Argentine Registry of Venous Thromboembolism

pp. 233-238

Abstract

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) with its two presentations: deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. To obtain national data on this pathology, the Council of Cardiovascular Emergencies and the Research Area of the Argentine Society of Cardiology conducted a prospective registry of patients with confirmed VTE in 54 centers during one year.
Methods: Patients with confirmed VTE were included in a prospective, consecutive and continuous registry during 2009-2010 in 54 participating centers of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and the rest of the country (n = 26 and 28, respectively). Individual patient data were registered in an electronic form.
Results: One hundred and eighty one patients with median age of 66 years (53-79), 59% of which were women, were included in the study. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in 34%, DVT in 33% and PE + DVT in 33%. The most prevalent risk factors were prolonged rest in 42% of cases, cancer in 20%, history of VTE in 10% and none in 9%. All DVT were diagnosed by venous Doppler. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed by spiral CT scan (86%), ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy (16%) and arteriography (0.8%). Seventy percent of patients received low molecular weight heparin, 40% unfractionated heparin, 11% thrombolytic agents and 10% had no treatment. Vena cava filter was used in 12% of cases and mechanical ventilation in 9%. Recurrent PE was observed in 4% of patients, shock in 14% and in-hospital mortality was 7%.
Conclusions: Prolonged rest was the most prevalent risk factor. Only 9% of patients showed no known risk factors. Helical CT scan was the preferred method for PE diagnosis. Low molecular weight heparin was the treatment of choice for VTE. Thrombolytics were used in 11% of PE patients and vena cava filter in 12% of VTE patients. VTE in-hospital mortality was 7%.