Treatment Strategies for Proximal Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Network Meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

Angioplasty or stenting for deep venous thrombosis

BACKGROUND

The best medical treatment (BMT) for treating deep venous thrombosis (DVT) includes anticoagulation and compression stockings. Angioplasty and stenting restore vessel patency and facilitate blood flow. In some people with DVT, angioplasty or stenting is used to minimise complications such as post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), but their effects are under discussion.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of adjunctive angioplasty or stenting on a background treatment of anticoagulation and thrombolysis, compared with BMT, sham procedure, thrombolysis, or any combination of these treatments, in people with DVT.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, IBECS, CINAHL, and AMED databases, as well as the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers, to 20 April 2023. We checked the bibliographies of included trials for further references to relevant trials and contacted specialists in the field, manufacturers, and authors of the included trials for any unpublished data.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing angioplasty or stenting on a background treatment of anticoagulation and thrombolysis, compared with BMT, sham procedure, thrombolysis, or any combination of these treatments, in the management of people with acute obstruction due to DVT. We excluded participants who had a baseline PTS diagnosis or who had received any form of mechanical thrombectomy, as this was investigated in a separate Cochrane review.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methods. The primary outcomes were PTS and venous thromboembolism (VTE); secondary outcomes were mortality, major bleeding, secondary patency, duration of hospitalisation, quality of life (QoL), and adverse events. We used the Cochrane RoB 1 tool to assess the risk of bias for RCTs and GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence. We performed meta-analysis where appropriate.

MAIN RESULTS

We included two RCTs (134 participants) that were conducted in China and presented comparisons for acute obstruction after DVT based on length of follow-up (12 months (early), 24 months (intermediate), and 36 months (long term)). Angioplasty or stenting plus BMT and thrombolysis versus BMT and thrombolysis for acute obstruction due to DVT (intermediate time point) In the intermediate time point, angioplasty or stenting may have little to no effect on PTS (Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS): mean difference (MD) -3.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) -7.74 to 1.33; 2 studies, 133 participants; very low-certainty evidence) and adverse events (limb pain) (risk ratio (RR) 0.68, 95% CI 0.04 to 10.33; 1 study, 67 participants; very low-certainty evidence), but the evidence is very uncertain. Angioplasty or stenting may increase secondary patency (RR 0.26, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.59; 2 studies, 133 participants; very low-certainty evidence), but the evidence is very uncertain. The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of angioplasty or stenting on quality of life (MD 10.54, 95% CI -1.34 to 22.41; 2 studies, 133 participants; very low-certainty evidence), and is not estimable for VTE, mortality, or major bleeding. We downgraded the certainty of evidence for all reported outcomes in this comparison by two levels due to serious study limitations (risk of performance and other bias), and another level for imprecision (small numbers of events and participants). The imbalance between study group size and different vein access may also have contributed to the high heterogeneity seen in the analyses of these outcomes. We downgraded the certainty of evidence for PTS and quality of life by one level for inconsistency (no similarity of point estimates in any of the included studies, no overlap of CIs, and considerable heterogeneity in results). There is an additional difficulty with blinding personnel in this type of intervention, but the trialists should have reported blinding of outcome assessment.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Although angioplasty or stenting may increase secondary patency in people with acute obstruction due to DVT, the evidence is very uncertain; the evidence is also very uncertain about the effect of angioplasty or stenting on PTS, quality of life, and adverse events in people with acute obstruction due to DVT. The effects on VTE, mortality, and major bleeding were not estimable or not assessed by the included studies. Future trials must be large enough to detect significant clinical outcomes, and provide data on original stenosis before angioplasty or stenting and differing times from the initial event, among other essential characteristics.

Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis Protocols for Deep Venous Thrombosis of the Lower Extremities-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

 To summarize characteristics, complications, and success rates of different catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) protocols for the treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LE-DVT).

METHODS

 A systematic review using electronic databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science) was performed to identify randomized controlled trials and observational studies related to LE-DVT treated with CDT. A random-effects model meta-analysis was performed to obtain the pooled proportions of early complications, postthrombotic syndrome (PTS), and venous patency.

