BACKGROUND About 20% of patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism have a recurrence within 2 years after the withdrawal of oral anticoagulant therapy. Extending anticoagulation prevents recurrences but is associated with increased bleeding. The benefit of aspirin for the prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism is unknown. METHODS In this multicenter, investigator-initiated, doubl...

Introduction. Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome results from the obstruction of blood flow through the SVC, having distinct pathophysiological underlying mechanisms. Cancer is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism that varies according to patient-, tumor-, and treatment-related factors. An individualized clinical approach is important to pursue the accurate diagnosis of the under...

Although venous thromboembolism is an important cause of morbidity and mortality within the hospital, a significant proportion of at-risk inpatients do not receive measures known to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The objective of the present study was to determine whether a pharmacy-driven alert system would, compared to usual care, be associated with a higher r...

PURPOSE We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to assess the risk of thromboembolism associated with atrial flutter. METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, bibliographies, and consultation with clinical experts were used to identify studies that report the risk of thromboembolism associated with attempted cardioversion and longer-term risk in chronic atrial flutter. The...

OBJECTIVE To summarise and compare the efficacy and safety of various oral anticoagulants (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and vitamin K antagonists) and antiplatelet agents (acetylsalicylic acid) for the secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism. DESIGN Systematic review and network meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES Literature search using Medline (1950 to present), Embase (1980 to prese...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly prevalent in the elderly, but such patients tend to be under-represented in clinical trials. Increasing age confers a higher risk of stroke and bleeding when antithrombotic therapy is used. We examined risk factors for stroke and bleeding among elderly (age, >75 years) patients within a real world hospitalized cohort from the Loire...

BACKGROUND Hematocrit above the normal range for the population, such as in primary or secondary erythrocytosis, predisposes to both arterial and venous thrombosis. However, little is known about the association between hematocrit and risk of venous thromboembolism in a general population. DESIGN AND METHODS Hematocrit and related hematologic variables such as hemoglobin, red blood cell count...

PURPOSE: To compare the risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism in patients with and without antiphospholipid antibodies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Anticardiolipin antibodies were tested 6 months after a first or second episode of venous thromboembolism. Of the patients with a first episode of venous thromboembolism only the 412 who received 6 months of anticoagulation were studied. Two hundred an...

OBJECTIVE  To determine the risk of venous thromboembolism associated with use of testosterone treatment in men, focusing particularly on the timing of the risk. DESIGN  Population based case-control study SETTING:  370 general practices in UK primary care with linked hospital discharge diagnoses and in-hospital procedures and information on all cause mortality. PARTICIPANTS  19 215 patient...

INTRODUCTION More information is needed on the risk of venous thromboembolism in the hospital setting, and on patterns of use of thromboprophylaxis, as advocated in consensus guidelines. ENDORSE was an international study aimed at evaluating hospital venous thromboembolism prevention practices in medical and surgical patients. OBJECTIVES The risk of venous thromboembolism was evaluated along ...