Articles

The management of acute venous thromboembolism in clinical practice – study rationale and protocol of the European PREFER in VTE Registry

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major health problem, with over one million events every year in Europe. However, there is a paucity of data on the current management in real life, including factors influenc...

Authors: Giancarlo Agnelli, Anselm K. Gitt, Rupert Bauersachs, Eva-Maria Fronk, Petra Laeis, Patrick Mismetti, Manuel Monreal, Stefan N. Willich, Wolf-Peter Wolf and Alexander T. Cohen

Family history of venous thromboembolism is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism in combined oral contraceptive users: a nationwide case-control study

The aim was to assess the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with use of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) in women with a family history of VTE.

Authors: Bengt Zöller, Henrik Ohlsson, Jan Sundquist and Kristina Sundquist

Low dose compared to variable dose Warfarin and to Fondaparinux as prophylaxis for thromboembolism after elective hip or knee replacement surgery; a randomized, prospective study

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary emboli (PE), known together as venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease remain major complications following elective hip and knee surgery. This study compares three chemopr...

Authors: Murray M. Bern, Diane Hazel, Elizabeth Deeran, John R. Richmond, Daniel M. Ward, Damon J. Spitz, David A. Mattingly, James V. Bono, Ronna H. Berezin, Laura Hou, Gerald B. Miley and Benjamin E. Bierbaum

Should lifelong anticoagulation for unprovoked venous thromboembolism be revisited?

Venous thromboembolism [VTE] is a common medical condition that has significant morbidity and mortality. Although stringent guidelines recommend lifelong anticoagulation for patients with unprovoked VTE, the o...

Authors: Otto Moodley and Hadi Goubran

Markers of thrombin generation are associated with myocardial necrosis and left ventricular impairment in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Platelet activation, thrombin generation and fibrin formation play important roles in intracoronary thrombus formation, which may lead to acute myocardial infarction.

Authors: C. H. Hansen, V. Ritschel, S. Halvorsen, G. Ø. Andersen, R. Bjørnerheim, J. Eritsland, H. Arnesen and I. Seljeflot

Unsuccessful percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy in fibrin-rich high-risk pulmonary thromboembolism

We report a case of unsuccessful percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy in treatment of a high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE). Pulmonary thromboemboli are commonly expected as a homogenous mass, rich with red bloo...

Authors: Jernej Vidmar, Igor Serša, Eduard Kralj and Peter Popovič

The dogma of aspirin: a critical review of evidence on the best monotherapy after dual antiplatelet therapy

Dual antiplatelet therapy based on the combination of an adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-receptor antagonist plus aspirin has demonstrated to be more effective in reducing the rate of major ischemic vascular event...

Authors: Hernan Polo Friz, Mauro Molteni and Claudio Cimminiello

A case-based approach to implementing guidelines for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation: balancing the risks and benefits

Atrial fibrillation (AF) puts patients at risk of complications, including stroke. Warfarin therapy has been the mainstay of antithrombotic treatment for reducing the risk of stroke in AF. However, warfarin ha...

Authors: Alpesh Amin and Steven Deitelzweig

Efficacy and safety of edoxaban versus enoxaparin for the prevention of venous thromboembolism following total hip arthroplasty: STARS J-V

In the absence of thromboprophylaxis, patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety...

Authors: Takeshi Fuji, Satoru Fujita, Yohko Kawai, Mashio Nakamura, Tetsuya Kimura, Masayuki Fukuzawa, Kenji Abe and Shintaro Tachibana

Supporting the use of a coagulometric method for rivaroxaban control: a hypothesis-generating study to define the safety cut-offs

Although quantitative anti-FXa assays can be used to measure rivaroxaban plasma levels, they are not widely performed or available. We aimed to tentatively determine the cut-off for thromboembolism and bleedin...

