Thromboembolic complications remain a major public health burden, making antithrombotic agents one of the most widely prescribed groups of medication, but the treatment is often challenging as it... Show moreThromboembolic complications remain a major public health burden, making antithrombotic agents one of the most widely prescribed groups of medication, but the treatment is often challenging as it at the same time increases risk of bleeding. With nationwide data from Statistics Netherlands, antithrombotic therapy and relevant clinical outcomes were comprehensively examined in the patient population of atrial fibrillation, overall or among those with comorbid cancer. The results suggest the patient population was increasingly receiving anticoagulants, driven by the newly introduced medication- direct oral anticoagulant and guided by the CHA2DS2-VASc score, and meanwhile the patient population experienced fewer ischemic stroke and major bleeding. In spite of these promising changes, suboptimal medication adherence and potential underuse of anticoagulants remain directions for further improvement. Antithrombotic agent use during pregnancy was also examined in the general Dutch pregnant population, which featured a surge in antiplatelet prescriptions, and risk of preeclampsia/eclampsia decreased and several newborn outcomes improved simultaneously. Together, the studies presented in this thesis provide an overview of antithrombotic therapy in the Netherlands in recent years, providing insights for further improving this treatment and relevant patient outcomes. Show less
Spek, L. van der; Sanglier, S.; Mabeya, H.M.; Akker, T. van den; Mertens, P.L.J.M.; Houweling, T.A.J. 2020
Background Caesarean section (C-section) rates are often low among the poor and very high among the better-off in low- and middle-income countries. We examined to what extent these differences are... Show moreBackground Caesarean section (C-section) rates are often low among the poor and very high among the better-off in low- and middle-income countries. We examined to what extent these differences are explained by medical need in an African context. Methods We analyzed electronic records of 12,209 women who gave birth in a teaching hospital in Kenya in 2014. C-section rates were calculated by socioeconomic position (SEP), using maternal occupation (professional, small business, housewife, student) as indicator. We assessed if women had documented clinical indications according to hospital guidelines and if socioeconomic differences in C-section rates were explained by indication. Results Indication for C-section according to hospital guidelines was more prevalent among professionals than housewives (16% vs. 9% of all births). The C-section rate was also higher among professionals than housewives (21.1% vs. 15.8% [OR 1.43; 95%CI 1.23-1.65]). This C-section rate difference was largely explained by indication (4.7 of the 5.3 percentage point difference between professionals and housewives concerned indicated C-sections, often with previous C-section as indication). Repeat C-sections were near-universal (99%). 43% of primary C-sections had no documented indication. Over-use was somewhat higher among professionals than housewives (C-section rate among women without indication: 6.6 and 5.5% respectively), which partly explained socioeconomic differences in primary C-section rate. Conclusions Socioeconomic differences in C-section rates can be largely explained by unnecessary primary C-sections and higher supposed need due to previous C-section. Prevention of unnecessary primary C-sections and promoting safe trial of labor should be priorities in addressing C-section over-use and reducing inequalities. Tweetable abstract Unnecessary primary C-sections and ubiquitous repeat C-sections drive overall C-section rates and C-section inequalities. Show less
Aims Data on the early course and use of systemic thrombolysis in pregnant women with pulmonary embolism associated or not with haemodynamic failure are scarce. We investigated these aspects using... Show moreAims Data on the early course and use of systemic thrombolysis in pregnant women with pulmonary embolism associated or not with haemodynamic failure are scarce. We investigated these aspects using the information from the German Nationwide Inpatient Registry (years 2005-2016). Methods and results In Germany, all diagnoses referring to hospitalized patients are coded according to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision with German Modification. We analysed data of pregnant women aged 18-50 years for whom the following diagnoses were recorded during hospitalization: (i) pulmonary embolism (I26) during pregnancy or peripartum (O09) or (ii) obstetric thromboembolism (O88.2). Haemodynamic failure at any time during the in-hospital stay was defined as need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OPS code 8-77) or the presence of shock (International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision with German Modification code R57). The primary study outcome was in-hospital death. A total of 8 271 327 births were registered in Germany from 2005 to 2016. During this 12 year time period, there were 1846 hospitalizations for pregnancy-associated pulmonary embolism in patients aged 18-50, corresponding to 2.2 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1-2.3] cases every 10 000 births and 0.2% of all hospitalizations for pulmonary embolism in Germany. The median age was 31 years, and the median length of hospitalization was 8 days. A total of 63 deaths were reported, corresponding to an overall in-hospital fatality rate of 3.4% (95% CI: 2.7-4.4) and a pulmonary embolism-related mortality rate of 0.8 (95% CI: 0.6-1.0) per 100 000 (live) births per year. Pulmonary embolism-related deaths in hospitalized pregnant women represented 14% of all maternal deaths recorded in Germany between 2005 and 2016. A total of 135 (7.3%) women had haemodynamic failure, of whom 51 (37.8%) received systemic thrombolysis and 50 (37.0%) died. Conclusions Pulmonary embolism-related fatality remains substantial in pregnant women with pulmonary embolism and represents a frequent cause of maternal mortality. The use of systemic thrombolysis was reported in one third of pregnant women with pulmonary embolism and haemodynamic failure. Better preventive and management strategies should be urgently implemented in this vulnerable patient group. Show less
Venous thrombosis is a disease that occurs in 1-2 per 1000 people per year. At the time of their first venous thrombosis, approximately 50% of women are exposed to reproductive risk factors (oral... Show moreVenous thrombosis is a disease that occurs in 1-2 per 1000 people per year. At the time of their first venous thrombosis, approximately 50% of women are exposed to reproductive risk factors (oral contraception, postmenopausal hormone therapy, pregnancy and the puerperium). In this thesis, we showed that these women are at particularly high risk of venous thrombosis if they have previously experienced an episode of superficial vein thrombosis, or are over the age of 50 years (Chapters 2 and 3). There is no known male counterpart to female reproductive risk factors. Nevertheless, the incidence of venous thrombosis is approximately similar in men and women. In this thesis we established that, once female reproductive risk factors are taken into account, men have an approximately twofold higher risk of both first and recurrent venous thrombosis than women (Chapters 4 and 5). Further to these findings, in Chapter 6, we reviewed the literature on sex-specific risk factors for venous thrombosis. We hypothesized that sex-specific genetic risk factors, an excess in overweight and smoking, or hypercoagulable changes such as microalbuminuria may explain the higher risk of venous thrombosis in men than in women. Show less
