C-reactive protein and risk of venous thromboembolism: results from a population-based case-crossover study

Effect of muscle strength on deep vein thrombosis: A Mendelian randomization study

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious condition characterized by blood clots in deep veins, posing a significant public health burden. Muscle strength has been implicated as a potential risk factor for DVT due to its influence on venous return. This study aims to investigate the causal association between muscle strength and DVT using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, leveraging genetic variants as instrumental variables (IVs). We conducted a 2-sample MR analysis using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for hand-grip strength and DVT. IVs were selected based on their significant associations with muscle strength and DVT, as well as their linkage disequilibrium patterns. We employed statistical methods including inverse-variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median to address pleiotropy bias. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results. A total of 21 and 14 independent IVs were identified for hand grip strength (EWGSOP) and hand grip strength (FNIH), respectively. IVW analysis revealed a consistent causal and negative association between both definitions of hand grip strength and DVT (EWGSOP: OR = 0.702, 95% CI: 0.511-0.964, P = .029; FNIH: OR = 0.715, 95% CI: 0.570-0.898, P = .004). No directional pleiotropy was detected in MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO analyses for either definition (EWGSOP: MR-Egger Intercept P = .516; MR-PRESSO global test P = .162; FNIH: MR-Egger Intercept P = .569; MR-PRESSO global test P = .371).Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the stability of the causal effect estimates, with little influence from individual IVs. The MR analysis provided evidence of a causal association between muscle strength and DVT risk, suggesting that increasing muscle strength may have a protective effect. These findings have implications for preventive strategies and the promotion of resistance exercises and muscle-strengthening activities. Further research and validation of these results could inform clinical guidelines and interventions for DVT prevention.

Pulmonary Embolism Management Audit and Machine Learning Analysis of Delayed Anticoagulation in a Swiss Teaching Hospital

Background/Objectives: Diagnosing acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is challenging due to its wide range of symptoms and numerous differential diagnoses. Medical professionals must balance performing all essential examinations and avoiding unnecessary testing. This study aimed to retrospectively audit the diagnosis and treatment of acute PE at a Swiss public teaching hospital to determine the adherence to current guidelines and to identify the factors associated with the delayed initiation of anticoagulation in PE patients. Methods: In this retrospective observational cohort study, we included all adult patients hospitalized with PE at the Cantonal Hospital Baselland (KSBL) between November 2018 and October 2020, where the diagnosis was made within the first twelve hours of their arrival to the emergency department (ED). LASSO regression was employed to identify clinical characteristics associated with delayed anticoagulation initiation. Results: A total of 197 patients were included (mean age: 70 years, 54% female). The audit revealed that diagnostic workup was conducted according to guidelines in 57% of cases. Often, D-dimer levels were measured although not strictly necessary (70%). Pretest probability was assessed and documented using the Wells or Geneva score in only 3% of patients, and risk assessment via the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) score was documented in 21% of patients. The median time from ED arrival to CT scan was 120 min (IQR 89.5-210.5), and the median time to anticoagulation initiation was 193 min (IQR 145-277). Factors identified by LASSO associated with delayed anticoagulation included prolonged time from ED arrival to CT scan, the presence of distended jugular veins on examination, ED arrival in the morning, and presenting symptoms of weakness or tiredness. Complementary leg ultrasound was performed in 57% of patients, with 38% of these cases lacking prior clinical examination for deep vein thrombosis. The duration of the anticoagulation treatment was not specified in the discharge report for 17% of patients. A medical follow-up after discharge was recommended in 75% of the patients. Conclusions: In conclusion, while the management of PE at the KSBL generally adheres to high standards, there are areas for improvement, particularly in the morning performance, the use of a pretest probability assessment, D-dimer measurement, risk assessment via the PESI score, the performance of complementary leg ultrasounds, clarification of the anticoagulation duration, and follow-up management.

Dispensed prescription medications and short-term risk of pulmonary embolism in Norway and Sweden

Scandinavian electronic health-care registers provide a unique setting to investigate potential unidentified side effects of drugs. We analysed the association between prescription drugs dispensed in Norway and Sweden and the short-term risk of developing pulmonary embolism. A total of 12,104 pulmonary embolism cases were identified from patient- and cause-of-death registries in Norway (2004-2014) and 36,088 in Sweden (2005-2014). A case-crossover design was used to compare individual drugs dispensed 1-30 days before the date of pulmonary embolism diagnosis with dispensation in a 61-90 day time-window, while controlling for the receipt of other drugs. A BOLASSO approach was used to select drugs that were associated with short-term risk of pulmonary embolism. Thirty-eight drugs were associated with pulmonary embolism in the combined analysis of the Norwegian and Swedish data. Drugs associated with increased risk of pulmonary embolism included certain proton-pump inhibitors, antibiotics, antithrombotics, vasodilators, furosemide, anti-varicose medications, corticosteroids, immunostimulants (pegfilgrastim), opioids, analgesics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, antiprotozoals, and drugs for cough and colds. Mineral supplements, hydrochlorothiazide and potassium-sparing agents, beta-blockers, angiotensin 2 receptor blockers, statins, and methotrexate were associated with lower risk. Most associations persisted, and several additional drugs were associated, with pulmonary embolism when using a longer time window of 90 days instead of 30 days. These results provide exploratory, pharmacopeia-wide evidence of medications that may increase or decrease the risk of pulmonary embolism. Some of these findings were expected based on the drugs' indications, while others are novel and require further study as potentially modifiable precipitants of pulmonary embolism.

Association between Mid-Term Functionality and Clinical Severity in Patients Hospitalized for Pulmonary Embolism

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between clinical severity and functionality, occupational performance, and health-related quality of life in patients hospitalized with pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism patients were grouped by clinical severity using the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index. Those scoring ≥160 were in the high-severity group (HSG); those scoring < 160 in the low-moderate group (LMSG). The main variables were functionality assessed by the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), self-perception of occupational performance assessed by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), pain and fatigue assessed by a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and health-related quality of life assessed by the EuroQol-5Dimensions (EQ-5D). Patients were evaluated at hospital admission and at 1-month and 3-month follow-up. At admission, there were significant differences between groups in the WHODAS and health-related quality of life in favor of the LMSG. At 1-month and at 3-month follow-up, there were significant differences between the LMSG and HSG in WHODAS, COMP, NRS pain, fatigue and EQ-5D scores in favor of the LMSG. An association exists between clinical severity and mid-term functionality, self-perception of occupational performance, pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life in PE patients.

