Asymptomatic and symptomatic deep venous thrombosis in hospitalized acutely ill medical patients: risk factors and therapeutic implications.

BACKGROUND: Acutely ill medical patients experience deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during the hospitalization, however the time course of DVT is still unclear. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate risk factors in acutely ill hospitalized medical patients for proximal asymptomatic DVT (ADVT) and symptomatic DVT (SDVT) at admission and discharge. PATIENTS/METHODS: In this prospective observational study, consecutive acutely ill medical patients (hospitalized mainly for acute medical disease as infections, neoplasm, anemia, heart failure) underwent compression ultrasonography (CUS) of proximal lower limb veins within 48 h from admission and at discharge to diagnose ADVT and SDVT. Covid-19 patients, anticoagulant therapy, surgical procedures, acute SDVT, and acute pulmonary embolism, were exclusion criteria. Biographical characteristics at hospitalization, D-Dimer (assessed by ELISA)) and DD-improve score. RESULTS: Of 2,100 patients (1002 females, 998 males, age 71 ± 16 years) 58 (2.7%) had proximal ADVT at admission. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, and active cancer were independently associated with ADVT at admission. The median length of hospitalization was 10 days [interquartile range: 6-15]. During the hospital stay, 6 patients (0.3%) with a negative CUS at admission experienced DVT (2 SDVT and 4 ADVT). In the subgroup of patients (n = 1118), in whom D-dimer was measured at admission, D-Dimer and IMPROVE-DD score were associated with ADVT at admission (n = 37) and with all DVT (n = 42) at discharge. ROC curve defined an IMPROVE-DD score of 2.5 as the optimal cut-off for discriminating patients with and without thrombotic events. CONCLUSIONS: We provide evidence of early development of ADVT in unselected acutely ill medical patients suggesting the need of investigating patients by CUS immediately after hospital admission (within 48 h). Advanced age, active cancer, known thrombophilia and increased IMPROVE-DD score may identify patients at risk. The benefit of anticoagulation needs to be investigated in patients with these specific risk factors and negative CUS at admission. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03157843.

Urgent surgery versus anticoagulation for treatment of superficial vein thrombosis in patients with varicose veins.

Background: We performed a prospective observational study to compare the results of surgery and anticoagulation in patients with superficial vein thrombosis (SVT). Patients and methods: A total of 190 patients (195 limbs) with varicose veins and SVT were included and treated by anticoagulation or by surgery. Patients were followed-up during 6 months. The primary outcome for treatment efficacy was the composite rate of SVT extension/recurrence; deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE). The primary outcome for safety was the rate of wound complications and rate of bleedings. Results: Surgery was performed in 85 (44.7%) patients and 105 patients (5 with bilateral SVT) were treated conservatively. In the whole study cohort the primary outcome for treatment efficacy was registered in 15 (7.6%) cases: 9/85 (10.5%) in surgical group and 6/110 (5.4%) in anticoagulation group. Nine patients treated with surgery were diagnosed with postoperative DVT. In anticoagulation group SVT extension occurred in 3 limbs; SVT recurrence in 2 and DVT in one. There were no cases of PE or death during the follow-up. Time-to-event analysis demonstrated no significant difference between groups (HR 0.48; 95% CI 0.17-1.34). The total length of the thrombus was associated with primary efficacy outcome in surgical group (HR 1.07; 95% CI 1.02-1.11); and duration of anticoagulation (HR 0.91 per day; 95% CI 0.83-0.99) and value of Caprini score (HR 1.86; 95% CI 1.1-3.14) in anticoagulation group. Six (7%) wound complications were registered after surgery and 6 (5.71%) bleedings during anticoagulation. Conclusions: Urgent surgery is not associated with reduction of venous thromboembolism compared to anticoagulation in treatment of patients with SVT and varicose veins during 6-months follow-up. However, in patients with isolated thrombosis of varicose tributaries or with limited involvement of the saphenous trunk surgery is relatively safe.

Management of Superficial Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Varicose Veins: A Survey among Members of National Surgical Society from Republic of Moldova.

PURPOSE: Management of superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) in patients with varicose veins (VV) is not currently standardized. We performed a survey aimed to demonstrate patterns in the management of SVT in the Republic of Moldova. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive study whereby members of the National Surgical Society were asked to complete an online questionnaire. In the questionnaire, multiple-choice questions were supplemented with four clinical vignettes of real patients with SVT. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 102 participants (31.1% response rate). In the treatment of SVT, duplex ultrasound was routinely used by 74.5% of respondents, and anticoagulants were used by 70.5%. The full therapeutic dose of anticoagulants was recommended by 63.3% of surgeons, intermediate dose by 21.1%, and prophylactic dose by 15.6%. Only 50% of respondents were prescribed anticoagulants for 1 month or more. In case of surgical intervention for SVT, crossectomy and stripping were performed by 84.0% of surgeons, while isolated crossectomy by 10.7%. In all clinical vignettes, the majority of respondents opted for urgent surgical treatment. The rate of proponents of surgery varied from 43% in cases of isolated thrombosis of tributaries, and up to 72.5% in cases of thrombosis up to the sapheno-femoral junction. CONCLUSION: Management of patients with SVT and VV in the Republic of Moldova is far from standardized. Prescribed doses of anticoagulants, as well as the duration of anticoagulation are highly variable and often contradict the recommendations of current guidelines. Urgent crossectomy and stripping dominate the pattern of current therapeutic approaches.