[Thromboembolic risk and prophylaxis in hospitalized surgical and internal medicine patients. German results of the international ENDORSE study]

(Thromboembolierisiko und -prophylaxe internistischer und chirurgischer Patienten im Krankenhaus. Deutsche Ergebnisse der internationalen ENDORSE-Studie (ENDORSE Deutschland).)

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) leads to an increased morbidity in hospitalized patients. This multinational cross-sectional survey was designed to assess the prevalence of VTE risk factors and to determine the proportion of at-risk patients who receive effective VTE-prophylaxis. The results of the 16 participating German hospitals of the study are presented and compared with the international results. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All hospital inpatients aged >or= 40 years admitted to a medical ward and all surgical inpatients aged >or= 18 years were enrolled. The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines (2004) were applied to assess VTE risk and to determine whether patients were receiving recommended VTE prophylaxis. RESULTS: Overall, 2,370 patients were enrolled: 1,210 (51 %) were categorised as surgical and 1,160 (49 %) as acute medically ill. 838 (69 %) of surgical and 479 (41 %) of medical patients were judged to be at risk for VTE. Of the surgical patients at risk, 772 (92 %) received ACCP-recommended VTE prophylaxis, compared with 337 (70 %) medical patients at risk of VTE. Low-molecular weight heparins were most frequently used. CONCLUSIONS: In total, in comparison to other countries, Germany has a leading position in the implementation of international guidelines with regard to VTE prophylaxis. Whereas in a surgical ward effective VTE prophylaxis is consistently standard care, in the medical indications there is still room for improvement in terms of stratification of VTE risk and corresponding VTE-prophylaxis.

Author information

Author/s: Zotz, R B (RB); Kauschat-Brüning, D (D); Bramlage, P (P); ENDORSE Studienleiter;

Affiliation: Praxis für Hämostaseologie und Transfusionsmedizin, Düsseldorf, Germany. zotz(-atsign-)hemo-stasis.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: English Abstract; Journal Article; Multicenter Study

Journal: Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) (Dtsch Med Wochenschr), published in Germany. (Language: ger)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 134 (issue 43) : pp 2163-9

Dates: Created 2009/10/14; Completed 2009/10/19;

PMID: 19826978, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/19/2009, IMS Date: )

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