Under the dual effect of inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis, CTD-ILD patients possess a greater susceptibility to VTE

As an autoimmune disease, the persistent systemic inflammatory response associated with connective tissue disease (CTD) is involved in the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, clinical data showed that the risk of VTE in patients differed between subtypes of CTD, suggesting that different subtypes may have independent mechanisms to promote the development of VTE, but the specific mechanism lacks sufficient research at present. The development of pulmonary fibrosis also contributes to the development of VTE, and therefore, patients with CTD-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) may be at higher risk of VTE than patients with CTD alone or patients with ILD alone. In addition, the activation of the coagulation cascade response will drive further progression of the patient's pre-existing pulmonary fibrosis, which will continue to increase the patient's risk of VTE and adversely affect prognosis. Currently, the treatment for CTD-ILD is mainly immunosuppressive and antirheumatic therapy, such as the use of glucocorticoids and janus kinase-inhibitors (JAKis), but, paradoxically, these drugs are also involved in the formation of patients' coagulation tendency, making the clinical treatment of CTD-ILD patients with a higher risk of developing VTE challenging. In this article, we review the potential risk factors and related mechanisms for the development of VTE in CTD-ILD patients to provide a reference for clinical treatment and prevention.

Novel Insight into Inflammatory Pathways in Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Humans

Accumulating data have shown a pathophysiological association between inflammatory pathways and thrombosis. Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and acute pulmonary embolism (APE), is a significant health burden. It involves not only hemodynamic disturbances due to the emboli occluding the pulmonary arteries, but also platelet activation, endothelial dysfunction, and "firing up" of the inflammatory cascade. In humans, the systemic inflammatory state can also be evaluated using plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6, which correlate with venous obstruction, thrombus extension, and clinical VTE complications such as postthrombotic syndrome, recurrent thromboembolism, worse quality of life, and functional impairment. The exaggerated inflammatory state during postthrombotic syndrome aligns with severe alterations in endothelial function, such as activation of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and E-selectin, as well as vascular proteolysis and fibrinolysis. Moreover, a hypercoagulable state, indicated by higher levels of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and factor VIII, is closely associated with the inflammatory response. We aimed to describe the role of basic inflammatory markers in daily clinical practice as well as the most important cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-a [TNF-α], growth differentiation factor-15 [GDF-15]). These markers could provide valuable insight into the interplay between thrombosis and inflammation, helping inform better management and treatment strategies.

Cancer-associated thrombosis: What about microRNAs targeting the tissue factor coagulation pathway?

Cancer patients are often diagnosed with venous thromboembolism (VTE), a cardiovascular disease that substantially decreases their quality of life and survival rate. Haemostasis in these patients is deregulated, which is reflected in the common presentation of a blood hypercoagulation state. Despite the inconsistent results, existing evidence suggests that the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is deregulated in the context of venous thrombogenesis in the general population. However, few miRNAs are known to be linked to cancer-associated VTE due to the lack of studies with oncological patients. Parallelly, coagulation factor III, also known as tissue factor (TF), tissue factor pathway inhibitor 1 (TFPI1) and tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2) have been proposed to have a central role in cancer-associated VTE and tumour progression. Yet, contrary to what was expected, the role of miRNAs targeting the TF coagulation pathway (or extrinsic coagulation pathway) is poorly explored in cancer-induced thrombogenesis. In this review, in addition to miRNAs implicated in VTE, TF and TFPI1/2-targeting miRNAs were revised. Future studies should clarify the implications of these non-coding RNAs in tumour coagulome.

Inflammasome Signaling, Thromboinflammation, and Venous Thromboembolism

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a major health burden despite anticoagulation advances, suggesting incomplete management of pathogenic mechanisms. The NLRP3 (NACHT-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) inflammasome, interleukin (IL)-1, and pyroptosis are emerging contributors to the inflammatory pathogenesis of VTE. Inflammasome pathway activation occurs in patients with VTE. In preclinical models, inflammasome signaling blockade reduces venous thrombogenesis and vascular injury, suggesting that this therapeutic approach may potentially maximize anticoagulation benefits, protecting from VTE occurrence, recurrence, and ensuing post-thrombotic syndrome. The nonselective NLRP3 inhibitor colchicine and the anti-IL-1β agent canakinumab reduce atherothrombosis without increasing bleeding. Rosuvastatin reduces primary venous thrombotic events at least in part through lipid-lowering independent mechanisms, paving the way to targeted anti-inflammatory strategies in VTE. This review outlines recent preclinical and clinical evidence supporting a role for inflammasome pathway activation in venous thrombosis, and discusses the, yet unexplored, therapeutic potential of modulating inflammasome signaling to prevent and manage VTE.

Ultra-processed food intake and incident venous thromboembolism risk: Prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Ultra-processed food (UPF) intake has been associated with multiple health outcomes, but data on the association between UPF intake and venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk are lacking. We conducted this study to examine the association between UPF intake and the risk of incident VTE.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study was based on 186,323 participants free of baseline VTE from the UK Biobank. UPF intake was assessed by 24-h recall questionnaires. Data on incident VTE came from the nationwide inpatient and primary care datasets and the death registry. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the association between UPF intake and incident VTE risk. Multiplicative interactions and stratified analyses by age, sex, and body mass index were performed.

RESULTS

During a 10.5-year (median) follow-up, 4235 incident VTE cases were diagnosed. After adjusting for covariates, the hazard ratio of VTE among individuals with the highest quintile of UPF intake was 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94, 1.17) for UPF in servings, 1.12 (95% CI 1.01, 1.24) in grams, 1.10 (95% CI 1.00, 1.22) in grams %, 1.21 (95% CI 1.10, 1.33) in energy, and 1.15 (95% CI 1.05, 1.27) in energy % compared to those in the lowest quintile. Age, sex, and body mass index did not modify the associations (Pinteraction > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher UPF intake was associated with a moderately increased risk of VTE.

Long Non-Coding RNAs in Venous Thromboembolism: Where Do We Stand?

