Tufano A, et al. - Researchers undertook a comparative analysis of the use of anticoagulant therapy in patients with symptomatic splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) vs incidental splanchnic vein thrombosis. Findings illustrated similar rates of recurrent SVT and major bleeding between patients with incidental or symptomatic SVT. It was determined that the severity of bleeding complications during anticoagulation could outweigh the severity of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrences in both groups.

Methods

• Data was extracted from the RIETE (Registro Informatizado Enfermedad Trombo Embólica) registry.
• Experts sought to scrutinize the rate and severity of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrences and major bleeding events appearing during the course of anticoagulation in subjects with symptomatic or incidental SVT.

Results

• The enrollment consisted of 521 patients with SVT in March 2017.
• Among the enrollees, 212 (41%) presented with symptomatic SVT and 309 had incidental SVT.
• Maximum (93%) patients received anticoagulant therapy (median, 147 days).
• The development of symptomatic VTE recurrences was noted in 20 patients (none died) and 26 reported major bleeding (fatal bleeding, 5) during the course of anticoagulation.
• A non-significantly higher risk for symptomatic VTE recurrences (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 2.04; 95%CI: 0.71-5.88) and a similar risk for major bleeding (HR: 1.12; 95%CI: 0.47-2.63) were disclosed in patients with incidental SVT than those with symptomatic SVT, as revealed by the multivariable analysis.
• It was deduced that the active cancer exhibited a link with an increased risk for VTE recurrences (HR: 3.06; 95%CI: 1.14-8.17) and anaemia (HR: 4.11; 95%CI: 1.45-11.6) or abnormal prothrombin time (HR: 4.10; 95%CI: 1.68-10.1) correlated with an increased risk for major bleeding.