Venous thromboembolic disease: A single-centre case series study

Aim: The epidemiology of venous thromboembolism in children has likely changed since first being described a decade ago because of evolving management strategies and a greater awareness of predisposing factors for thrombosis in children. The Royal Children's Hospital commenced a 4-year prospective registry of venous thrombosis in 1999 to determine the current Australian epidemiology of venous thrombosis in infants and children. Methods: A prospective, single-centre registry was established to determine the prevalence, aetiology, diagnostic criteria, management and outcome of venous thromboembolism in an Australian tertiary paediatric centre. Results: The incidence of venous thrombosis was 8.0/10 000 hospital admissions. Fifty-eight per cent of infants and 49% of children were male. Seventy-seven per cent of venous thromboses in infants were associated with central venous cannulation compared with 47% in children. Doppler ultrasonography was the most frequently used diagnostic tool. Treatment strategies varied between age groups. The all-cause mortality rate for infants and children in this study was 8.4% (direct thrombus-related mortality 0%). Fifteen per cent of all patients demonstrated complete resolution of their venous thrombosis at discharge, with 48% demonstrating complete resolution at follow-up assessment. Fifteen per cent of patients experienced significant thrombosis-related morbidity at follow-up assessment. Conclusion: In this single-centre registry, venous thrombosis in infants and children occurred with greater frequency than has previously been reported and its epidemiology varied. Central venous catheterisation continues to be a common precipitant to venous thrombosis. Optimal diagnostic and treatment interventions for venous thromboembolism have not yet been determined for infants and children, despite the significant incidence of long-term sequelae.