Use of deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis in hospitalized cancer patients

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism is a common complication and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. Patients with malignancies have a four-fold greater risk of venous thromboembolism compared with patients without malignancies. Underuse of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis persists, despite guidelines supporting its use in hospitalized cancer patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the use of DVT prophylaxis and its appropriateness in hospitalized cancer patients. This retrospective study included cancer patients admitted to Rafik Hariri University Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Beirut, Lebanon, over 2-month period, who were hospitalized for at least 2 days. We evaluated the use of anticoagulants for DVT prophylaxis in the absence of contraindications for their use. The risk factor profiles of the patients were reported in addition to the choice of the anticoagulant and the use of mechanical prophylaxis in patients with contraindications to anticoagulation. One hundred and thirty patients were studied out of which 34 (26.2%) had contraindications to anticoagulation use. In addition, 21 patients out of 95 (22.1%) who qualified for DVT prophylaxis received pharmacologic DVT prophylaxis. Enoxaparin was the most frequently prescribed anticoagulant (76.2% of the patients). Of those who received anticoagulation, only 47.6% received appropriate agent and dose. Among patients with contraindications to anticoagulation, only three (8.8%) received mechanical devices as nonpharmacologic DVT prophylaxis. DVT prophylaxis in hospitalized cancer patients is significantly underutilized. Several options are available to increase physicians' awareness of the problem.