[THE MANAGEMENT OF VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL - THE PRE DIRECT ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS (DOACS) ERA].

BACKGROUND

The use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) provides immediate and useful anticoagulation without the need of monitoring. The recent expansion in use of DOACs might change the therapeutic approaches in venous thromboembolism (VTE).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the treatment of VTE as well as the 90-days compliance with anticoagulants in the pre-DOACs era.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted at Beilinson Hospital, Rabin Medical Center. Inclusion criteria entailed: patients >18 years old; new lower extremities deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, diagnosed at ER between May, 2014 and May, 2015. Patients with previous diagnosis; upper extremities or inner organs thrombosis or with missing data were excluded. Data collected included: gender and age, comorbidity with active malignancy, provoked/unprovoked events, hospitalization and length of stay, anticoagulation treatment during hospitalization and discharge, recommendations for duration of treatment or further hematologist's evaluation and 90-days compliance with anticoagulation treatment.

RESULTS

The study group included 208 patients, 29% with active malignancy. All were hospitalized. In 54% of the subjects without active malignancy the event was provoked, whereas in 46% unprovoked. This detail was not discussed in any of the cases. The average length of stay tended to be longer in patients with a complete switch to warfarin than in ones on DOACs (10.3+7.5 vs. 6.4+5.2 days, p=0.09). Recommendations for the length of treatment or the need for further evaluation by a hematologist were not found in the majority. The overall 90-days compliance with anticoagulants was 47%.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the therapeutic approach errors might be resolved during the expanded use of DOACs, along with the simplicity of the recommendations at discharge. The study was supported by an educational grant from Pfizer, Inc.