Authors: Raul Altman and Claudio Daniel Gonzalez

Stent thrombosis caused by metal allergy complicated by protein S deficiency and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: a case report and review of the literature

A 43-year-old woman recipient of a bare metal coronary stent during an acute anterior myocardial infarction was repeatedly hospitalized with recurrent stent thrombosis (ST) over the following 3 years. Emergent...

Authors: Takao Konishi, Tadashi Yamamoto, Naohiro Funayama, Beni Yamaguchi, Seiichiro Sakurai, Hiroshi Nishihara, Koko Yamazaki, Yusuke Kashiwagi, Yasuki Sasa, Mitsuru Gima, Hideichi Tanaka, Daisuke Hotta and Kenjiro Kikuchi

Inhibition of thrombin generation in human plasma by phospholipid transfer protein

Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) transfers lipids between donors and acceptors (e.g., from HDL to VLDL) and modulates lipoprotein composition, size, and levels. No study has reported an assessment of t...

Authors: Hiroshi Deguchi, Gertrud Wolfbauer, Marian C. Cheung, Yajnavalka Banerjee, Darlene J. Elias, José A. Fernández, John J. Albers and John H. Griffin

The role of soluble fibrin during anticoagulant therapy: a case report

Warfarin, dabigatran, and apixaban are used for preventing ischemic stroke due to non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). However, it is often challenging to select the appropriate anticoagulant. We present t...

Authors: Tohru Kawakami, Nobukiyo Tanaka, Hiroki Ishihara and Hiroyoshi Ohno

Retrospective cohort analysis comparing the incidence of deep vein thromboses between peripherally-inserted and long-term skin tunneled venous catheters in hemato-oncology patients

The introduction of central venous catheters has advanced medical care, particularly in hemato-oncology. However these can be associated with an increased thrombotic risk. Previous studies have compared the ra...

Authors: Priya Sriskandarajah, Katharine Webb, David Chisholm, Ravi Raobaikady, Kim Davis, Natalie Pepper, Mark E Ethell, Mike N Potter and Bronwen E Shaw

Cost-effectiveness analysis of treatment of venous thromboembolism with rivaroxaban compared with combined low molecular weight heparin/vitamin K antagonist

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a burden on healthcare systems. Standard treatment involves parenteral anticoagulation overlapping with a vitamin K antagonist, an approach that is effective but associated with...

Authors: Luke Bamber, Dominic Muston, Euan McLeod, Anne Guillermin, Julia Lowin and Raj Patel

Analysis of the accuracy of the Wells scale in assessing the probability of lower limb deep vein thrombosis in primary care patients practice

The clinical picture of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is nonspecific. Therefore assessment of the probability of occurrence of DVT plays a very important part in making a correct diagnosis of DVT.

Authors: Małgorzata Dybowska, Witold Z Tomkowski, Paweł Kuca, Rafał Ubysz, Adam Jóźwik and Dariusz Chmielewski

Implementation of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in daily practice: the need for comprehensive education for professionals and patients

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are increasingly used for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism and for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. NOACs do no...

Authors: Hein Heidbuchel, Dana Berti, Manuel Campos, Lien Desteghe, Ana Parente Freixo, António Robalo Nunes, Vanessa Roldán, Vincenzo Toschi and Riitta Lassila

Autoinflammatory diseases: a possible cause of thrombosis?

Autoinflammatory diseases are a group of disorders due to acquired or hereditary disfunction of innate immune system and characterized by systemic or localized manifestations. The prototype is Familial Mediter...

Authors: Micaela La Regina, Francesco Orlandini and Raffaele Manna

Contact pathway of coagulation and inflammation

The contact system, also named as plasma kallikrein-kinin system, consists of three serine proteinases: coagulation factors XII (FXII) and XI (FXI), and plasma prekallikrein (PK), and the nonenzymatic cofactor...

Authors: Yi Wu

Systemic lupus erythematosus and thrombosis

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an acquired, multiorgan, autoimmune disease. Clinical presentation is extremely variable and heterogeneous. It has been shown that SLE itself is an independent risk factor...

