Objective The study aimed to validate the original Caprini score and its modifications considering coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a severe prothrombotic condition in patients admitted to the hospital. Methods The relevant data were extracted from the electronic medical records with an implemented Caprini score and were retrospectively evaluated. The score was calculated twice: by the physician upon admission and by the investigator at discharge (death). The final assessment considered additional risk factors that occurred during inpatient treatment. Besides the original Caprini score (a version of 2005), the modified version added the elevation of D-dimer and specific scores for COVID-19 as follows: 2 points for asymptomatic, 3 points for symptomatic, and 5 points for symptomatic infection with positive D-dimer. Cases were evaluated retrospectively. The primary endpoint was symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) detected during inpatient treatment and confirmed by appropriate imaging testing or autopsy. The secondary endpoints included those observed during hospitalization (admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), a requirement for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), death, bleeding), and those assessed at 6-month follow-up (symptomatic VTE, bleeding, death). The association of eight different versions of the Caprini score with VTE events was evaluated. Results A total of 168 patients (83 males and 85 females at the age of 58.3±12.7 years old) were admitted to the hospital between 30 April and 29 May, 2020, and were discharged or died to the time of data analysis. The original Caprini score varied between 2-12 (5.4±1.8) at the admission and between 2-15 (5.9±2.5) at discharge or death. The maximal score was observed with modification including specific COVID-19 points of 5-20 (10.0±3.0). Patients received prophylactic (enoxaparin 40 mg once daily: 2.4%), intermediate (enoxaparin 80 mg once daily: 76.8%), or therapeutic (enoxaparin 1 mg/kg twice daily: 20.8%) anticoagulation. Despite this, symptomatic VTE was detected in 11 (6.5%) inpatients. Out of the 168 individuals, 28 (16.7%) admitted to the ICU, 8 (4.8%) required IMV, and 8 (4.8%) died. Clinically relevant non-major bleeding was detected in two (1.2%) cases. The Caprini score of all eight versions demonstrated a significant association with inpatient VTE frequency. The highest predictability was observed for the original scale when assessed at discharge (death). Only symptomatic VTE was reported after discharge with a cumulative incidence of 7.1%. This did not affect the predictability of the Caprini score. Extended antithrombotic treatment was prescribed to 49 (29%) patients with a cumulative incidence of bleeding of 1.8% at 6 months. Conclusion The study identified a significant correlation between the Caprini score and the risk of VTE in COVID-19 patients. All models including specific COVID-19 scores showed equally high predictability, and ...

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Objective To evaluate the incidence and clinical relevance of silent nontarget occlusion (NTO) of superficial and deep veins occurring after ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) that can be detected by serial duplex ultrasound scan (DUS). Methods This retrospective analysis evaluated the medical records of patients treated with UGFS at a private clinic in Moscow, Russia from 2015 to 2017. All patients underwent serial DUS at 1 to 2 weeks and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after UGFS. Results During the observation period, 268 patients were treated with UGFS, using physician compounded polidocanol foam 257 lower limbs of 196 patients (73%) with varicose veins who underwent DUS at 1 to 2 weeks after the last session of UGFS (inclusion time-point): 139 women and 57 men (mean age: 44.2 ± 12.2 years) with the following CEAP clinical class distribution: C2, 74.0%; C3, 20.0%; C4, 4.5%; and C5, 1.5%. NTO at the inclusion time-point occurred in 60 limbs (23.3%) of 57 patients (28.5%) and was symptomatic only in three limbs (1.2%). Most occlusions were localized in the untreated great saphenous vein trunk ( n = 28) and the calf muscle veins ( n = 23). Overall, 72%, 44%, 29%, and 10% of all limbs and 77%, 45%, 28%, and 12% of limbs with NTO were followed up by DUS at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. There were no cases of thrombus progression or symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE). At six months, no deep vein occlusions persisted. Conclusions The frequency of nontarget vein occlusion after UGFS revealed by serial DUS may be as high as 23.3%. These occlusions tend to resolve within six months and are not associated with symptomatic VTE.

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) with the prevalence of pulmonary microcirculatory thrombosis is considered a common complication of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that develops despite anticoagulation. Methods The clinical course of the disease and the autopsy findings of seven deceased patients with verified COVID-19 were analyzed. The chest computed tomography (CT) scan was routinely performed while CT pulmonary angiography and a duplex ultrasound scan (DUS) of the lower limbs were used in cases of suspected VTE. The VTE prophylaxis was administered to all patients with intermediate or therapeutic doses of low-molecular-weight heparin. The histological examination of the lung tissue and other organs was performed with particular attention paid to the pulmonary vasculature. Results Venous thromboembolism, including deep vein thrombosis in one patient and pulmonary artery thrombosis in two patients, was confirmed by imaging tests despite anticoagulation. Systemic thrombolysis was performed in two patients with putative and confirmed pulmonary embolism. An autopsy revealed the signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome in all seven patients. Abnormalities of lung vessels were found in all cases and were represented by dystrophy and necrosis in the endothelium and muscle fibers, and by infiltration by plasmatic cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. Multiple clots of variable maturity were observed. All those changes developed despite anticoagulation and were preserved after systemic thrombolysis. Conclusion Inflammatory and prothrombotic changes in the arterial wall in parallel with the lack of lung perfusion may cause diffuse arterial thrombosis in the lungs. This background may be responsible for the low response to systemic anticoagulation and thrombolysis in severe forms of COVID-19.

Objective. The study aimed to validate the original Caprini score and its modifications considering coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a severe prothrombotic condition in patients admitted to the hospital with confirmed infection. Methods. The relevant data were extracted from the electronic medical records with the implemented Caprini score and were evaluated retrospectively. The score was calculated twice: by the physician at the admission and by the investigator at discharge or after death. The second calculation at discharge, considered additional risk factors that occurred during inpatient treatment. Besides the original Caprini score (a version of 2005), the modified version added the elevation of D-dimer and specific scores for COVID-19 as follows: 2 points for asymptomatic, 3 points for symptomatic and 5 points for symptomatic infection with positive D-dimer, were evaluated in a retrospective manner. The primary endpoint was symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) confirmed by appropriate imaging testing or dissection. The secondary endpoint included the unfavorable outcome as a combination of symptomatic VTE, admission to the intensive care unit, the requirement for invasive mechanical ventilation, and death. The association of eight different versions of the Caprini score with outcomes was evaluated. Results. Totally 168 patients (83 males and 85 females at the age of 58.3±12.7 years old) were admitted to the hospital between April 30 and May 29, 2020, and were discharged or died up to the time of data analysis. The original Caprini score varied between 2-12 (5.4±1.8) at the admission and between 2-15 (5.9±2.5) at discharge or death. The presence of the virus increased these scores and resulted in an increased score with the maximal value for those including COVID-19 points (10.0±3.0). Patients received prophylactic (2.4%), intermediate (76.8%), or therapeutic (20.8%) doses of enoxaparin. Despite this, the symptomatic VTE was detected in 11 (6.5%) and unfavorable outcomes in 31 (18.5%) patients. The Caprini score of all eight versions demonstrated a significant association with VTE with the highest predictability for the original scale when assessed at discharge. Supplementation of the original score by elevated D-dimer improved predictability only at the admission. Four versions of the Caprini score calculated at the admission had a significant correlation with the unfavorable outcome with the minor advantages of specific COVID-19 points. Conclusion. The study identified a significant correlation between the Caprini score and the risk of VTE or unfavorable outcomes in COVID-19 patients. All models, including specific COVID-19 scores, showed high predictability with minor differences.