Rate of Venous Thrombosis in Acutely Ill Patients Hospitalized in Internal Medicine Wards

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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After reports from observational studies suggesting an association between acutely ill medical patients and venous thromboembolism (VTE), interventional trials with anticoagulants drugs have demonstrated a significant reduction of VTE during and immediately after hospitalisation. Although several guidelines suggest the clinical relevance of reducing this outcome, there is a low tendency to use anticoagulants in patients hospitalised for acute medical illness. This observational multicentre study wants to evaluate the incidence of venous thrombo-embolism in acutely ill patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards.

Detailed Description
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Epidemiological studies have provided evidence of a high rate of thromboembolism in patients hospitalised in medical wards. Based on this, several clinical trials with anticoagulants including low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and fondaparinux have been performed in patients hospitalised for acute medical illness to prevent thromboembolism. Interventional trials consistently showed that prophylaxis with anticoagulants reduces the risk of composite endpoints of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) and DVT-related death. These results prompted recommendation to the use anticoagulant prophylaxis in patients hospitalised for acute medical illness, but, despite this, there is a widespread underuse of anticoagulant prophylaxis in the medical wards of hospitals. This observational multicentre study wants to evaluate the incidence of venous thrombo-embolism in acutely ill patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards.

Official Title
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Rate of Venous Thrombosis in Acutely Ill Patients Hospitalized in Internal Medicine Wards

Conditions
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Venous Thromboembolism, Deep Venous Thrombosis

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: low-molecular-weight heparin


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: pneumonia heart failure Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Kidney failure syncope atrial fibrillation Urinary Tract Infection Anemia arthritis Diabetic Ketoacidosis unstable angina asthma cirrhosis Exclusion Criteria: treatment with vitamin k inhibitors surgical interventions deep venous thrombosis pulmonary embolism

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 90 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Medical Patients<br>Medical patients who received, at admission and during all the length of recovery, antithrombotic drugs (low-molecular-weight heparin at prophylactic dosage ). | Drug: low-molecular-weight heparin<br> <br> |
| Control Group<br>Medical patients not treated with antithrombotic drugs during the recovery. Subjects age, sex and comorbidities matched. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Venous thrombo-embolism | Evaluation of deep venous thrombosis by compression ultrasonography (CUS) | Baseline, up to 4 weeks |