Authors: Mario Bazzan, Antonella Vaccarino and Fabio Marletto

Thrombosis in vasculitis: from pathogenesis to treatment

In recent years, the relationship between inflammation and thrombosis has been deeply investigated and it is now clear that immune and coagulation systems are functionally interconnected.

Authors: Giacomo Emmi, Elena Silvestri, Danilo Squatrito, Amedeo Amedei, Elena Niccolai, Mario Milco D’Elios, Chiara Della Bella, Alessia Grassi, Matteo Becatti, Claudia Fiorillo, Lorenzo Emmi, Augusto Vaglio and Domenico Prisco

Thrombosis in inflammatory bowel diseases: what’s the link?

Inflammatory bowel disease affects more than 2 million people in Europe, with almost 20% of patients being diagnosed in pediatric age. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk of thromboe...

Authors: Martina Giannotta, Gherardo Tapete, Giacomo Emmi, Elena Silvestri and Monica Milla

Remarkable regression of massive deep vein thrombosis in response to intensive oral rivaroxaban treatment

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common disease and is associated with pulmonary embolism (PE). Proximal iliofemoral DVT may lead to severe PE and chronic venous insufficiency. The standard therapy for DVT is a...

Authors: Norimichi Koitabashi, Nogiku Niwamae, Tetsuya Taguchi, Yoshiaki Ohyama, Noriaki Takama and Masahiko Kurabayashi

“Role of the adipocyte hormone leptin in cardiovascular diseases – a study from Chennai based Population”

Obesity is currently regarded as a pro-inflammatory condition during which leptin (Ob gene product) might act as a risk factor for Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) including Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). There ...

Authors: Devarajan Nalini, Rajendran Karthick, Vijay Shirin, Ganesan Manohar and Raghunathan Malathi

Reviewer acknowledgement 2014

The Editors of Thrombosis Journal would like to thank all of our reviewers who have contributed to the journal in Volume 12 (2014) and whose valuable support is fundamental to its success.

Authors: Yukio Ozaki and Hugo ten Cate

A survey of thrombosis experts evaluating practices and opinions regarding venous thromboprophylaxis in patients with active cancer hospitalized with an acute medical illness

Current clinical practice guidelines recommend the use of prophylactic doses of low molecular weight heparins for cancer patients requiring hospitalization for acute medical illness. However, a recently publis...

Authors: Patricia Moretto, Junghyun Park, Marc Rodger, Grégoire Le Gal and Marc Carrier

Global assays and the management of oral anticoagulation

Coagulation tests range from global or overall tests to assays specific to individual clotting factors and their inhibitors. Whether a particular test is influenced by an oral anticoagulant depends on the prin...

Authors: Herm Jan M Brinkman

Assays of different aspects of haemostasis – what do they measure?

Haemostasis is a complex process affected by many factors including both cellular and plasma components. It is a multistep process starting with platelet adhesion to damaged endothelium and ending in clot fibr...

Authors: Nahreen Tynngård, Tomas L Lindahl and Sofia Ramström

Superior vena cava syndrome revealing a Behçet’s disease

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a rare vasculitis in sub-Saharan Africa. Vascular thrombosis, especially venous, is common in this condition and also constitutes a basic diagnostic criterion. Its affection of the sup...

Authors: Simon Antoine Sarr, Pape Diadie Fall, Mouhamadou Chérif Mboup, Khadidiatou Dia, Malick Bodian and Modou Jobe

A randomized, open-label trial of edoxaban in Japanese patients with severe renal impairment undergoing lower-limb orthopedic surgery

Edoxaban is an oral, direct, factor Xa inhibitor approved in Japan for thromboembolic prophylaxis after lower-limb orthopedic surgery (LLOS), but contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment (SRI; ...

Authors: Takeshi Fuji, Satoru Fujita, Yohko Kawai, Yasuyuki Abe, Tetsuya Kimura, Masayuki Fukuzawa, Kenji Abe and Shintaro Tachibana

Global/integral assays in hemostasis diagnostics: promises, successes, problems and prospects

Authors: Mikhail A Panteleev and Hendrik Coenraad Hemker

Global assays of hemostasis in the diagnostics of hypercoagulation and evaluation of thrombosis risk

Thrombosis is a deadly malfunctioning of the hemostatic system occurring in numerous conditions and states, from surgery and pregnancy to cancer, sepsis and infarction. Despite availability of antithrombotic a...

