Background The optimal anticoagulant following catheter-based therapy of acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (IFDVT) is unknown. Methods From the Swiss Venous Stent registry, an ongoing prospective cohort study, we performed a subgroup analysis of patients with acute IFDVT who underwent catheter-based early thrombus removal followed by nitinol stent placement. Duplex ultrasound and Villalta scores were used to determine patency rates and incidence of the post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) in patients treated with either rivaroxaban (n = 73) or a vitamin K-antagonist (VKA; n = 38) for a minimum duration of 3 months. Results Mean follow-up duration was 24 ± 19 months (range 3 to 77 months). Anticoagulation therapy was time-limited (3 to 12 months) in 56% of patients (47% in the rivaroxaban group and 58% in the VKA group, p = 0.26), with shorter mean duration of anticoagulation in the rivaroxaban group (180 ± 98 days versus 284 ± 199 days, p = 0.01). Overall, primary and secondary patency rates at 24 months were 82% (95%CI, 71-89%) and 95% (95%CI, 87-98%), respectively, with no difference between the rivaroxaban (87% [95%CI, 76-94%] and 95% [95%CI, 85-98%]) and the VKA group (72% [95%CI, 52-86%] and 94% [95%CI, 78-99%]; p > 0.10 for both). Overall, 86 (86%) patients were free from PTS at latest follow-up, with no difference between the rivaroxaban and the VKA groups (57 [85%] versus 29 [88%]; p = 0.76). Two major bleeding complications (1 in each group) occurred in the peri-interventional period, without any major bleeding thereafter. Conclusions In patients with acute IFDVT treated with catheter-based early thrombus removal and venous stent placement, the effectiveness and safety of rivaroxaban and VKA appear to be similar.

Summary. Background: The optimal duration of anticoagulation therapy (AT) following catheter-based therapy of acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (IFDVT) with stent placement is unknown. Theoretically, resolving the underlying obstructive iliac vein lesion by a stent may eliminate the main trigger for recurrence, the post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), and the need for extended-duration AT. Patients and methods: From 113 patients with acute IFDVT who underwent endovascular thrombus removal and stent placement, we compared patency rates and clinical outcomes between 58 patients on limited-duration AT (3–12 month) and 55 patients on extended-duration AT (> 12 months). Results: Mean follow-up duration was 26 ± 18 (range 3–77) months; it was 24 ± 18 (range 3–69) months after cessation of AT in the limited-duration AT group. In comparison to patients with extended-duration AT, patients with limited-duration AT were younger (38 versus 54 years; p < 0.001), more often female (74 % versus 49 %; p = 0.01), and had less often prior venous thromboembolism (VTE) (9 % versus 35 %; p = 0.001). May-Thurner syndrome was more frequent in the limited-duration AT group (66 % versus 38 %; p = 0.004). Overall, primary and secondary patency rates at 24 months were 80 % (95 % CI, 70–87 %) and 95 % (95 % CI, 88–98 %), respectively, with no difference between the groups. Overall, 17 (15 %) patients developed recurrent VTE, of which 14 (82 %) events were thrombotic stent occlusions, and 13 (76 %) events occurred during AT. In the limited-duration AT group, 98 % patients were free from the PTS at two years with a VTE recurrence rate of 3.5 per 100 patient years after cessation of AT. Conclusions: In selected patients with acute IFDVT and patent venous stent, particularly in younger and otherwise healthy patients with May-Thurner syndrome, it appears to be safe to discontinue AT 3–12 months after endovascular treatment. Clinical Trial Registration: The study is registered on the National Institutes of Health website (ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier NCT02433054).