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), a common condition in Western countries, is a cardiovascular disorder that arises due to haemostatic irregularities, which lead to thrombus generation inside veins. Even with successful treatment, the resulting disease spectrum of complications considerably affects the patient's quality of life, potentially leading to death. Cumulative data indicate that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may have a role in VTE pathogenesis. However, the clinical usefulness of these RNAs as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for VTE management is yet unclear. Thus, this article reviewed the emerging evidence on lncRNAs associated with VTE and with the activity of the coagulation system, which has a central role in disease pathogenesis. Until now, ten lncRNAs have been implicated in VTE pathogenesis, among which MALAT1 is the one with more evidence. Meanwhile, five lncRNAs have been reported to affect the expression of TFPI2, an important anticoagulant protein, but none with a described role in VTE development. More investigation in this field is needed as lncRNAs may help dissect VTE pathways, aiding in disease prediction, prevention and treatment.

A nomogram to predict postoperative deep vein thrombosis in patients with femoral fracture: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

The implementation of more active anticoagulant prevention and treatment measures has indeed led to a significant reduction in the incidence of perioperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) among patients with bone trauma. However, it is important to note that despite these efforts, the incidence of DVT still remains relatively high. According to the Caprini score, all patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery were defined as the high-risk group for DVT. Stratifying the risk further within high-risk groups for DVT continues to present challenges. As a result, the commonly used Caprini score during the perioperative period is not applicable to orthopedic patients. We attempt to establish a specialized model to predict postoperative DVT risk in patients with femoral fracture.

METHODS

We collected the clinical data of 513 patients undergoing femoral fracture surgery in our hospital from May 2018 to December 2019. According to the independent risk factors of DVT obtained by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, the corresponding nomogram model was established and verified internally. The discriminative capacity of nomogram was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC). The calibration curve used to verify model consistency was the fitted line between predicted and actual incidences. The clinical validity of the nomogram model was assessed using decision curve analysis (DCA) which could quantify the net benefit of different risk threshold probabilities. Bootstrap method was applied to the internal validation of the nomogram model. Furthermore, a comparison was made between the Caprini score and the developed nomogram model.

RESULTS

The Caprini scores of subjects ranged from 5 to 17 points. The incidence of DVT was not positively correlated with the Caprini score. The predictors of the nomogram model included 10 risk factors such as age, hypoalbuminemia, multiple trauma, perioperative red blood cell infusion, etc. Compared with the Caprini scale (AUC = 0.571, 95% CI 0.479-0.623), the calibration accuracy and identification ability of nomogram were higher (AUC = 0.865,95% CI 0.780-0.935). The decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated the clinical effectiveness of nomogram was higher than the Caprini score.

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram was established to effectively predict postoperative DVT in patients with femoral fracture. To further reduce the incidence, more specialized risk assessment models for DVT should take into account the unique risk factors and characteristics associated with specific patient populations.

Thromboinflammatory response is increased in pancreas transplant alone versus simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation and early pancreas graft thrombosis is associated with complement activation

BACKGROUND

Pancreas transplant alone (PTA) recipients are more affected by pancreas graft thrombosis, and graft loss compared to simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) recipients. The pathophysiology is unknown, but an increased immune response has been suggested in the PTA recipients. In this observational study, we compared perioperative thromboinflammation between PTA (n=32) and SPK (n=35) recipients, and between PTA recipients with (n=14) versus without (n=18) early graft thrombosis.

METHODS

We measured C-reactive protein (CRP), plasma markers of activated coagulation and complement, and cytokines preoperatively and daily during the first postoperative week.

RESULTS

Preoperatively, coagulation and complement activation markers were comparable between PTA and SPK recipients, while cytokine concentrations were higher in SPK recipients (TNF, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α; all p<0.05). On the first postoperative day, PTA recipients had higher coagulation activation, measured as thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), than SPK recipients (p=0.008). In the first postoperative week, PTA recipients showed higher relative cytokine release (IL-6, IL-8, G-CSF, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1α; all p<0.05) while SPK recipients showed higher absolute cytokine concentrations (TNF, IL-1ra, IL-8, MIP-1α, and IL-4; all p<0.05). PTA and SPK recipients showed similar terminal complement complex (TCC, sC5b-9) activation. On the first postoperative day, TCC (OR 1.2 [95% CI 1.0-1.5] for 0.1 CAU/ml increase, p=0.02) and CRP (OR 1.2 [95% CI 1.0-1.3] for 10 mg/L increase, p=0.04) were associated with an increased risk of early graft thrombosis. TCC was specific for graft thrombosis, while CRP increased with several complications. PTA recipients with compared to those without graft thrombosis had higher TCC pre- (p=0.04) and postoperatively (p=0.03).

CONCLUSION

The relative increase in postoperative thromboinflammatory response was more pronounced in PTA recipients. Complement activation was associated with an increased risk of graft thrombosis. This study indicates that innate immune activation rather than elevated levels may affect early postoperative pancreas graft thrombosis.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01957696, identifier NCT01957696.

C-reactive protein, immunothrombosis and venous thromboembolism

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a member of the highly conserved pentraxin superfamily of proteins and is often used in clinical practice as a marker of infection and inflammation. There is now increasing evidence that CRP is not only a marker of inflammation, but also that destabilized isoforms of CRP possess pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic properties. CRP circulates as a functionally inert pentameric form (pCRP), which relaxes its conformation to pCRP* after binding to phosphocholine-enriched membranes and then dissociates to monomeric CRP (mCRP). with the latter two being destabilized isoforms possessing highly pro-inflammatory features. pCRP* and mCRP have significant biological effects in regulating many of the aspects central to pathogenesis of atherothrombosis and venous thromboembolism (VTE), by directly activating platelets and triggering the classical complement pathway. Importantly, it is now well appreciated that VTE is a consequence of thromboinflammation. Accordingly, acute VTE is known to be associated with classical inflammatory responses and elevations of CRP, and indeed VTE risk is elevated in conditions associated with inflammation, such as inflammatory bowel disease, COVID-19 and sepsis. Although the clinical data regarding the utility of CRP as a biomarker in predicting VTE remains modest, and in some cases conflicting, the clinical utility of CRP appears to be improved in subsets of the population such as in predicting VTE recurrence, in cancer-associated thrombosis and in those with COVID-19. Therefore, given the known biological function of CRP in amplifying inflammation and tissue damage, this raises the prospect that CRP may play a role in promoting VTE formation in the context of concurrent inflammation. However, further investigation is required to unravel whether CRP plays a direct role in the pathogenesis of VTE, the utility of which will be in developing novel prophylactic or therapeutic strategies to target thromboinflammation.

Plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein is a biomarker for future venous thromboembolism: Results from discovery and validation studies

BACKGROUND

Effect-size underestimation impedes biomarker identification. Long follow-up time in prospective studies attenuates effect-size estimates for transient biomarkers, while disease category-specific biomarkers are affected by merging of categories. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) encompasses deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).

OBJECTIVES

(i) To re-analyze untargeted proteomic data to identify biomarker candidates for future VTE that differ between DVT and PE and are attenuated by extended time between sampling and VTE. (ii) To perform targeted candidate validation.

PATIENTS/METHODS

A VTE case-control discovery study and a nested case-control validation study were derived from the general population surveyed in 1994-95. Plasma was obtained at study enrollment, and VTE events were registered until 2007. Untargeted proteomic data were re-analyzed for candidate discovery. Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) was validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Elevated LBP was discovered as a candidate DVT biomarker in women with less than 3 years between blood sampling and DVT. In the validation study, the odds ratio (OR) for DVT was 2.03 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.53-2.74) per standard deviation (SD) increase in LBP for women with less than 3 years between blood sampling and DVT. Adjustment for age, body mass index, and C-reactive protein attenuated the OR to 1.79 (95% CI: 1.25-2.62) per SD. In the validation study, we observed an OR for VTE of 0.47 (95% CI: 0.28-0.77) for men in the 25^th to 50^th percentiles when compared to the lowest quartile.

CONCLUSIONS

We discovered and validated increased LBP as a predictive biomarker for DVT in women. We found an increased VTE risk for men in the lowest quartile of LBP.

Biomarkers of Venous Thromboembolism Recurrence after Discontinuation of Low Molecular Weight Heparin Treatment for Cancer-Associated Thrombosis (HISPALIS-Study)

The most appropriate duration of anticoagulant treatment for cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (CAT) remains unclear. We have conducted a prospective multicenter study in CAT patients with more than 6 months of anticoagulant treatment to predict the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence after anticoagulation discontinuation. Blood samples were obtained when patients stopped the anticoagulation, at 21 days and at 90 days. In each sample we assessed different coagulation-related biomarkers: D-dimer (DD), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), P-selectin (PS), phospholipids, soluble tissue factor, factor VIII and the thrombin generation test. It was evaluated 325 CAT patients and 166 patients were included in the study, mean age 64 ± 17 years. VTE recurrence until 6 months after stopping anticoagulation treatment was 9.87% [95% confidence interval (CI): 6−15]. The biomarkers sub-distribution hazard ratios were 6.32 for ratio DD basal/DD 21 days > 2 (95% CI: 1.82−21.90), 6.36 for hs-CRP > 4.5 (95% CI: 1.73−23.40) and 5.58 for PS > 40 (95% CI: 1.46−21.30) after 21 days of stopping anticoagulation. This is the first study that has identified the DD ratio, hs-CRP and PS as potential biomarkers of VTE recurrence in cancer patients after the discontinuation of anticoagulation treatment. A risk-adapted strategy may allow the identification of the optimal time to withdraw the anticoagulation in each CAT patient.

The Role of Excessive Anticoagulation and Missing Hyperinflammation in ECMO-Associated Bleeding

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in carefully selected patients with cardiac or respiratory failure. However, complications are common and can be associated with worse outcomes, while data on risk factors and outcomes are inconsistent and sparse. Therefore, we sought to investigate potential risk factors and predictors of haemorrhage and adverse events during ECMO and its influence on mortality. We retrospectively reviewed all patients on ECMO support admitted to intensive care units of a tertiary university centre in Austria. In a period of ten years, ECMO support was used in 613 patients, with 321 patients meeting the inclusion criteria of this study. Haemorrhage, occurring in more than one third of the included patients (123, 38%), represented the most common and serious ECMO complication, being associated with an increased one year mortality (51% vs. 35%, p = 0.005). The main risk factors for haemorrhage were severity of the disease (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.01, p = 0.047), a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (HR = 1.01, p = 0.007), and lower values of C-reactive protein (HR = 0.96, p = 0.005) and procalcitonin (HR = 0.99, p = 0.029). In summary, haemorrhage remained the main ECMO complication with increased mortality. Moreover, we reported a possible association of lower inflammation and bleeding during ECMO support for the first time. This generated a new hypothesis that warrants further research. Finally, we recommend stricter monitoring of anticoagulation especially in patients without hyperinflammation.

Prophylactic versus therapeutic dose anticoagulation effects on survival among critically ill patients with COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

Although patients with severe COVID-19 are known to be at high risk of developing thrombotic events, the effects of anticoagulation (AC) dose and duration on in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients remain poorly understood and controversial. The goal of this study was to investigate survival of critically ill COVID-19 patients who received prophylactic or therapeutic dose AC and analyze the mortality rate with respect to detailed demographic and clinical characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, observational study of critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York who received either prophylactic (n = 158) or therapeutic dose AC (n = 153). Primary outcome was in-hospital death assessed by survival analysis and covariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

For the first 3 weeks of ICU stay, we observed similar survival curves for prophylactic and therapeutic AC groups. However, after 3 or more weeks of ICU stay, the therapeutic AC group, characterized by high incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), had markedly higher death incidence rates with 8.6 deaths (95% CI = 6.2-11.9 deaths) per 1,000 person-days and about 5 times higher risk of death (adj. HR = 4.89, 95% CI = 1.71-14.0, p = 0.003) than the prophylactic group (2.4 deaths [95% CI = 0.9-6.3 deaths] per 1,000 person-days). Among therapeutic AC users with prolonged ICU admission, non-survivors were characterized by older males with depressed lymphocyte counts and cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings raise the possibility that prolonged use of high dose AC, independent of thrombotic events or clinical background, might be associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Moreover, AKI, age, lymphocyte count, and cardiovascular disease may represent important risk factors that could help identify at-risk patients who require long-term hospitalization with therapeutic dose AC treatment.

