title: Incidence and prevention of venous thromboembolism in acutely ill hospitalized elderly Chinese.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the third most frequent cardiovascular disease, venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of VTE and steps for its prevention in acutely ill hospitalized elderly Chinese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective multi-center study was conducted from June 2006 to November 2007. A total of 607 patients from 40 research centers in China were enrolled. Data of the patients' baseline characteristics, VTE events and prophylaxis/therapy methods were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine patients (9.7%) had an objectively confirmed VTE during the 90-day follow-up, of which, 59.3% occurred during the first week and 75% within 14 days. Forty-one patients died (6.6%) during the follow-up, 36.6% died within three weeks. We also found that medical disorders including respiratory failure (16.4%), acute brain infarction (15.6%), acute infectious diseases (14.3%), acute coronary artery syndrome (8.7%) and heart failure (7.6%) play a role in provoking VTE. Only 13.0% of the elderly patients with high risk of VTE used low dose unfractionated heparin, 7.1% used low molecular weight heparin, 5.4% used warfarin, 0.3% used graduated compression stockings and none of them used intermittent pneumatic compression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed similar results between our study and western countries in the VTE incidence by day 90 in elderly hospitalized patients with acute medical illness. Great caution must be applied in the care of acutely ill elderly hospitalized patients to deal with the complications of VTE. Application of safe and effective prophylaxes against embolism remains a critical challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. lixy@mx.cei.gov.cn
authors.forename: Xiao-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: You-Qin
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Nan-Shan
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*