenger numbers are forecasted to return by as early as 2024. As the industry recovers, the number of long-distance flights will surely continue to increase like it did before the pandemic. The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following air travel is also likely to increase. Although not common, the unique environment of air travel exposes individuals with particular health conditions to an elevated risk of acquiring VTEs. Numerous factors increasing the risk of developing VTE related to air travel have been identified, including inherited and acquired flight-related aspects. Non-pharmacological approaches to reduce air travel-related VTEs involve simple foot movements, compression socks and stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression devices, a novel modified airline seat, and foot exercisers. Pharmacological methods include heparins and direct oral anticoagulants. More than 30 reliable articles were evaluated to present the current knowledge regarding air travel-related VTEs, their risk factors, and prophylactic methods. Issues in research methodologies found in the literature were identified and discussed. Further research involving international collaboration projects is recommended. The authors' perspectives regarding long flights in previously infected COVID-19 individuals are also included.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Risk Factors; SARS-CoV-2; Travel; Travel-Related Illness; Venous Thrombosis
PubMed: 34355776
DOI: 10.5603/CJ.a2021.0086 -
The Journal of International Medical... May 2022The inferior vena cava (IVC) may develop abnormally because of its complex embryogenesis. An understanding of congenital variants such as duplication of the IVC is...
The inferior vena cava (IVC) may develop abnormally because of its complex embryogenesis. An understanding of congenital variants such as duplication of the IVC is essential for clinical interventions, particularly those performed by surgeons and radiologists. We herein describe five patients who were diagnosed with duplication of the IVC by computed tomography or angiography and summarize their imaging and clinical features. All five patients were men aged 46 to 78 years. Two of the patients had pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis and were treated by placement of an IVC filter and catheter-directed thrombolysis. The IVC in all patients ascended on either side of the abdominal aorta. All left IVCs terminated in the left renal vein, which crossed the aorta and joined the right IVC. The average follow-up time was 29 months (range, 14-46 months), and no patients developed venous thromboembolism or recurrence of thrombosis. Duplication of the IVC can be diagnosed by computed tomography and angiography. Its course and relationship with the renal vein must be identified for accurate planning of IVC filter placement in the setting of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Pulmonary Embolism; Renal Veins; Treatment Outcome; Vena Cava Filters; Vena Cava, Inferior; Venous Thrombosis
PubMed: 35607249
DOI: 10.1177/03000605221100771 -
Clinical and Experimental Hypertension... Dec 2023Percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) along with postoperative thrombolysis (POT) has been the standard treatment for acute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) along with postoperative thrombolysis (POT) has been the standard treatment for acute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (IFDVT). However, commonly used catheter directed thrombolysis (CDT) approaches for POT carry certain disadvantages, including the need for a sheath, inferior comfortability, and catheter-related complications. Therefore, we propose a new simplified method of POT using a central venous catheter (CVC).
METHODS
The retrospective study analyzed patients with IFDVT who underwent POT using CVC from January 2020 to August 2021. The treatment modalities included filter placement, thrombus removal, iliac vein obstruction release, postoperative CVC thrombolysis, filter retrieval, and adequate full course anticoagulation.
RESULTS
A total of 39 patients were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent PMT surgery with a procedure success rate of 100%. In the post-PMT CVC thrombolysis, the puncture sites were located in the below-knee vein, including 58.97% in the peroneal vein. The mean duration of CVC-directed thrombolysis was 3.69 ± 1.08 days, and the total urokinase dose was 2.27 ± 0.71 MIU. A total of 37 patients (94.87%) had successful thrombolysis with a length of hospital stay of 5.82 ± 2.21 days. During CVC-directed thrombolysis, only four minor bleeding complications occurred, two of which were indwelling catheter-related. During the 12-month follow-up period, the patency rate and post-thrombotic syndrome incidences were 97.44% and 2.56%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Thrombolysis through a CVC is a feasible, safe, and effective POT method, and could be an alternative to the conventional CDT approach for patients with IFDVT.
Topics: Humans; Thrombolytic Therapy; Central Venous Catheters; Retrospective Studies; Femoral Vein; Venous Thrombosis; Treatment Outcome; Fibrinolytic Agents
PubMed: 37326510
DOI: 10.1080/10641963.2023.2224940 -
Acta Clinica Croatica Jun 2022Given the importance of early recognition of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the nonspecificity of its symptoms and signs, it is essential to follow the...
Given the importance of early recognition of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the nonspecificity of its symptoms and signs, it is essential to follow the guidelines for diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Ultrasound examination of the entire lower extremity is currently the standard diagnostic method for symptomatic patients with a clinical probability of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) according to the Wells scoring system. The aim of this study is to show the demographic structure and analyze the number of patients in the emergency department with suspected venous thrombosis. In the past 10 years, 2,022 patients with DVT and 686 with pulmonary emboli have been diagnosed. Despite adherence to the diagnostic protocol, nearly two-thirds of patients require early ultrasound diagnosis. One-fifth of patients had thrombosis of the superficial venous system of the leg or arm. Thrombus was present in the veins of the lower leg in 37% of patients with DVT. The presence of thrombi above the knee, involving the deep femoropopliteal venous system, was found in as much as one-third of patients. These findings and current guidelines suggest that there is a paradigm shift toward more frequent use of DOAC in patients with DVT. However, greater educational efforts may be needed for many physicians to become comfortable with the use of DOAC in the outpatient management of patient populations at low risk for pulmonary embolism.
Topics: Humans; Venous Thromboembolism; Venous Thrombosis; Pulmonary Embolism; Emergency Service, Hospital; Leg
PubMed: 36304812
DOI: 10.20471/acc.2022.61.s1.07 -
International Journal of Surgery... Nov 2023There is a debate over the use of aspirin after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis. To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The role of aspirin versus low-molecular-weight heparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
BACKGROUND
There is a debate over the use of aspirin after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis. To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of aspirin after TKA, the authors performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared aspirin with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH).
METHODS
PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were last searched on 31 January 2023 for studies comparing the effect of VTE prophylaxis between aspirin and LMWH. The results of eligible studies were analyzed in terms of VTE, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and bleeding complications rates.
RESULTS
Six randomized controlled trials including 6772 patients met the inclusion criteria. LMWH showed a statistically significant reduction in the overall VTE rate (RR 1.46, 95% CI: 1.16-1.84). No significant differences in deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and bleeding complications rates were found between aspirin and LMWH.
CONCLUSION
Compared with LMWH, aspirin presents a higher risk of VTE after TKA. In terms of safety, aspirin and LMWH show comparable outcomes. The results do not support the role of aspirin role as an anticoagulant for preventing VTE after TKA.
Topics: Humans; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; Venous Thromboembolism; Aspirin; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Anticoagulants; Pulmonary Embolism; Venous Thrombosis; Heparin
PubMed: 37578443
DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000000656