2023 ACR/EULAR classification criteria in existing research cohorts: an international study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the updated ACR/EULAR APS classification criteria on two large research cohorts. METHODS: Consecutive patients who tested persistently positive for at least one aPL in the last three years were enrolled. The first APS Sydney index event was considered and computed for the comparison between Sydney and 2023 APS criteria. When computing the 2023 APS criteria, additional manifestations were also considered. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 249 patients (185 with APS and 64 aPL carriers according to Sydney criteria). The 185 patients had as first index event venous thrombosis in 55 cases (29.8%), arterial thrombosis in 63 (34%) and pregnancy morbidity in 67 (36.2%). When applying the updated criteria, 90 subjects (48.7%) failed to reach the composite score of the new criteria. The percentage of thrombotic APS per Sydney criteria decreased from 47.3% to 34.9% because of high cardiovascular risk in 23 cases, IgM aPL profile in six cases and in two patients for both reasons. Patients with pregnancy morbidity decreased from 26.9% to 3.2% (39 cases of recurrent early pregnancy loss and 20 of fetal losses). Consequently, the percentage of aPL carriers increased from 26% to 61%. When looking at the disease evolution at follow-up, 32 additional patients out of 90 (35.6%) fulfilled the new APS criteria, after developing additional clinical manifestation following index event. CONCLUSION: When applying the new APS criteria to our research cohorts, not-negligible differences exist in patients' classification. A multidisciplinary approach will be mandatory to assess the impact of the new criteria on research and, ultimately, patients' care.

Tromboprofilaxis entrauma / Thromboprophylaxis in Trauma Santiago Castañeda Palacio1

Introducción: Las lesiones traumáticas son una de las principales causas de morbilidad y mortalidad en todo el mundo. Los pacientes que sufren traumatismos tienen riesgo de estados de hipercoagulación y aumentan el riesgo de sufrir enfermedad tromboembólica venosa. La tromboprofilaxis hace referencia a cualquier intervención usada para prevenir el desarrollo del tromboembolismo venoso como son la trombosis venosa profunda y el tromboembolismo pulmonar. Objetivo: Realizar una revisión sobre los principales mecanismos de tromboprofilaxis y sus principales esquemas en relación con el trauma ortopédico. Métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos de investigaciones originales en las bases de datos MEDLINE, EMBASE, Lilacs y Science Direct. Se seleccionaron palabras claves y términos del MeSH relacionados con anticoagulantes, tromboembolismo venoso, y embolismo pulmonar entre otros. La mayoría de bibliografía utilizada tuvo un rango de publicación no mayor a 5 años. Conclusiones: Los pacientes que sufren traumas tienen riesgo de sufrir estados de hipercoagulación y aumentan el riesgo de una enfermedad tromboembólica venosa. Con el fin de prevenirla se utilizan en la tromboprofilaxis distintos medicamentos, como heparinas de bajo peso molecular, y dispositivos de compresión(AU)

Introduction: Traumatic injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Up to six million people die due to this cause. Trauma patients are at risk for hypercoagulable states and are at increased risk for venous thromboembolic disease. Thromboprophylaxis refers to any intervention used to prevent the development of venous thromboembolism such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism. Objective: To carry out a practical review of the main mechanisms of thromboprophylaxis and its main schemes in relation to orthopedic trauma. Methods: A search for original research articles was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Lilacs, and Science Direct databases. The keywords and MeSH terms related to anticoagulants, venous thromboembolism, and pulmonary embolism were selected among others. Most of the bibliography used had a publication range of no more than 5 years. Conclusions: Patients who suffer trauma are at risk of hypercoagulable states and these increase the risk of venous thromboembolic disease. In order to prevent it, different drugs are used in thromboprophylaxis, such as low molecular weight heparins, among others, as well as other compression devices(AU)

The Role of Von Willebrand Factor in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Vascular Thrombosis in COVID-19.