RESULTS

 Forty-six studies met the inclusion criteria reporting 49 protocols (n = 3,028 participants). In studies that addressed the thrombus location (n = 37), LE-DVT had iliofemoral involvement in 90 ± 23% of the cases. Only four series described CDT as the sole intervention for LE-DVT, while 47% received additional thrombectomy (manual, surgical, aspiration, or pharmacomechanical), and 89% used stenting.Definition of venogram success was highly variable, being the Venous Registry Index the most used method (n = 19). Among those, the minimal thrombolysis rate (<50% lysed thrombus) was 0 to 53%, partial thrombolysis (50-90% lysis) was 10 to 71%, and complete thrombolysis (90-100%) was 0 to 88%. Pooled outcomes were 8.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.6-10.7) for minor bleeding, 1.2% (95% CI: 0.8-1.7%) for major bleeding, 1.1% (95% CI: 0.6-1.6) for pulmonary embolism, and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.3-0.9) for death. Pooled incidences of PTS and of venous patency at up to 1 year of follow-up were 17.6% (95% CI: 11.8-23.4) and 77.5% (95% CI: 68.1-86.9), respectively.

CONCLUSION

 Assessment of the evidence is hampered by the heterogeneity of protocols, which may be reflected in the variation of PTS rates. Despite this, CDT is a low-risk treatment for LE-DVT.

Percutaneous mechanical aspiration in patients with right-sided infective endocarditis: An analysis of the national inpatient sample database-2016-2020

BACKGROUND

Given the challenges of conventional therapies in managing right-sided infective endocarditis (RSIE), percutaneous mechanical aspiration (PMA) of vegetations has emerged as a novel treatment option. Data on trends, characteristics, and outcomes of PMA, however, have largely been limited to case reports and case series.

AIMS

The aim of the current investigation was to provide a descriptive analysis of PMA in the United States and to profile the frequency of PMA with a temporal analysis and the patient cohort.

METHODS

The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes were used to identify patients with RSIE in the national (nationwide) inpatient sample (NIS) database between 2016 and 2020. The clinical characteristics and temporal trends of RSIE hospitalizations in patients who underwent PMA was profiled.

RESULTS

An estimated 117,955 RSIE-related hospital admissions in the United States over the 5-year study period were estimated and 1675 of them included PMA. Remarkably, the rate of PMA for RSIE increased 4.7-fold from 2016 (0.56%) to 2020 (2.62%). Patients identified with RSIE who had undergone PMA were young (medial age 36.5 years) and had few comorbid conditions (median Charlson Comorbidity Index, 0.6). Of note, 36.1% of patients had a history of hepatitis C infection, while only 9.9% of patients had a cardiovascular implantable electronic device. Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant (61.8%) pathogen. Concomitant transvenous lead extraction and cardiac valve surgery during the PMA hospitalization were performed in 18.2% and 8.4% of admissions, respectively. The median hospital stay was 19.0 days, with 6.0% in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The marked increase in the number of PMA procedures in the United States suggests that this novel treatment option has been embraced as a useful tool in select cases of RSIE. More work is needed to better define indications for the procedure and its efficacy and safety.

Biomarkers and the post-thrombotic syndrome: A systematic review of biomarkers associated with the occurrence of the post-thrombotic syndrome after lower extremity deep venous thrombosis

INTRODUCTION

Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a frequent chronic complication of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Biomarkers are potentially valuable clinical tools for handling PTS. The purpose of this review was to examine which biomarkers are associated with the development of PTS in adults with lower extremity DVT.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of all English language prospective studies of biomarkers and PTS published in PubMed and EMBASE. Studies were included if diagnosing DVT by diagnostic imaging and assessing PTS by clinical scales, for example, the Villalta scale. Biomarkers of thrombophilia and pathological clot properties were not assessed. Data was reported qualitatively.

RESULTS

15 prospective studies were included. Studies varied widely in study design and methods of data analysis. Forty-six different biomarkers were examined, with seven being measured in two or more studies. The most frequently studied biomarkers were D-dimer, CRP, and IL-6. Associations between PTS and D-dimer were predominantly significant, while results on CRP and IL-6 were inconsistent. ICAM-1 was consistently associated with PTS in all studies and at all timepoints. IL-10 was significantly related to PTS development in the largest study and at all time points. Adiponectin, tPA, HRG and TAFI, MMP-1 and -8, and TIMP-1 and -2 were significantly associated with PTS in single studies.

