Incidence and risk factors of venous thromboembolism: Peculiarities in psychiatric institutions.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to assess the incidence and risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in a population of patients hospitalized in a psychiatric setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Episodes of VTE occurring in patients hospitalized at the Erstein Hospital (France), specialized in psychiatry, were retrospectively identified from a computerized database. The clinical, somatic, psychiatric and therapeutic characteristics of each patient were analyzed in comparison with a control population composed of patients of similar age and sex, hospitalized during the same period in a psychiatric setting but who did not suffer from VTE. RESULTS: Between January 2012 and October 2015, 12,320 patients were hospitalized. Forty-one patients experienced an episode of VTE, giving an incidence of 47.8per1000patient-years (3.32 cases per 1000 patients). Restriction of mobility (restraint or confinement), somatic clinical profile, psychiatric diagnosis or psychotropic treatment were not associated with an increased risk of VTE. The event occurred within the first 48h of hospitalization for 31.7% of patients, and within the first week for 56.1%. Time to onset for the occurrence of VTE between admission and the end of the first week was significantly associated with acute decompensation of a chronic psychiatric pathology (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The incidence of VTE in a psychiatric setting is high. Acute decompensation of a chronic psychiatric pathology is associated with a risk of VTE.