The increased plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF) in patients with COVID-19 was reported in many studies, and its correlation with disease severity and mortality suggest its important role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis in COVID-19. We performed histological and immunohistochemical studies of the lungs of 29 patients who died from COVID-19. We found a significant increase in the intensity of immunohistochemical reaction for VWF in the pulmonary vascular endothelium when the disease duration was more than 10 days. In the patients who had thrombotic complications, the VWF immunostaining in the pulmonary vascular endothelium was significantly more intense than in nonsurvivors without thrombotic complications. Duration of disease and thrombotic complications were found to be independent predictors of increased VWF immunostaining in the endothelium of pulmonary vessels. We also revealed that bacterial pneumonia was associated with increased VWF staining intensity in pulmonary arterial, arteriolar, and venular endothelium, while lung ventilation was an independent predictor of increased VWF immunostaining in arterial endothelium. The results of the study demonstrated an important role of endothelial VWF in the pathogenesis of thrombus formation in COVID-19.

Non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging technique diagnoses DVT and classifies thrombus.

The accuracy of non-contrast MRI in diagnosing acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremities is different. To explore the application of high-resolution non-contrast 3D CUBE T1-weighted MRI in the lower extremities DVT. We recruited 26 patients suspected DVT of the lower extremities from Hebei General Hospital in China. All patients underwent high-resolution non-contrast 3D CUBE T1-weighted MRI. We evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of diagnosing thrombosis. And we divided thrombi into two parts: filling thrombus (FT) and non-filling thrombus (NFT), compared the agreement between MRI and Ultrasound (US) and analysed the locations of thrombi. Compared with US, MRI yielded a sensitivity of 79%, a specificity of 94.2% in mean value, a sensitivity of 85.7%, 97.4%, and 51.7% in iliac, femoral-popliteal, and calf segments respectively, a specificity of 97.6%, 88.3%, and 98.2% in iliac, femoral-popliteal, and in calf segments respectively. The accuracy of MRI in the diagnosis of lower extremity DVT was in very good agreement (κ = 0.711, 95% CI 0.627, 0.795). The FT was the most part in US and CUBE (68/56), CUBE can detect more NFT in femoral vein than US (22/4). 3D CUBE T1-weighted MRI can be used to accurately diagnose acute DVT and detect more NFT. It has the potential of follow-up at the end of treatment to establish a new baseline to stop anticoagulant drug.

Evolution of Nonmalignant Portal Vein Thrombosis in Liver Cirrhosis: A Pictorial Review.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a common complication in liver cirrhosis, especially in advanced cirrhosis. It may be related to a higher risk of liver-related events and liver function deterioration. Imaging examinations can not only provide an accurate diagnosis of PVT, such as the extent of thrombus involvement and the degree of lumen occupied, but also identify the nature of thrombus (i.e., benign/malignant and acute/chronic). Evolution of PVT, mainly including development, recanalization, progression, stability, and recurrence, could also be assessed based on the imaging examinations. This article briefly reviews the pathophysiology, diagnosis, classification, and evolution of PVT with an emphasis on their computed tomography imaging features.

Current knowledge and management of portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is an increasingly recognised complication of cirrhosis whose incidence increases in parallel with the severity of cirrhosis. Several risk factors have been associated with the occurrence and progression of PVT. Although the negative effect of complete PVT on the surgical outcome of liver transplant recipients is clear, its impact on cirrhosis progression remains uncertain. Treatment options include anticoagulants and interventional thrombolytic therapies, which are chosen almost on a case-by-case basis depending on the characteristics of the patient and the thrombus. In this manuscript, we review current knowledge regarding the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and classification, natural history, clinical consequences and treatment of non-neoplastic PVT in cirrhosis.

Trombosis venosa portal en la cirrosis hepática / Portal vein thrombosis in liver cirrhosis

