Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism: Incidence and Risk Factors in Patients with Spontaneous or Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage

Abstract BACKGROUND Venous thromboembolism is a common complication of traumatic brain injury with an estimated incidence of 25% when chemoprophylaxis is delayed. The timing of initiating prophylaxis is controversial given the concern for hemorrhage expansion. OBJECTIVE To determine the safety of initiating venous thromboembolic event (VTE) chemoprophylaxis within 24 h of presentation. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage presenting to a level I trauma center. Patients receiving early chemoprophylaxis (<24 h) were compared to the matched cohort of patients who received heparin in a delayed fashion (>48 h). The primary outcome of the study was radiographic expansion of the intracranial hemorrhage. Secondary outcomes included VTE, use of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, delayed decompressive surgery, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS Of 282 patients, 94 (33%) received chemoprophylaxis within 24 h of admission. The cohorts were evenly matched across all variables. The primary outcome occurred in 18% of patients in the early cohort compared to 17% in the delayed cohort (P = .83). Fifteen patients (16%) in the early cohort underwent an invasive procedure in a delayed fashion; this compares to 35 patients (19%) in the delayed cohort (P = .38). Five patients (1.7%) in our study had a VTE during their hospitalization; 2 of these patients received early chemoprophylaxis (P = .75). The rate of mortality from all causes was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION Early (<24 h) initiation of VTE chemoprophylaxis in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage appears to be safe. Further prospective studies are needed to validate this finding.

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Prophylactic anticoagulation to prevent venous thromboembolism in traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: A decision analysis

Critical Care ◽

10.1186/cc8980 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. R72 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Damon C Scales ◽

Jay Riva-Cambrin ◽

Dave Wells ◽

Valerie Athaide ◽

John T Granton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Decision Analysis ◽

Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽

Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽

Prophylactic Anticoagulation

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Is Repeated Head Computed Tomography Necessary for Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage?

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/000313480507100901 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 71 (9) ◽

pp. 701-704 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rob Schuster ◽

Kenneth Waxman

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Computed Tomography ◽

Multivariate Analysis ◽

Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽

Trauma Center ◽

Head Ct ◽

Neurologic Status ◽

Level Ii ◽

Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽

Head Computed Tomography

This study was performed to determine the need for repeat head computed tomography (CT) in patients with blunt traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) who were initially treated nonoperatively and to determine which factors predicted observation failure or success. A total of 1,462 patients were admitted to our level II trauma center for treatment of head injury. Seventeen per cent (255/1,462) were diagnosed with ICH on initial head CT. Craniotomy was initially performed in 15.7 per cent (40/255) of patients with ICH. Two hundred sixteen patients with ICH were initially observed. Ninety-seven per cent (179/184) of observed patients with ICH and repeat head CT never underwent a craniotomy, 2.7 per cent (5/184) of patients with ICH initially observed underwent craniotomy after repeat head CT, and four patients (80%) had deteriorating neurologic status. Multivariate analysis revealed the following significant admission risk factors were associated with a need for repeat head CT indicating the need for craniotomy: treatment with anti-coagulation and/or antiplatelet medications, elevated prothrombin time (PT), and age greater than 70 years. In patients with blunt traumatic intracranial hemorrhage initially observed, there is little utility of repeated head CT in the absence of deteriorating neurologic status. The only admission risk factors for a repeat CT indicating the need for craniotomy were advanced age and coagulopathy.

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Premature Arterial Disease Associated with Familial Antithrombin III Deficiency

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1645677 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 63 (01) ◽

pp. 013-015 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

E J Johnson ◽

C R M Prentice ◽

L A Parapia

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Potential Risk ◽

Antithrombin Iii ◽

Arterial Disease ◽

Coagulation System ◽

Early Age ◽

Arterial Thromboembolism ◽

Potential Risk Factors ◽

Antithrombin Iii Deficiency

SummaryAntithrombin III (ATIII) deficiency is one of the few known abnormalities of the coagulation system known to predispose to venous thromboembolism but its relation to arterial disease is not established. We describe two related patients with this disorder, both of whom suffered arterial thrombotic events, at an early age. Both patients had other potential risk factors, though these would normally be considered unlikely to lead to such catastrophic events at such an age. Thrombosis due to ATIII deficiency is potentially preventable, and this diagnosis should be sought more frequently in patients with arterial thromboembolism, particularly if occurring at a young age. In addition, in patients with known ATIII deficiency, other risk factors for arterial disease should be eliminated, if possible. In particular, these patients should be counselled against smoking.