CONCLUSION

(1) Further research on biomarkers and PTS is clearly warranted. (2) Significant differences in study designs made it difficult to draw reliable conclusions regarding individual biomarkers. We suggest the implementation of a standardized framework for the study of biomarkers and PTS, to make comparison of future studies more feasible. (3) D-dimer, ICAM-1, IL-10, MMP-1 and 8, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and adiponectin are clinical biomarkers of particular interest to include in future studies of PTS. Large scale systemic quantitative proteomic analyses of DVT patients could help identify novel biomarkers of interest in PTS-patients.

Removal of Wall-Adherent Inferior Vena Cava Thrombus with a Combined Approach Using Vacuum-Assisted Thrombectomy and a Rotational Thrombectomy Device

Introduction. Large thrombi in the inferior vena cava pose a high risk for a pulmonary embolism. Percutaneous extracorporeal circulation-based vacuum-assisted thrombus aspiration is a viable option for removal. Wall adherence of thrombotic material can compromise procedural success. Case Report. A 46-year-old female presented with a subtotal thrombotic occlusion of the inferior vena cava and the proximal right common iliac vein after weaning from extracorporeal life support. Due to severe wall adherence of the thrombotic material, the patient was treated with the combination of percutaneous extracorporeal circulation-based thrombus aspiration using the AngioVac system and a rotational thrombectomy device.

Incidence and risk factors of admission deep venous thrombosis in nonagenarians and centenarians with intertrochanteric fracture: a retrospective study

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for admission deep venous thrombosis (aDVT) and proximal aDVT in nonagenarians and centenarians with intertrochanteric fracture (IF).

METHODS

We collected statistics on nonagenarians and centenarians with IF admitting from January 2010 to October 2022. Patients with aDVT were considered as the aDVT group and those without aDVT as the non-aDVT group. Additionally, we also conducted a subgroup analysis based on the location of aDVT to investigate the predictors of proximal aDVT. The demographics, comorbidities and admission laboratory examinations of patients were computed by univariate analysis, logistic regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

In our study, the rate of aDVT (109 of 318) was 34.3%, and 5.7% (18 of 318) of patients had proximal aDVT. Logistic regression analysis showed that female patients and a high level of D-dimer were risk factors for aDVT. Similarly, hypoproteinemia and a high level of D-dimer were found to be risk factors for proximal aDVT. ROC curve analysis indicated the cut-off values of D-dimer to predict the aDVT and proximal aDVT were 1.28 mg/L and 1.485 mg/L, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings investigated the risk factors of aDVT and proximal aDVT in nonagenarians and centenarians with IF and identified the cut-off values of D-dimer, helping us assess the risk of aDVT and proximal aDVT to manage early targeted interventions.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

Prevention, Diagnostics and Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Russian Experts Consensus

The guidelines are developed in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation by the all-Russian public organization «Association of Phlebologists of Russia» with participation of the Association of Cardiovascular Surgeons of Russia, the Russian Society of Surgeons, the Russian Society of Angiologists and Vascular Surgeons, the Association of Traumatologists and Orthopedists of Russia, the Association of Oncologists of Russia, the Russian Society of Clinical Oncology, Russian Society of Oncohematologists, Russian Society of Cardiology, Russian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Developing and optimizing a machine learning predictive model for post-thrombotic syndrome in a longitudinal cohort of patients with proximal deep venous thrombosis

BACKGROUND

Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is the most common chronic complication of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Risk measurement and stratification of PTS are crucial for patients with DVT. This study aimed to develop predictive models of PTS using machine learning for patients with proximal DVT.

METHODS

Herein, hospital inpatients from a DVT registry electronic health record database were randomly divided into a derivation and a validation set, and four predictive models were constructed using logistic regression, simple decision tree, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and random forest (RF) algorithms. The presence of PTS was defined according to the Villalta scale. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves, decision-curve analysis, and calibration curves were applied to evaluate the performance of these models. The Shapley Additive exPlanations analysis was performed to explain the predictive models.

RESULTS

Among the 300 patients, 126 developed a PTS at 6 months after DVT. The RF model exhibited the best performance among the four models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.891. The RF model demonstrated that Villalta score at admission, age, body mass index, and pain on calf compression were significant predictors for PTS, with accurate prediction at the individual level. The Shapley Additive exPlanations analysis suggested a nonlinear correlation between age and PTS, with two peak ages of onset at 50 and 70 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The current predictive model identified significant predictors and accurately predicted PTS for patients with proximal DVT. Moreover, the model demonstrated a nonlinear correlation between age and PTS, which might be valuable in risk measurement and stratification of PTS in patients with proximal DVT.