Venous thrombo-embolism in India.
BACKGROUND
Venous thrombo-embolism (VTE) has traditionally been considered rare in Asia. Recent reports from Hong Kong and Singapore indicate an increasing incidence of VTE.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of VTE among hospitalised patients and study the predisposing factors and hence to increase the awareness of the need for VTE prophylaxis.


METHODS
This is a retrospective study carried out on all patients diagnosed with VTE between 1996 and 2005 at our hospital. In-patient records were used to collect data while out-patient records were used for follow-up outcomes.


RESULTS
The incidence of VTE was 17.46 per 10,000 admissions. Malignancy (31%) was the most common predisposing factor, followed by postoperative status (30%). The incidence following surgery was five per 10,000 operations. General surgery patients had the highest incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT; 40.3%), while the incidence in orthopaedic patients was 20.1%. Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has been increasingly used therapeutically over the years. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in 14.9% of the study patients. Mortality in those with confirmed pulmonary embolism was 13.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
VTE is no longer a rarity in India. General surgical operations are the most common causes of postoperative DVT. Pulmonary embolism continues to be 'suspected' more often than it is diagnosed.
Lee
A D
AD
Vascular & General Surgery, Unit 2, Department of Surgery, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamilnadu, India.
Stephen
E
E
Agarwal
S
S
Premkumar
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013043:Specialties, Surgical; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016306:Vena Cava Filters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000925:Anticoagulants; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight