[Efficacy and safety of aspirin in prevention of venous thromboembolism after total joint arthroplasty].
OBJECTIVE
To study the efficacy and safety of aspirin in prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after total joint arthroplasty.


METHODS
240 patients who received total joint arthroplasty, 157 undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and 83 undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THR), were divided into 2 basically matched groups, Group A (n = 100), receiving aspirin enteric-coated tablets 100 mg/day since the first day after operation till discharge 10-14 days after operation, and Group B (n = 140), receiving subcutaneous injection of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) once daily for 10 d. The effects and safety were evaluated.


RESULTS
13 patients (13.0%) were diagnosed with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in Group A, 7 of them were symptomatic, 3 were suspected of pulmonary embolism, and 2 suffered from cardio-cerebrovascular event. In Group B, 10 patients (7.1%) had DVT, 4 of them were symptomatic; suspicious pulmonary embolism and cardio-cerebrovascular event were diagnosed in 3 and 8 patients respectively. There were no statistic significances between the two groups in all these aspects. The quantity of bleeding, decrease of hemoglobin, hematoma rate, and infection rate of Group A were (693.4 +/- 480.1) ml, (32.9 +/- 18.0) g/L, 1%, and 0% respectively, all not significantly different from those of Group B (648.9 +/- 521.1) ml, (36.4 +/- 21.9) g/L, 2.1%, and 1.4% respectively, all P > 0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
Aspirin is as effective as LMWH in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after total joint arthroplasty. In addition, aspirin is cheap, administered orally, well tolerated, without necessity for surveillance, and with good compliance and potential of prevention of cardio-cerebrovascular events.
Tian
Hua
H
Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China.
Song
Fei
F
Zhang
Ke
K
Liu
Yan
Y
D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000139:chemically induced; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000925:Anticoagulants; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated; D001241:Aspirin