Although venous thromboembolism is an important cause of morbidity and mortality within the hospital, a significant proportion of at-risk inpatients do not receive measures known to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The objective of the present study was to determine whether a pharmacy-driven alert system would, compared to usual care, be associated with a higher rate of adequate venous thromboembolism prevention measures among at-risk inpatients on a general internal medicine service. The study was a prospective, controlled trial set at a university-based teaching hospital. The participants were adults who were admitted (Monday through Friday) to the general internal medicine inpatient service from 19 June to 21 September 2006. Their treatment included a pharmacist assessment of venous thromboembolism risk and a pharmacist-driven alert to the treating physician. The Proportion of at-risk patients receiving adequate thromboprophylaxis within 36 h of admission was recorded. Overall, 140 patients were at sufficient risk for venous thromboembolism to be included. In the usual care group, prophylactic measures were ordered for 49 (61%) of the 80 patients at moderate to high risk. In the pharmacist-alert group, 44 (73%) of the 60 moderate to high venous thromboembolism-risk patients received adequate thromboprophylaxis (P = 0.15). Although we did not observe a statistically significant difference between the groups, our results are consistent with previous reports suggesting that alert systems can increase the proportion of hospitalized patients who receive adequate measures to prevent venous thromboembolism.
Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). Aspirin has gained attention as a cost-effective, safe alternative to traditional anticoagulants like enoxaparin, but comparative data on efficacy and safety remain limited.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of aspirin and enoxaparin in preventing VTE following TKA and THA.
Background: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) procedures have become much more common in the United States in recent years, with >40,000 UKAs performed annually. However, it is estimated that 10% to 40% of UKAs fail and thus require conversion to total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In the field of total joint arthroplasty, robotic-assisted surgeries have demonstrated advantages such as better accuracy and precision of implant positioning and improved restoration of a neutral mechanical axis.
Arterial and venous thromboembolism are leading causes of morbidity and death worldwide. Despite significant advances in the diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of thrombotic diseases over the past 3 decades, the adoption of findings stemming from translational biomarker research in clinical practice remains limited. Biomarkers provide an opportunity to enhance our understanding of pathophysiological processes and optimize treatment strategies.
Aims: We investigated the association of the inflammatory biomarker YKL-40 with cardiovascular events (CVEs) and mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: We followed 11,346 individuals recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for up to 14 years. Baseline YKL-40 levels (measured in 9,010 individuals) were grouped into percentiles (0-33 %, 34-66 %, 67-90 %, and 91-100 %) and analyzed continuously (per 1 SD log increment), with comparisons to CRP (measured in 9,644 individuals).