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Risk Factors for Bleeding during Treatment of Acute Venous Thromboembolism

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1650643 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 76 (05) ◽

pp. 682-688 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Jos P J Wester ◽

Harold W de Valk ◽

Karel H Nieuwenhuis ◽

Catherine B Brouwer ◽

Yolanda van der Graaf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Surface Area ◽

Body Surface Area ◽

Body Surface ◽

Small Body ◽

Bleeding Risk ◽

Risk Scores ◽

Risk Of Bleeding ◽

Acute Venous Thromboembolism

Summary Objective: Identification of risk factors for bleeding and prospective evaluation of two bleeding risk scores in the treatment of acute venous thromboembolism. Design: Secondary analysis of a prospective, randomized, assessor-blind, multicenter clinical trial. Setting: One university and 2 regional teaching hospitals. Patients: 188 patients treated with heparin or danaparoid for acute venous thromboembolism. Measurements: The presenting clinical features, the doses of the drugs, and the anticoagulant responses were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis in order to evaluate prognostic factors for bleeding. In addition, the recently developed Utrecht bleeding risk score and Landefeld bleeding risk index were evaluated prospectively. Results: Major bleeding occurred in 4 patients (2.1%) and minor bleeding in 101 patients (53.7%). For all (major and minor combined) bleeding, body surface area ≤2 m2 (odds ratio 2.3, 95% Cl 1.2-4.4; p = 0.01), and malignancy (odds ratio 2.4, 95% Cl 1.1-4.9; p = 0.02) were confirmed to be independent risk factors. An increased treatment-related risk of bleeding was observed in patients treated with high doses of heparin, independent of the concomitant activated partial thromboplastin time ratios. Both bleeding risk scores had low diagnostic value for bleeding in this sample of mainly minor bleeders. Conclusions: A small body surface area and malignancy were associated with a higher frequency of bleeding. The bleeding risk scores merely offer the clinician a general estimation of the risk of bleeding. In patients with a small body surface area or in patients with malignancy, it may be of interest to study whether limited dose reduction of the anticoagulant drug may cause less bleeding without affecting efficacy.

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Venous Thromboembolism and High Grade Gliomas

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1649592 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 70 (03) ◽

pp. 393-396 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Mandeep S Dhami ◽

Robert D Bona ◽

John A Calogero ◽

Richard M Hellman

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Medical Center ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Bleeding Complications ◽

Fisher Exact Test ◽

High Grade ◽

Chi Square ◽

Exact Test ◽

High Grade Gliomas

SummaryA retrospective study was done to determine the incidence of and the risk factors predisposing to clinical venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients treated for high grade gliomas. Medical records of 68 consecutive patients diagnosed and treated at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center from January 1986 to June 1991 were reviewed. The follow up was to time of death or at least 6 months (up to December 1991). All clinically suspected episodes of VTE were confirmed by objective tests. Sixteen episodes of VTE were detected in 13 patients for an overall episode rate of 23.5%. Administration of chemotherapy (p = 0.027, two tailed Fisher exact test) and presence of paresis (p = 0.031, two tailed Fisher exact test) were statistically significant risk factors for the development of VTE. Thrombotic events were more likely to occur in the paretic limb and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.00049, chi square test, with Yates correction). No major bleeding complications were seen in the nine episodes treated with long term anticoagulation.We conclude that venous thromboembolic complications are frequently encountered in patients being treated for high grade gliomas and the presence of paresis and the administration of chemotherapy increases the risk of such complications.

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