Podoplanin Expression and IDH-Wildtype Status Predict Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with High-Grade Gliomas in the Early Postoperative Period

OBJECTIVE: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) often is encountered in patients with high-grade gliomas. The un-derlying mechanisms are unclear, as is the optimal prophylactic protocol. The purpose of the present study was to identify risk factors of VTE and examine the validity of early VTE detection in high-grade gliomas. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 165 patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma treated at Niigata University Hospital during the years 2009 to 2016. If the serum D-dimer levels increased to 5.0 mu g/mL or more, computed tomography was performed to detect VTE. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry with antibodies against podoplanin was performed on available 101 tumor tissues. RESULTS: Of the 165 patients, 44 (26.7%) developed VTE. Of the 44 patients, 34 (79.5%) developed VTE within 7 days after surgery. No fatal VTE occurred and major complications secondary to anticoagulation occurred in only 2 (1.2%) patients. On multivariate analysis, lower Karnofsky Performance Scale status, podoplanin expression, and isocitrate dehydrogenase-wildtype status were independently associated with the risk of VTE (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We found that most VTEs occurred early in the postoperative period and commonly in patients with lower Karnofsky Performance Scale status and isocitrate dehydrogenase-wildtype gliomas, which expressed podoplanin.