Thromboembolic Events During Treatment with Cisplatin-based Chemotherapy in Metastatic Testicular Germ-cell Cancer 2000-2014: A Population-based Cohort Study

Background

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CBCT) in testicular cancer (TC) is associated with elevated venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk, but trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of thromboprophylaxis are lacking.

Objective

To evaluate the arterial thromboembolism (ATE) and VTE incidence and risk factors during first-line CBCT for metastatic TC, and the effect of thromboprophylaxis on VTE and bleeding.

Design setting and participants

In a population-based study, 506 men administered first-line CBCT during 2000-2014 at three university hospitals in Norway were included. Clinical variables were retrieved from medical records.

Outcome measurements and statistical analysis

Patients with ATE and VTE diagnosed at initiation of or during CBCT until 3 mo after completion were registered. Age-adjusted logistic regression was performed to identify possible VTE risk factors.

Results and limitations

Overall, 69 men (13.6%) were diagnosed with 70 thromboembolic events. Twelve men (2.4%) experienced ATE. Overall, 58 men (11.5%) experienced VTE, of whom 13 (2.6%) were prevalent at CBCT initiation, while 45 (8.9%) were diagnosed with incident VTE. Age-adjusted logistic regression identified retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis >5 cm (odds ratio [OR] 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-3.91), central venous access (OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.46-5.50), and elevated C-reactive protein (>5 mg/l; OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.12-5.07) as incident VTE risk factors. Thromboprophylaxis (n = 84) did not influence the risk of VTE (VTE incidence with or without prophylaxis 13% vs 8%, p = 0.16). The incidence of bleeding events was significantly higher among those who received thromboprophylaxis than among those without thromboprophylaxis (14.5% vs 1.1%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

We found a high rate of thromboembolism incidence of 13.6%. Thromboprophylaxis did not decrease the risk of VTE but was associated with an increased risk of bleeding.

Patient summary

We found a high rate of thromboembolism (13.6%) during cisplatin-based chemotherapy for metastatic testicular cancer. Prophylactic treatment against thromboses did not reduce the thrombosis frequency, but it resulted in a high incidence of bleeding events.

A novel weighting method to remove bias from within-subject exposure dependency in case-crossover studies

BACKGROUND

Case-crossover studies have been widely used in various fields including pharmacoepidemiology. Vines and Farrington indicated in 2001 that when within-subject exposure dependency exists, conditional logistic regression can be biased. However, this bias has not been well studied.

METHODS

We have extended findings by Vines and Farrington to develop a weighting method for the case-crossover study which removes bias from within-subject exposure dependency. Our method calculates the exposure probability at the case period in the case-crossover study which is used to weight the likelihood formulae presented by Greenland in 1999. We simulated data for the population with a disease where most patients receive a cyclic treatment pattern with within-subject exposure dependency but no time trends while some patients stop and start treatment. Finally, the method was applied to real-world data from Japan to study the association between celecoxib and peripheral edema and to study the association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and hip fracture in Australia.

RESULTS

When the simulated rate ratio of the outcome was 4.0 in a case-crossover study with no time-varying confounder, the proposed weighting method and the Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio reproduced the true rate ratio. When a time-varying confounder existed, the Mantel-Haenszel method was biased but the weighting method was not. When more than one control period was used, standard conditional logistic regression was biased either with or without time-varying confounding and the bias increased (up to 8.7) when the study period was extended. In real-world analysis with a binary exposure variable in Japan and Australia, the point estimate of the odds ratio (around 2.5 for the association between celecoxib and peripheral edema and around 1.6 between SSRI and hip fracture) by our weighting method was equal to the Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio and stable compared with standard conditional logistic regression.

CONCLUSION

Case-crossover studies may be biased from within-subject exposure dependency, even without exposure time trends. This bias can be identified by comparing the odds ratio by the Mantel-Haenszel method and that by standard conditional logistic regression. We recommend using our proposed method which removes bias from within-subject exposure dependency and can account for time-varying confounders.

Systemic inflammation in COVID‐19 patients may induce various types of venous and arterial thrombosis: A systematic review

COVID‐19 is a global pandemic with a daily increasing number of affected individuals. Thrombosis is a severe complication of COVID‐19 that leads to a worse clinical course with higher rates of mortality. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that hyperinflammation plays a crucial role in disease progression. This review compiles clinical data of COVID‐19 patients who developed thrombotic complications to investigate the possible role of hyperinflammation in inducing hypercoagulation. A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, Medline and Scopus to identify relevant clinical studies that investigated thrombotic manifestations and reported inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers in COVID‐19 patients. Only 54 studies met our inclusion criteria, the majority of which demonstrated significantly elevated inflammatory markers. In the cohort studies with control, D‐dimer was significantly higher in COVID‐19 patients with thrombosis as compared to the control. Pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis and strokes were frequently reported which could be attributed to the hyperinflammatory response associated with COVID‐19 and/or to the direct viral activation of platelets and endothelial cells, two mechanisms that are discussed in this review. It is recommended that all admitted COVID‐19 patients should be assessed for hypercoagulation. Furthermore, several studies have suggested that anticoagulation may be beneficial, especially in hospitalized non‐ICU patients. Although vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2 have been approved and distributed in several countries, research should continue in the field of prevention and treatment of COVID‐19 and its severe complications including thrombosis due to the emergence of new variants against which the efficacy of the vaccines is not yet clear.

Anti-inflammatory diet and venous thromboembolism: Two prospective cohort studies

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Inflammation has been revealed to facilitate thrombogenesis and to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, limited data are available on the association between the anti-inflammatory diet and incident VTE. We conducted a cohort analysis to examine this association and to further examine whether this association is modified by smoking status, a trigger of systemic inflammation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used data from two cohorts including 81,507 middle-aged and older Swedish adults without previous VTE at baseline. An empirically validated anti-inflammatory diet index (AIDI), based on 12 foods with anti-inflammatory potential and 5 foods with pro-inflammatory potential, was employed to estimate the anti-inflammatory potential of diet. Hazard ratios (HRs), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), of VTE were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression models. During a mean follow-up of 17.8-years, 5241 VTE cases were diagnosed. Compared with individuals in the lowest quartile of the AIDI (score ≤4), those in the highest quartile (score ≥8) had a 9% (95% CI, 0-17%) lower risk of VTE. The inverse association was observed in current and past smokers (HR between the two extreme quartiles, 0.80, 95% CI, 0.70-0.91) but not in never smokers (HR, 1.03, 95% CI, 0.91-1.17). French fries (HR per serving, 1.33, 95% CI, 1.06, 1.67) but no other foods included in AIDI was associated with VTE.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that a consumption of foods with high anti-inflammatory potential may play a role in the prevention of VTE in smokers.