La trombosis de la vena porta (TVP) se define como una oclusión parcial o completa de la luz de la vena porta o sus afluentes por la formación de trombos. La etiología de la formación de TVP en un hígado cirrótico parece ser multifactorial, y presenta una prevalencia de 1,3% a 9,8%. La fisiopatología de la TVP en pacientes con cirrosis aún no se comprende completamente, pero se sabe que existe una disminución de la síntesis tanto de factores procoagulantes como de anticoagulantes, que asociados a factores de riesgo locales o sistémicos, favorecen el predominio de los procoagulantes que causan la trombosis. Establecer el momento de la instauración de la trombosis y el nivel anatómico dentro del sistema venoso espleno-mesentérico, son aspectos fundamentales para estimar el pronóstico y ayudar a la toma de decisiones terapéuticas. A pesar de que hasta la fecha no se ha publicado un consenso sobre su profilaxis o tratamiento en la cirrosis hepática, y existen muchas controversias con respecto al manejo óptimo de la TVP, se han observado beneficios generales de la anticoagulación con heparina de bajo peso molecular en pacientes con cirrosis hepática, en particular en aquellos con TVP aguda. El objetivo de esta revisión es explorar los temas más relevantes al momento de abordar un paciente con cirrosis hepática y TVP.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is defined as a partial or complete occlusion of the lumen of the portal vein or its tributaries due to the formation of thrombi. The etiology of DVT formation in a cirrhotic liver appears to be multifactorial, with a prevalence of 1.3% to 9.8%. The pathophysiology of PVT in patients with cirrhosis is not yet fully understood, but it is known that there is a decrease in the synthesis of both procoagulant and anticoagulant factors, which associated with local or systemic risk factors, favor the predominance of procoagulants that cause thrombosis. Establishing the onset of thrombosis and the anatomical level within the splanchnic mesenteric venous system are fundamental aspects to estimate the prognosis and aid in therapeutic decision-making. Despite the fact that to date no consensus has been published on its prophylaxis or treatment in liver cirrhosis, and the many controversies regarding the optimal management of PVT, general benefits of anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin have been observed in patients with liver cirrhosis, particularly those with acute PVT. The objective of this review is to explore the most relevant issues when approaching a patient with liver cirrhosis and PVT.

Tailored classification of portal vein thrombosis for liver transplantation: Focus on strategies for portal vein inflow reconstruction.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is currently not considered a contraindication for liver transplantation (LT), but diffuse or complicated PVT remains a major surgical challenge. Here, we review the prevalence, natural course and current grading systems of PVT and propose a tailored classification of PVT in the setting of LT. PVT in liver transplant recipients is classified into three types, corresponding to three portal reconstruction strategies: Anatomical, physiological and non-physiological. Type I PVT can be removed via low dissection of the portal vein (PV) or thrombectomy; porto-portal anastomosis is then performed with or without an interposed vascular graft. Physiological reconstruction used for type II PVT includes vascular interposition between mesenteric veins and PV, collateral-PV and splenic vein-PV anastomosis. Non-physiological reconstruction used for type III PVT includes cavoportal hemitransposition, renoportal anastomosis, portal vein arterialization and multivisceral transplantation. All portal reconstruction techniques were reviewed. This tailored classification system stratifies PVT patients by surgical complexity, risk of postoperative complications and long-term survival. We advocate using the tailored classification for PVT grading before LT, which will urge transplant surgeons to make a better preoperative planning and pay more attention to all potential strategies for portal reconstruction. Further verification in a large-sample cohort study is needed.

Validation of ICD-10 codes shows intracranial venous thrombosis incidence to be higher than previously reported.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial venous thrombosis (ICVT) accounts for around 0.5% of all stroke cases. There have been no previously published studies of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) validation for the identification of ICVT admissions in adults. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to validate and quantify the performance of the ICD-10 coding system for identifying cases of ICVT in adults and to derive an estimate of incidence. METHOD: Administrative data were collected for all patients admitted to a regional neurosciences centre over a 5-year period. We searched for the following ICD-10 codes at any position: G08.X (intracranial and intraspinal phlebitis and thrombophlebitis), I67.6 (non-pyogenic thrombosis of intracranial venous system), I63.6 (cerebral infarction due to cerebral venous thrombosis, non-pyogenic), O22.5 (cerebral venous thrombosis in pregnancy) and O87.3 (cerebral venous thrombosis in the puerperium). RESULTS: Sixty-five admissions were identified by at least one of the relevant ICD-10 codes. The overall positive predictive value (PPV) for confirmed ICVT from all of the admissions combined was 92.3% (60 out of 65) with the results for each code as follows: G08.X 91.5% (54 of 59), O22.5 100% (4 of 4), I67.6 100% (1 of 1), I63.6 100% (1 of 1) and O87.3 100% (1 of 1). There were 40 unique cases of ICVT over a 5-year period giving an annual incidence of ICVT of 5 per million. CONCLUSIONS: All codes gave a high PPV. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: As demonstrated in previous studies, the incidence of ICVT may be higher than previously thought.

