title: Eligibility for medical thromboprophylaxis based on risk-factor weights, and clinical thrombotic event rates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure eligibility for medical thromboprophylaxis using two Australasian guidelines - the Australia and New Zealand Working Party Guidelines [WPG] and the National Health and Medical Research Council Guidelines [NHMRCG]) - and proposed new guidelines based on risk-factor weights; and to measure the incidence of clinical venous thromboembolism (VTE) events in medical patients ("ensuing VTE").
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-note audit in an acute medical ward of Southland Hospital, a regional hospital in Invercargill, New Zealand, among all 595 patients who were discharged consecutively from 21 November 2010 to 7 March 2011. Of these, 245 were excluded on clinical grounds or because they were under the care of the authors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was eligibility for prophylaxis under each guideline. Secondary outcomes included incidence of ensuing VTEs, use of thromboprophylaxis, drug acquisition costs with each guideline, and bedside practicability of a guideline based on risk-factor weights.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen per cent of patients were eligible under the new guidelines, compared with 80%, 88% and 36% under the WPG and two interpetations of the NHMRCG, respectively. One patient had an ensuing VTE. The new guideline had lower drug acquisition costs and was suitable for bedside use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical VTE events are rare in medical patients, and medical VTE thromboprophylaxis needs to be more focused. The new guideline has performance characteristics th@satisfy this need.
authors.affiliation: Albany Regional Hospital, Albany, WA. alasdair.millar@health.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: J Alasdair
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Joanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lett
authors.forename: Leonard J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bagley
authors.forename: Ian K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Densie
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017984:Enoxaparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017984:Enoxaparin