Hemostatic factors, inflammatory markers, and risk of incident venous thromboembolism: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Several hemostatic factors and inflammatory markers are associated with the risk of incident venous thromboembolism (VTE), however, most existing data are from case-control studies in Caucasian populations.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to prospectively confirm previous findings and explore less studied biomarkers in relation to VTE risk in a multi-racial/multi-ethnic cohort.

METHODS

Circulating levels of factor VIII, fibrinogen, D-dimer, plasmin-antiplasmin complex (PAP), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured at baseline (2000-2002) in 6706 participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Incident VTE was identified using hospitalization discharge codes from baseline to December 31, 2015. Hazard ratios (HRs) of VTE were estimated in Cox regression models.

RESULTS

There were 227 events during a median of 14 years of follow-up. Compared with participants in the lowest quartile, the HRs for those above the 95th percentile and p for trend across categories were 3.50 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.98-6.19; p < .001) for D-dimer, 1.49 (95% CI 0.84-2.63; p = .02) for factor VIII, 1.32 (95% CI 0.76-2.28; p = .99) for fibrinogen, 1.92 (95% CI 1.08-3.42; p = .15) for PAP, 1.68 (95% CI 0.81-3.48; p = .08) for CRP, and 2.55 (95% CI 1.15-5.66; p = .07) for IL-6, after adjustment for demographics and body mass index. For CRP and IL-6, follow-up was restricted to 10 years because of violations of the proportional hazards assumption. No significant interactions by age/ethnicity were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated a fairly novel association between PAP and risk of incident VTE, and contributed further prospective confirmation regarding the associations of D-dimer, factor VIII, and IL-6 with VTE.

Serial markers of coagulation and inflammation and the occurrence of clinical pulmonary thromboembolism in mechanically ventilated patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection; the prospective Maastricht intensive care COVID cohort

Background

The incidence of pulmonary thromboembolism is high in SARS-CoV-2 patients admitted to the Intensive Care. Elevated biomarkers of coagulation (fibrinogen and D-dimer) and inflammation (c-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin) are associated with poor outcome in SARS-CoV-2. Whether the time-course of fibrinogen, D-dimer, CRP and ferritin is associated with the occurrence of pulmonary thromboembolism in SARS-CoV-2 patients is unknown. We hypothesise that patients on mechanical ventilation with SARS-CoV-2 infection and clinical pulmonary thromboembolism have lower concentrations of fibrinogen and higher D-dimer, CRP, and ferritin concentrations over time compared to patients without a clinical pulmonary thromboembolism.

Methods

In a prospective study, fibrinogen, D-dimer, CRP and ferritin were measured daily. Clinical suspected pulmonary thromboembolism was either confirmed or excluded based on computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or by transthoracic ultrasound (TTU) (i.e., right-sided cardiac thrombus). In addition, patients who received therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator were included when clinical instability in suspected pulmonary thromboembolism did not allow CTPA. Serial data were analysed using a mixed-effects linear regression model, and models were adjusted for known risk factors (age, sex, APACHE-II score, body mass index), biomarkers of coagulation and inflammation, and anticoagulants.

Results

Thirty-one patients were considered to suffer from pulmonary thromboembolism ((positive CTPA (n = 27), TTU positive (n = 1), therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (n = 3)), and eight patients with negative CTPA were included. After adjustment for known risk factors and anticoagulants, patients with, compared to those without, clinical pulmonary thromboembolism had lower average fibrinogen concentration of − 0.9 g/L (95% CI: − 1.6 – − 0.1) and lower average ferritin concentration of − 1045 μg/L (95% CI: − 1983 – − 106) over time. D-dimer and CRP average concentration did not significantly differ, 561 μg/L (− 6212–7334) and 27 mg/L (− 32–86) respectively. Ferritin lost statistical significance, both in sensitivity analysis and after adjustment for fibrinogen and D-dimer.

Conclusion

Lower average concentrations of fibrinogen over time were associated with the presence of clinical pulmonary thromboembolism in patients at the Intensive Care, whereas D-dimer, CRP and ferritin were not. Lower concentrations over time may indicate the consumption of fibrinogen related to thrombus formation in the pulmonary vessels.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12959-021-00286-7.

Inflammatory Biomarkers in the Short-Term Prognosis of Venous Thromboembolism: A Narrative Review

The relationship between inflammation and venous thrombosis is not well understood. An inflammatory response may be both the cause and consequence of venous thromboembolism (VTE). In fact, several risk factors of VTE modulate thrombosis through inflammatory markers. Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is burdened by a remarkable mortality rate, up to 34% in severely ill patients presenting with hemodynamic instability. Initial mortality risk stratification is based on hemodynamic instability. Patients with a situation of hemodynamic stability require immediate further risk assessment based on clinical, imaging, and circulating biomarkers, as well as the presence of comorbidities. Some inflammatory biomarkers have shown potential usefulness in the risk stratification of patients with VTE, especially acute PE. C-reactive protein on admission is associated with 30-day mortality and bleeding in VTE patients. P-selectin is associated with right ventricle dysfunction in PE patients and might be associated with VTE recurrences and the extension of thrombosis. Tissue factor microparticles are associated with VTE recurrence in cancer-associated thrombosis. Other inflammatory biomarkers present scarce evidence (inflammatory cytokines, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, leukocyte count). In this manuscript, we will review the prognostic role of different inflammatory biomarkers available both for clinical practice and research in VTE patients.