Systemic and Local Factors' Influence on the Topological Differences in Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Background and Objectives: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common cause of intra-hospital morbidity and mortality, and its most severe complication is pulmonary thromboembolism. The risk factors that influence the apparition of DVT are generally derived from Virchow's triad. Since the most severe complications of DVT occur in proximal rather than distal deep vein thrombosis, the aim of this study was to identify the factors influencing the apparition of proximal DVT. Materials and Methods: This was a transversal, cohort study. The study included 167 consecutive patients with lower limb DVT over a two-year period. The following data were recorded or determined: general data, conditions that are known to influence DVT, medical history and coagulation or thrombophilia-related genetic variations. Results: In the univariate analysis, male gender, neoplasia, previous DVT and mutated factor V Leiden were all associated with proximal DVT, while bed rest was associated with distal DVT. In the multivariate analysis, male gender, previous DVT and factor V Leiden mutation were independently correlated with proximal DVT, while bed rest was independently associated with distal deep vein thrombosis. Conclusion: Our observations point out that the factors indicating a systemic involvement of coagulation were correlated with proximal DVT, while local factors were associated with distal DVT.

Radiologic Clues to Cerebral Venous Thrombosis.

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is uncommon, representing approximately 0.5% of all cases of cerebrovascular disease worldwide. Many factors, alone or combined, can cause CVT. Although CVT can occur at any age, it most commonly affects neonates and young adults. CVT is difficult to diagnose clinically because patients can present with a wide spectrum of nonspecific manifestations, the most common of which are headache in 89%-91%, focal deficits in 52%-68%, and seizures in 39%-44% of patients. Consequently, imaging is fundamental to its diagnosis. MRI is the most sensitive and specific technique for diagnosis of CVT. The different MRI sequences, with and without the use of contrast material, have variable strengths. Contrast material-enhanced MR venography has the highest accuracy compared with sequences without contrast enhancement.Online supplemental material is available for this article.©RSNA, 2019.

Differences in Clinical Presentation, Rate of Pulmonary Embolism, and Risk Factors Among Patients With Deep Vein Thrombosis in Unusual Sites.

Unusual site deep vein thrombosis (USDVT) is an uncommon form of venous thromboembolism with heterogeneous signs and symptoms, unknown rate of pulmonary embolism (PE), and poorly defined risk factors. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 107 consecutive cases of USDVTs, discharged from our University Hospital over a period of 2 years. Patients were classified based on the site of thrombosis and distinguished between patients with cerebral vein thrombosis, jugular vein thrombosis, thrombosis of the deep veins of the upper extremities, and abdominal vein thrombosis. We found statistically significant differences between groups in terms of age (P < .0001) and gender distribution (P < .05). We also found that the rate of symptomatic patients was significantly different between groups (P < .0001). Another interesting finding was the significant difference between groups in terms of rate of PE (P < .01). Finally, we found statistically significant differences between groups in terms of risk factors for thrombosis, in particular cancer (P < .01). Unprovoked cases were differently distributed among groups (P < .0001). This study highlights differences between patients with USDVT, which depend on the site of thrombosis, and provides data which might be useful in clinical practice.

Management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein tumour thrombosis: comparing east and west.

Portal vein tumour thrombosis is common among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Tremendous differences exist in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumour thrombosis between the east and the west, which derive from heterogeneities in its epidemiology, causes, pathology, comorbidities, prognosis, and other demographics. These divergences between the east and the west are not only caused by hepatocellular carcinoma itself, but are also affected by many variables including social factors, physician preferences, accessibility to costly or novel treatments, and reimbursement schemes. In this Review, we compare and contrast the management of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumour thrombosis in the east and in the west in terms of systemic and surgical treatments, radiotherapy, transcatheter arterial therapies, and portal vein revascularisation. We conclude that a personalised, data-driven approach to care with active management from a multidisciplinary team, as well as increased communication and collaboration between clinicians and researchers based in east and the west, could help to reduce the differences in management and optimise treatment strategies.

Novel classification of non-malignant portal vein thrombosis: A guide to surgical decision-making during liver transplantation.

Non-tumoral portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is present at liver transplantation in 5% to 26% of cirrhotic patients, and the prevalence of complex PVT as defined here (grade 4 Yerdel, and grade 3,4 Jamieson and Charco) has been reported in 0% to 2.2%. Adequate portal inflow is mandatory to ensure graft and patient survival after liver transplantation. With time, the proposed classifications of non-tumoral chronic PVT have evolved from being anatomy-based, to also incorporating functional parameters. However, none of the currently proposed classifications are directed towards decision-making, regarding the choice of inflow to the graft during transplantation and the outcomes thereof. The present scoping review i) addresses the limits of the currently available classifications in terms of surgical decisiveness, ii) clarifies the concept of physiological or non-physiological portal inflow reconstruction, and subsequently, iii) proposes a new classification of non-tumoral PVT in candidates for liver transplantation; to help tailor the surgical strategy to an individual patient, in order to provide portal inflow to the graft together with control of prehepatic portal hypertension whenever feasible.

Lower extremity endovenous reconstruction for symptomatic occlusive disease in pediatric patients: techniques, clinical outcomes, and long-term stent patencies.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular stent reconstruction is the standard of care for chronic venous occlusive disease in adults, but it has not been reported in pediatric patients. OBJECTIVE: This study reports the technical success, complications, clinical outcomes, and stent patency of iliocaval stent reconstruction for chronic iliocaval thrombosis in pediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients, 13 (93%) male with a mean age of 16.4 years (range: 8-20 years), underwent iliocaval stent reconstruction for chronic iliocaval thrombosis. The mean number of prothrombotic risk factors was 2.5 (range: 0-4), including 7 (50%) patients with inferior vena cava atresia. At initial presentation, the Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology classification (CEAP) score was C3 in 2 (14%) patients, C4 in 11 (79%) patients, and C6 in 1 (7.1%) patient. Time course of presenting symptoms included chronic (>4 weeks) (n=7; 50%) and acute worsening of chronic symptoms (2-4 weeks) (n=7; 50%). Aspects of recanalization and reconstruction, stenting technical success, complications, clinical outcomes and stent patency were recorded. Clinical success was defined as a 1-point decrease in the CEAP. Primary, primary-assisted, and secondary patency were defined by Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe guidelines. RESULTS: Most procedures employed three access sites (range: 2-4). Intravascular ultrasound was employed in 11 (79%) procedures. Blunt and sharp recanalization techniques were used in 12 (86%) and 2 (14%) patients, respectively. Stenting technical success was 100%. Two (14%) minor adverse events occurred and mean post-procedure hospitalization was 2.8 days (range: 1-8 days). Clinical success rates at 2 weeks, 6 months and 12 months were 85%, 82%, and 83%, respectively. At a mean final clinical follow-up of 88 months (range: 16-231 months), clinical success was 93%. Estimated 6- and 12-month primary stent patencies were 86% and 64%, respectively. Six- and 12-month primary-assisted and secondary stent patency rates were both 100%. CONCLUSION: Iliocaval stent reconstruction is an effective treatment for symptomatic chronic iliocaval thrombosis in pediatric patients with high rates of technical success, 6- and 12-month clinical success, and 6- and 12-month primary-assisted and secondary patency rates.

Duplex ultrasound findings and clinical classification of lower extremity chronic venous insufficiency in a Thai population.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the clinical classification of chronic venous insufficiency and duplex ultrasound findings. METHODS: A total of 1010 limbs with clinically suspected chronic venous insufficiency were stratified according to the Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology (CEAP) classification and underwent duplex ultrasound evaluation consecutively between January 2012 and June 2015. Venous thrombosis, venous reflux, and anatomic distribution of the deep and superficial venous systems were investigated across the CEAP clinical classes. RESULTS: There were 259 male limbs (25.6%) and 751 female limbs (74.4%) in clinical class C0 (24 limbs [2.4%]), C1 (130 limbs [13.1%]), C2 (452 limbs [44.8%]), C3 (183 limbs [18.1%]), C4 (163 limbs [16.1%]), C5 (31 limbs [3.1%]), and C6 (27 limbs [2.7%]). The mean age in clinical class C4-C6 (60.77 ± 14.67 years) was statistically significantly higher than in C0-C3 (55.73 ± 18.85 years; P < .001). Male limbs were shown to have a predilection for presenting with clinical class C4-C6 over female limbs (36.3% vs 16.9%; odds ratio, 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-3.8). Positive findings were predominantly displayed in clinical class C4-C6 compared with C0-C3 (deep venous thrombosis, 3.2% vs 1.3%; deep venous reflux, 30.8% vs 26.9%; superficial vein thrombosis, 2.7% vs 2.0%; superficial venous reflux, 56.6% vs 47.6%; perforator vein reflux, 12.7% vs 8.2% [P = .049]). A low prevalence of small saphenous vein and perforator vein reflux in C1 limbs (0.3% and 4.6%) and C3 limbs (3.8 and 6.6%) was discovered. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CEAP class C0-C3 was found to be higher than C4-C6. However, men were shown to have a predilection for presenting in clinical class C4-C6 over women. The mean age of patients with clinical class C4-C6 limbs was statistically significantly higher than of those with clinical class C0-C3 limbs. The prevalence of deep venous reflux, superficial venous reflux, and coincident deep and superficial venous reflux in clinical class C4-C6 limbs was higher than in clinical class C0-C3 limbs. Detection of incompetent perforator veins was shown to have a statistically significant correlation with clinical class C4-C6 limbs.