Authors: Elena N Lipets and Fazoil I Ataullakhanov

Impact of a high-fat meal on assessment of clopidogrel-induced platelet inhibition in healthy subjects

Ideal conditions for platelet reactivity testing are critical for optimal selection of a P2Y12 inhibitor. Data are inconsistent regarding the impact of high-fat meals on test assessment.

Authors: Paul P Dobesh, Jamela F Urban, Scott W Shurmur and Julie H Oestreich

Oral rivaroxaban for Japanese patients with symptomatic venous thromboembolism – the J-EINSTEIN DVT and PE program

The global EINSTEIN DVT and PE studies compared rivaroxaban (15 mg twice daily for 3 weeks followed by 20 mg once daily) with enoxaparin/vitamin K antagonist therapy and demonstrated non-inferiority for effica...

Authors: Norikazu Yamada, Atsushi Hirayama, Hideaki Maeda, Satoru Sakagami, Hiroo Shikata, Martin H Prins, Anthonie WA Lensing, Masaharu Kato, Junichi Onuma, Yuki Miyamoto, Kazuma Iekushi and Mariko Kajikawa

A general review of major global coagulation assays: thrombelastography, thrombin generation test and clot waveform analysis

Thrombosis and hemorrhage are major contributors to morbidity and mortality. The traditional laboratory tests do not supply enough information to diagnose and treat patients timely and according to their pheno...

Authors: Marcus D Lancé

Severe hyperhomocysteinemia due to cystathionine β-synthase deficiency, and Factor V Leiden mutation in a patient with recurrent venous thrombosis

Homocysteine is an amino acid that is toxic to vascular endothelial cells, and plasma elevations have been associated with venous thromboembolism. Severe hyperhomocysteinemia (>100 μmol/L) may result from muta...

Authors: Zuhier Awan, Sumayah Aljenedil, David S Rosenblatt, Jean Cusson, Brian M Gilfix and Jacques Genest

Hypothermia: effects on platelet function and hemostasis

Mild therapeutic hypothermia is considered standard care in the treatment of patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest. With increasingly more frequent concomitant use of platelet-inhibiting drugs, clinicians ...

Authors: Sven Van Poucke, Kris Stevens, Abraham Emanuel Marcus and Marcus Lancé

Treatment options for venous thromboembolism: lessons learnt from clinical trials

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), comprising deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is a common condition associated with a significant clinical and economic burden. Anticoagulant therapy is the mainstay of ...

Authors: Simon McRae

Efficacy and safety of novel oral anticoagulants in clinical practice: a report from three centers in Sweden

In clinical trials new oral anticoagulants (NOAC) have proved to be as effective as warfarin for thromboprophylaxis in atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of thes...

Authors: Ashkan Labaf, Martin Carlwe and Peter J Svensson

Evaluation of the usefulness of a D dimer test in combination with clinical pretest probability score in the prediction and exclusion of Venous Thromboembolism by medical residents

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) requires urgent diagnosis and treatment to avoid related complications. Clinical presentations of VTE are nonspecific and require definitive confirmation by imaging techniques. A c...

Authors: Tarek Owaidah, Nahlah AlGhasham, Saad AlGhamdi, Dania AlKhafaji, Bandar ALAmro, Mohamed Zeitouni, Fawaz Skaff, Hazzaa AlZahrani, Adher AlSayed, Naser ElKum, Mahmoud Moawad, Ahmed Nasmi, Mohannad Hawari and Khalid Maghrabi

Influence of statin use on the incidence of recurrent venous thromboembolism and major bleeding in patients receiving rivaroxaban or standard anticoagulant therapy

Statins may reduce the risk of first and recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE). No data are available on their potential benefit in patients treated with the oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban.

