Global Risk Profile Verification in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism (GRIP VTE) in 5 Gulf countries.
BACKGROUND
The Global Risk Profile Verification in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism was the first prospective multicenter registry conducted in Arabian Gulf countries to explore the epidemiology of venous thromboembolic (VTE) disorders and to provide data on diagnosis and disease management.


METHODS
Data on 242 patients with confirmed VTE were submitted between September 2003 and November 2003 from 28 contributing hospitals in the Arabian Gulf region. Differences between groups were assessed by the chi(2) test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables. The Student's t test was used for testing proportions.


RESULTS
The frequency of VTE cases is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), 187 (77.27%); pulmonary embolism (PE), 35 (14.46%); and DVT with PE, 20 (8.26%). The most common symptoms of DVT and DVT/PE patients were calf pain (72%), calf swelling (63.8%), and localized tenderness (52.2%). The most common symptoms in patients with PE alone and DVT/PE were dyspnea (83.6%), thoracic pain (69.1%), and cough (40%). Risk factors for VTE were immobilization (41.3%), age >65 years (28.9%), a history of VTE (20.7%), and trauma (19%). Among surgical interventions, orthopedic procedures induced the greatest number of VTE cases, followed by general surgery and gynecological procedures. Low-molecular-weight heparins were chosen to treat 33.7% of DVT cases, whereas unfractionated heparin was used in 21.9% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
VTE remains a common problem in medical and surgical patients in the Arabian Gulf states. Recognition of the common risk factors is of extreme importance to implement the appropriate prophylactic strategy according to the published guidelines.
Al Sayegh
Faisal
F
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait. hem_63@yahoo.com
Almahmeed
Wael
W
Al Humood
Salah
S
Marashi
Mahmoud
M
Bahr
Ahmed
A
Al Mahdi
Hasan
H
Bakir
Sherif
S
Al Farhan
Maha
M
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
D000925:Anticoagulants; D006493:Heparin