Title:Prevention and Therapeutic Strategies of Thromboembolic Events in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Report of Three Cases
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
Author(s): Marcin Wlodarczyk, Aleksandra Sobolewska, Jakub Fichna and Maria Wisniewska-Jarosinska
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Anticoagulants, inflammatory bowel diseases, low molecular weight heparin, thromboembolic prophylaxis, venous
thromboembolism.
Abstract: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis belong to a group of inflammatory bowel diseases
(IBD). IBD are characterized by a chronic character of inflammatory process and overlapping immunological
abnormalities, which, along with therapeutic strategies are currently available, underlie an
increased risk of venous thromboembolic events (VTE). The most common sites of VTE in IBD patients
are deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). These complications are particularly
important in clinical practice due to a very high mortality rate. Therefore, an early diagnosis
of new IBD cases and the control of inflammatory process are thought to play a crucial role in risk reduction
for thromboembolic events. Despite considerable evidence supporting the association between IBD and VTE,
there is still a lack of recognition of this risk, with dangerous consequences for patients. In this paper authors report three
cases of VTE in IBD patients and discuss the most relevant clinical studies found in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and
EMBASE regarding its prevention and management.