Authors: Philip S Wells, Martin Gebel, Martin H Prins, Bruce L Davidson and Anthonie WA Lensing

Rivaroxaban versus enoxaparin/vitamin K antagonist therapy in patients with venous thromboembolism and renal impairment

Patients with renal impairment receiving classical anticoagulation for venous thromboembolism (VTE) are at increased risk of bleeding and possibly pulmonary embolism. We examined the efficacy and safety of ora...

Authors: Rupert M Bauersachs, Anthonie WA Lensing, Martin H Prins, Dagmar Kubitza, Ákos F Pap, Hervé Decousus, Jan Beyer-Westendorf and Paolo Prandoni

Measurement of non-VKA oral anticoagulants versus classic ones: the appropriate use of hemostasis assays

Traditional anticoagulant agents such as vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), unfractionated heparin (UFH), low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) and fondaparinux have been widely used in the prevention and treatment...

Authors: Jonathan Douxfils, Anne Tamigniau, Bernard Chatelain, Catherine Goffinet, Jean-Michel Dogné and François Mullier

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of rivaroxaban: considerations for the treatment of venous thromboembolism

Patients with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism are recommended to receive anticoagulation for acute treatment and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Fast-acting direct oral anticoa...

Authors: Sebastian Harder

Venous thromboembolism in the elderly: efficacy and safety of non-VKA oral anticoagulants

Increasing age and renal impairment are risk factors for venous thrombosis but also for anticoagulant-induced bleeding. In large-scale phase III trials, non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) were at least as eff...

Authors: Vincent Geldhof, Christophe Vandenbriele, Peter Verhamme and Thomas Vanassche

Drug-drug interactions and risk of bleeding among inpatients on warfarin therapy: a prospective observational study

Warfarin is known for its interaction with many drugs, resulting in undesired treatment outcomes such as bleeding. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of drug-drug interactions and determinants of bleedin...

Authors: Gebrehiwot Teklay, Nuredin Shiferaw, Befikadu Legesse and Mebratu Legesse Bekele

Successful thrombolysis following enoxaparin therapy in two pediatric patients with congenital heart disease presenting with intracardiac and cerebral thrombosis

Enoxaparin displays fibrinolytic activity through stimulation of endothelial release of tissue plasminogen activator. Moreover, enoxaparin increases the release of tissue factor pathway inhibitor, which inhibi...

Authors: Gesa Wiegand, Vanya Icheva, Martin Schöning and Michael Hofbeck

The influence of Erythropoietin on platelet activation, thrombin generation and FVII/active FVII in patients with AMI

Erythropoietin (Epo) has been shown to improve myocardial function in models of experimental myocardial infarction, but has also been associated with a rise in thromboembolic events. Thus, the aim of this stud...

Authors: Gabriele Demetz, Magdalena Laux, Armin Scherhag, Tiny Hoekstra, Marit M Suttorp, Friedo Dekker, Mark Roest, Mira Marcus-Kalish, Moshe Mittelman and Ilka Ott

Relationship between angiotensin I-converting enzyme insertion/deletion gene polymorphism and retinal vein occlusion

To evaluate the association between angiotensin I-converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) gene polymorphism and retinal vein occlusion (RVO). A total of 80 patients with retinal vein occlusion who was a...

Authors: Işıl Kutluturk, Ali Karagöz, Tahir Bezgin, Vecih Oduncu, Ali Elveran, Cem Doğan, Ahmet Elbay, Cevat Kirma and Yusuf Özertürk

XALIA: rationale and design of a non-interventional study of rivaroxaban compared with standard therapy for initial and long-term anticoagulation in deep vein thrombosis

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), comprising deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism, poses a substantial clinical risk, and the incidence of these thrombotic-related diseases remains high. Anticoagulati...

Authors: Walter Ageno, Lorenzo G Mantovani, Sylvia Haas, Reinhold Kreutz, Verena Haupt, Jonas Schneider and Alexander GG Turpie