J Korean Med Sci.  2014 Nov;29(11):1572-1576. 10.3346/jkms.2014.29.11.1572.

Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Medical Intensive Care Unit: A Multicenter Observational Study in Korea

• Lee J
• Kim SC
• Kim SJ
• Oh JY
• Lee HK
• Yum HK
• Kim YK
• Hong SB
• Park MS
• Hwang SC
• Yoon HK
• Kim HR
• Cho JH
• Park S
• Yoo CG

• KMID: 2069941
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2014.29.11.1572

Abstract

Patients admitted to medical intensive care unit (MICU) are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE); and prophylaxis is recommended. However, the actual range and frequency of VTE prophylaxis administered to MICU patients are not well defined. Patients over 40 yr of age and expected MICU stay of more than 48 hr were eligible for this observational cohort study of 23 MICUs in Korea. Patients already on anticoagulation therapy or those requiring anticoagulation for reasons other than VTE were excluded. Among 830 patients, VTE prophylaxis was given to 560 (67.5%) patients. Among 560 patients, 323 (38.9%) received pharmacoprophylaxis, 318 (38.4%) received mechanical prophylaxis and 81 (9.8%) received both forms of prophylaxis. About 74% of patients in the pharmacoprophylaxis group received low molecular weight heparin and 53% of the patients in the mechanical prophylaxis group used intermittent pneumatic compression. Most of the patients (90%) had more than one risk factor for VTE and the most common risk factor was old age, followed by heart and respiratory failure. In this observational cohort study of 23 MICUs in Korea, 67.5% of patients received thromboprophylaxis. Further studies are needed to clarify the role and efficacy of VTE prophylaxis in Korean critically ill patients.

Keyword

Medical Patients; Intensive Care Units; Thromboprophylaxis; Venous Thromboembolism

MeSH Terms

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Cohort Studies
Female
Heart Failure/complications
Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight/therapeutic use
Humans
*Intensive Care Units
Length of Stay
Male
Mechanical Thrombolysis
Middle Aged
Republic of Korea
Respiratory Insufficiency/complications
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Venous Thromboembolism/complications/*prevention & control/therapy
Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Selection of study population and reasons. VTE, venous thromboembolism.

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