Identifying Biomarkers Associated with Venous Infarction in Acute/Subacute Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Among cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) patients, those with venous infarction have more severe clinical presentations and worse outcomes. Identifying biomarkers associated with venous infarction in CVT may help understand the pathogenesis and provide potentially useful therapeutic markers. Fifty-two CVT patients were prospectively recruited and divided into three groups: acute/subacute CVT with venous infarction (ASVI, n=30), without venous infarction (ASOVI, n=13), and chronic CVT (n=9). Blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability-related proteins, including claudin-5, occludin, matrix metalloproteinase-9, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and S100B, and inflammation-related factor high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), were tested in serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid upon admission. We compared these biomarkers between the three groups and investigated their associations with venous infarction and clinical symptom severity in acute/subacute CVT patients on admission using the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Serum hs-CRP was significantly higher in acute/subacute CVT patients than chronic CVT patients. For acute/subacute CVT patients, levels were significantly higher in the ASVI group than the ASOVI group for serum claudin-5 (medians 2.80 vs. 2.50 mg/I, respectively, P = 0.039) and hs-CRP (medians 17.25 vs. 2.27 mg/l, respectively, P = 0.003). Both these biomarkers, analyzed as categorical or continuous variables, were also significantly associated with venous infarction in acute/subacute CVT patients after logistic regression analysis. Additionally, hs-CRP was positively correlated with the NIHSS (r = 0.710, P < 0.001) on admission in acute/subacute CVT patients. In CVT patients, venous infarction was associated with BBB disruption and potentially inflammation. Hs-CRP might serve as a biomarker reflecting the clinical severity of CVT in the acute/subacute stages.

Arterial Thrombotic Events in Adult Inpatients With COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical course of and risk factors for arterial thrombotic events in adult inpatients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS

All consecutive adult patients admitted for COVID-19 infection in a referral center in France and discharged from the hospital between April 1 and April 30, 2020, were included. All arterial thrombotic events that occurred through discharge were considered for analysis. Epidemiologic, demographic, clinical, laboratory, treatment, and outcome data were extracted from electronic medical records with use of a standardized data collection form.

RESULTS

Overall, 531 COVID-19+ patients were analyzed. Among them, 30 (5.6%) experienced arterial thrombotic events. Arterial thrombotic events in the setting of COVID-19 infection happened at a median of 11 (5-20) days after the first symptoms of infection; occurred in high-risk patients according to traditional cardiovascular risk factors; had an atypical pattern, such as thrombosis of the aorta, upper limb, or renal arteries or cerebral microvasculopathy in 7 (23.3%) cases; and were associated with an in-hospital mortality rate of 40%. Arterial thrombotic events increased the risk of death by 3-fold in COVID-19+ patients (hazard ratio, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.4 to 4.7; P=.002). A subdistribution survival hazard model showed that a concentration of D-dimer above 1250 ng/mL increased the risk of arterial thrombotic events in COVID-19+ patients by more than 7 (subdistribution hazard ratio, 7.68; 95% CI, 2.9 to 20.6; P<.001).

CONCLUSION

A dramatically high rate of in-hospital death was observed in patients who suffered arterial thrombotic events in the setting of COVID-19 infection. A D-dimer level above 1250 ng/mL at entry may identify COVID-19+ patients at risk for arterial thrombotic events.

Analysis of perioperative risk factors for deep vein thrombosis in patients with femoral and pelvic fractures

Objective

Clinical characteristics, anticoagulant protocols, and risk factors of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with femoral and pelvic fractures were analyzed throughout the perioperative period to provide references for early identification and optimization of risk factors.

Methods

This was a retrospective study. A total of 569 patients undergoing surgery of femoral and pelvic fractures from May 2018 to December 2019 were included.

The clinical data including general conditions, trauma, surgery, anticoagulant protocols, and laboratory indexes were collected. According to the results of deep vein Doppler ultrasonography of the lower extremities, the patients were divided into non-DVT group and DVT group. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the independent risk factors of preoperative and postoperative DVT.

Results

The incidence of DVT was 40.25% and preoperative DVT was 26.71%, which was higher than the incidence of postoperative DVT of 17.22%. Most of them were thrombus on the affected side (60.26%) and distal thrombus (81.66%). The average time of DVT formation was 6.55 ± 0.47 days after trauma and 6.67 ± 0.48 days after surgery. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), anemia, hypoproteinemia, non-anticoagulation before surgery, delayed anticoagulation after trauma and admission, high-energy trauma, multiple injuries, drinking history, and advanced age were independent risk factors for perioperative DVT. The increased level of fibrinogen degradation products was an independent risk factor for preoperative DVT. These risk factors were identified to be independently associated with postoperative DVT, including intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative blood transfusion, pulmonary infection, preoperative non-anticoagulation, postoperative delayed anticoagulation, preoperative waiting time > 7 days, operative time > 2 h, c-reactive protein, fibrinogen level, platelet count 1 day after surgery, c-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and hemoglobin levels 3 days after surgery, comminuted fracture.

Conclusions

At present, anticoagulation and other DVT prevention and treatment programs have not changed the current situation that the incidence of DVT is still high. Through the analysis of the risk factors of DVT throughout the perioperative period, optimizing the perioperative blood transfusion, preoperative lung disease, hypoproteinemia, anemia, inflammation, etc., and surgery as soon as possible after trauma may further reduce its incidence.

Systematic duplex ultrasound screening in conventional units for COVID-19 patients with follow-up of 5 days

OBJECTIVE

COVID-19 patients may develop coagulopathy, which is associated with poor prognosis and high risk of thrombosis. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs (DVT) through ultrasonography in patients infected with COVID-19 admitted to conventional units at our hospital with 5 days of monitoring. The secondary objective was to determine if D-dimer levels, body mass index, and C-reactive protein were associated with DVT.

METHODS

A total of 72 patients, with a mean age of 65 ± 12.3 years, infected with COVID-19 were admitted to three conventional units at our institution; 28 patients were women. A COVID-19 diagnosis was made by a transcriptase polymerase chain reaction by means of nasopharyngeal swab or by chest computer tomography without iodine contrast media. Demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory parameters were collected. A preventive anticoagulation treatment was established on admission with low-molecular-weight heparin. A complete venous duplex ultrasound (DU) test of lower limbs was performed on day (D) 0 and D5. A pulmonary computer tomography angiogram with iodine contrast media was required when pulmonary embolism was suspected.