Portal vein thrombosis in cirrhotic patients - it is always the small pieces that make the big picture.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a frequent and serious complication in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). Recently, a new classification of PVT was proposed, although the functional component was not completed included. The status of liver disease (compensated/decompensated) should be added to this classification. Reduced portal flow velocity and the acquired hypercoagulable status associated with LC are the main risk factors for PVT development, although endothelial dysfunction may play an important role that needs to be further evaluated. The European Association for the Study of the Liver and the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease recommend that the anticoagulant treatment should be consider in cirrhotic patients with PVT. Low molecular weight heparin and vitamin K antagonists proved their efficacy and relatively safety in PVT treatment, although in addition to recanalization rates, more complex end-points such as mortality and decompensation rate should be evaluated. The new oral anticoagulant therapies offers the advantage of oral administration in the absence of laboratory monitoring, however, there are a few reports regarding their use in cirrhotic patients, most of them referring to compensated isolated cases. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt could be an alternative if thrombosis progresses despite anticoagulatant therapy and/or when PVT is associated with portal hypertension complications. The aim of this editorial is to discuss the different aspects of pathophysiology, clinical relevance, diagnosis and management of PVT in patients with LC.

Outcome of transarterial chemoembolization in Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and branch portal vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is a common complication in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and it was considered a relative contraindication for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) by many centers. This study aimed to assess the outcomes after TACE in patients with branch PVT regarding Child classification, radiological response, and 1-year survival. METHODS: Thirty HCC patients (24 male, 6 females) Child A cirrhotics with branch PVT underwent TACE. Follow up was done at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after first TACE. All patients underwent laboratory investigations including liver function tests to assess deterioration in liver functions and triphasic spiral computed tomography to assess radiological response according to modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) criteria, and survival analysis was recorded. RESULTS: TACE succeeded to achieve disease control in 93.3%, 86.3%, 57.7%, and 44.4% of patients after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Post-TACE liver decompensation occurred in the form of ascites in 30%, jaundice in 10%, and hepatic encephalopathy in 3.3% within 1 month of TACE. One month survival after TACE was 100%, 3 months was 96.6%, 6 months was 86.6%, and 1-year survival was 60%. Mean overall survival of the included patients was 17 months (SE = 1.59). CONCLUSION: TACE seems an alternative option for patients with unrespectable HCC with portal vein thrombosis in patients with good liver function tests.

Positive predictive values of peripheral arterial and venous thrombosis codes in French hospital database.

French hospital database, called Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information (PMSI), covers all hospital stays in France (>66 million inhabitants). The aim of this study was to estimate the positive predictive values (PPVs) of primary diagnosis codes of peripheral arterial and venous thrombosis codes in the PMSI, encoded with the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision. Data were extracted from the PMSI database of Toulouse University Hospital, south of France. We identified all the hospital stays in 2015 with a code of peripheral arterial or venous thrombosis as primary diagnosis. We randomly selected 100 stays for each category of thrombosis and reviewed the corresponding medical charts. The PPV of peripheral arterial thrombosis codes was 83.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 73.9-89.1, and the PPV of correct location of thrombosis was 81.0%, 95% CI: 72.2-87.5. The PPV of pulmonary embolism was 99.0%, 95% CI: 93.8-99.9. The PPV of peripheral venous thrombosis was 95.0%, 95% CI: 88.2-98.1, and the PPV of correct location of thrombosis was 85.0%, 95% CI: 76.7-90.7. Primary diagnoses of peripheral arterial and venous thrombosis demonstrated good PPVs in the PMSI.