Venous thrombo-embolism in India.

INTRODUCTION

Venous thrombo-embolism (VTE) has traditionally been considered rare in Asia. Recent reports from Hong Kong and Singapore indicate an increasing incidence of VTE.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the incidence of VTE among hospitalised patients and study the predisposing factors and hence to increase the awareness of the need for VTE prophylaxis.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study carried out on all patients diagnosed with VTE between 1996 and 2005 at our hospital. In-patient records were used to collect data while out-patient records were used for follow-up outcomes.

RESULTS

The incidence of VTE was 17.46 per 10,000 admissions. Malignancy (31%) was the most common predisposing factor, followed by postoperative status (30%). The incidence following surgery was five per 10,000 operations. General surgery patients had the highest incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT; 40.3%), while the incidence in orthopaedic patients was 20.1%. Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has been increasingly used therapeutically over the years. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in 14.9% of the study patients. Mortality in those with confirmed pulmonary embolism was 13.5%.

CONCLUSION

VTE is no longer a rarity in India. General surgical operations are the most common causes of postoperative DVT. Pulmonary embolism continues to be 'suspected' more often than it is diagnosed.