RESULTS

On D0, the DU showed acute DVT in seven patients (9.75%). A pulmonary computer tomography angiogram was performed in 12 patients (16.65%), 3 (25%) of whom had an acute pulmonary embolism. On D0, acute DVT was not significantly associated with C-reactive protein (mean 101 ± 98.6 in the group without DVT vs 67.6 ± 58.4 mg/L, P = .43) or body mass index (27.7 ± 5.04 vs 28.1 ± 2.65 kg/m², P = .54). However, we found a significant association between acute DVT and D-dimer levels (1536 ± 2347 vs 9652 ± 10,205 ng/mL, P < .01). Among the patients included on D0, only 32 had a DU on D5. Forty of them (55.55%) were not examined for the following reasons: 7 (9.7%) were previously diagnosed with venous thromboembolism on D0 and therefore were excluded on D5, 8 (11%) were transferred to the intensive care unit, 10 (14%) were discharged from the hospital, 5 (7%) died, and 10 (13.9%) were excluded because of technical issues. On D5, five (15.6%) patients had acute DVT in addition to those found on D0; three were distal and two proximal despite preventive anticoagulation with low-molecular-weight heparin.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalized non-intensive care unit patients with COVID-19 pneumonia have a high frequency of venous thrombotic events justifying screening with DU.

COVID-19 and coagulation: bleeding and thrombotic manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have elevated D-dimer levels. Early reports describe high venous thromboembolism (VTE) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) rates, but data are limited. This multicenter retrospective study describes the rate and severity of hemostatic and thrombotic complications of 400 hospital-admitted COVID-19 patients (144 critically ill) primarily receiving standard-dose prophylactic anticoagulation. Coagulation and inflammatory parameters were compared between patients with and without coagulation-associated complications. Multivariable logistic models examined the utility of these markers in predicting coagulation-associated complications, critical illness, and death. The radiographically confirmed VTE rate was 4.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9-7.3), and the overall thrombotic complication rate was 9.5% (95% CI, 6.8-12.8). The overall and major bleeding rates were 4.8% (95% CI, 2.9-7.3) and 2.3% (95% CI, 1.0-4.2), respectively. In the critically ill, radiographically confirmed VTE and major bleeding rates were 7.6% (95% CI, 3.9-13.3) and 5.6% (95% CI, 2.4-10.7), respectively. Elevated D-dimer at initial presentation was predictive of coagulation-associated complications during hospitalization (D-dimer >2500 ng/mL, adjusted odds ratio [OR] for thrombosis, 6.79 [95% CI, 2.39-19.30]; adjusted OR for bleeding, 3.56 [95% CI, 1.01-12.66]), critical illness, and death. Additional markers at initial presentation predictive of thrombosis during hospitalization included platelet count >450 × 109/L (adjusted OR, 3.56 [95% CI, 1.27-9.97]), C-reactive protein (CRP) >100 mg/L (adjusted OR, 2.71 [95% CI, 1.26-5.86]), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) >40 mm/h (adjusted OR, 2.64 [95% CI, 1.07-6.51]). ESR, CRP, fibrinogen, ferritin, and procalcitonin were higher in patients with thrombotic complications than in those without. DIC, clinically relevant thrombocytopenia, and reduced fibrinogen were rare and were associated with significant bleeding manifestations. Given the observed bleeding rates, randomized trials are needed to determine any potential benefit of intensified anticoagulant prophylaxis in COVID-19 patients.

Predicting the Risk of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities

Acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a commonly diagnosed condition and requires treatment with anticoagulation to reduce the risk of embolisation as well as recurrent venous thrombotic events. In many cases, cessation of anticoagulation is associated with an unacceptably high risk of recurrent VTE, precipitating the use of indefinite anticoagulation. In contrast, however, continuing anticoagulation is associated with increased major bleeding events. As a consequence, it is essential to accurately predict the subgroup of patients who have the highest probability of experiencing recurrent VTE, so that treatment can be appropriately tailored to each individual. To this end, the development of clinical prediction models has aided in calculating the risk of recurrent thrombotic events; however, there are several limitations with regards to routine use for all patients with acute VTE. More recently, focus has shifted towards the utility of novel biomarkers in the understanding of disease pathogenesis as well as their application in predicting recurrent VTE. Below, we review the current strategies used to predict the development of recurrent VTE, with emphasis on the application of several promising novel biomarkers in this field.

Medication as a risk factor for hospitalization due to heart failure and shock: a series of case-crossover studies in Swiss claims data

Purpose

Heart failure is among the leading causes for hospitalization in Europe. In this study, we evaluate potential precipitating factors for hospitalization for heart failure and shock.

Methods

Using Swiss claims data (2014–2015), we evaluated the association between hospitalization for heart failure and shock, and prescription of oral potassium supplements, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. We conducted case-crossover analyses, where exposure was compared for the hazard period and the primary control period (e.g., 1–30 days before hospitalization vs. 31–60 days, respectively). Conditional logistic regression was applied and subsequently adjusted for addressing potential confounding by disease progression. Sensitivity analyses were conducted and stratification for co-medication was performed.

Results

We identified 2185 patients hospitalized with heart failure or shock. Prescription of potassium supplements, NSAIDs, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was significantly associated with an increased risk for hospitalization for heart failure and shock with crude odds ratios (OR) of 2.04 for potassium (95% CI 1.24–3.36, p = 0.005, 30 days), OR 1.8 for NSAIDs (95% CI 1.39–2.33, p < 0.0001, 30 days), and OR 3.25 for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (95% CI 2.06–5.14, p < 0.0001, 15 days), respectively. Adjustment attenuated odds ratios, while the significant positive association remained (potassium OR 1.70 (95% CI 1.01–2.86, p = 0.046), NSAIDs OR 1.50 (95% CI 1.14–1.97, p = 0.003), and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid OR 2.26 (95% CI 1.41–3.62, p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Prescription of potassium supplements, NSAIDs, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is associated with increased risk for hospitalization. Underlying conditions such as pain, electrolyte imbalances, and infections are likely contributing risk factors. Physicians may use this knowledge to better identify patients at risk and adapt patient management.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00228-020-02835-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.