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Background: We aimed to examine the efficiency of fixed daily dose enoxaparin (40 mg) thromboprophylaxis strategy for patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation., Methods: This was an observational, prospective, cohort study that included 63 hospitalized patients undergoing rehabilitative treatment following sub-acute ischemic stroke (SAIS) or spinal cord injury (SCI), with an indication for thromboprophylaxis. Anti-Xa level measured three hours post-drug administration (following three consecutive days of enoxaparin treatment or more) was utilised to assess in vivo enoxaparin activity. An anti-Xa level between 0.2-0.5 U/ml was considered evidence of effective antithrombotic activity., Results: We found sub-prophylactic levels of anti-Xa (<0.2 U/ml) in 19% (12/63). Results were within the recommended prophylactic range (0.2-0.5 U/ml) in 73% (46/63) and were supra-prophylactic (>0.5 U/ml) in 7.9% (5/63) of patients. Anti-Xa levels were found to inversely correlate with patients' weight and renal function as defined by creatinine clearance (CrCl) (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Our study confirmed that a one-size-fits-all approach for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis may be inadequate for rehabilitation patient populations. The efficacy of fixed-dose enoxaparin prophylaxis is limited and may be influenced by renal function and weight. This study suggests that anti-Xa studies and prophylactic enoxaparin dose adjustments should be considered in certain patients, such as those who are underweight, overweight and or have suboptimal renal function., Trial Registration: No. NCT103593291, registered August 2018., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired coagulopathy associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Whether ethnicity modulates APS clinical course is not known. The aim of our study was to assess the interplay of ethnicity and APS in Israel., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the ethnic distribution of APS patients from 3 medical centers in Israel compared to the general population. Ethnic groups were defined according to the Israeli Bureau of Statistics as Ashkenazi (European), former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), North African, Asian (West Asia, Greece, and Turkey), Israeli Arab individuals, and others., Results: Our cohort included 382 patients. The prevalence of Ashkenazi and Asian ethnicities was more pronounced (33% versus 12.8% and 15.4% versus 7.7%, respectively; P < 0.001), while Israeli Arabs were less represented (5.2% versus 31.1%; P < 0.001) relative to their part in the general population. Arab patients were younger at presentation (mean ± SD 28 ± 10 years versus 34 ± 13 years; P < 0.001) and were more likely to present with venous thrombosis (50% versus 35%; P = 0.037) and to suffer from venous thrombotic recurrence (45% versus 16%; P < 0.001) compared to other ethnicities. Mortality was higher among patients of Asian ethnic origin (8.8% versus 1.1%; P = 0.005); intriguingly, this group experienced cardiovascular risk factors more often (i.e., dyslipidemia and hypertension)., Conclusion: Ethnicity may affect the prevalence and/or natural course of APS, which is less prevalent and differs clinically in Israeli Arab patients, while mortality was linked with Asian ethnicity., (© 2021 American College of Rheumatology.)

Introduction: Primary obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS) is defined by specific morbidities and/or losses of pregnancy in the presence of persistent antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). This variant of APS is usually treated during pregnancy and the post-partum period. Data on occurrence of thrombotic event during long term follow-up of OAPS patients is limited. Methods: A multi-centre retrospectively cohort of female patients with primary APS (pAPS) was assembled during 2004-2019. Patients were grouped according to disease presentation as pure OAPS or thrombotic APS (tAPS) for those presenting with thrombosis. Clinical and serological data were compared between groups. Results: Of 219 pAPS female patients 67 (30.6%) were diagnosed with OAPS and 152 (69.4%) with tAPS. During >10 years of follow-up 24/67 (35.8%) OAPS and 71/152 (50%) tAPS suffered a new thrombotic event ( p = 0.06 ) , while obstetric morbidity was more likely in the OAPS group (31.3 vs. 10.5%, p < 0.001) respectively. Among patients with OAPS at presentation heart valve disease and the presence of ANA were related to thrombosis following diagnosis (25 vs. 4.7%, p = 0.02; and 45.8 vs. 20.8%, p = 0.04 respectively). Conclusion: Thrombotic event following diagnosis were common among female patients with pAPS regardless of disease presentation. Heart valve disease and ANA positivity may be risk factors for thrombosis during follow-up of patients presenting with pure OAPS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Niznik, Rapoport, Avnery, Lubetsky, Shavit, Ellis and Agmon-Levin.)

Background: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired hypercoagulable condition associated with antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) presence. Data on re-thrombosis following APS-diagnosis are limited., Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of new thrombotic events among primary APS (pAPS) patients followed for up to 15 years in three medical centers in Israel., Results: Among 312 primary-APS patients, 143 (46%) had new thrombotic event classified to three patterns: (1) Arterial- associated with heart valve disease (OR 7.24, 95% C.I. 2.26-24.6), hypertension (OR 3, 95% C.I. 1.44-6.25), elevated anti-B2-GPI IgM (OR 1.04, 95% C.I. 0.996-1.08), arterial thrombosis at presentation (OR 1.74 95% C.I. 0.992-3.26), and older age (41 vs. 34 years, p < 0.001). (2) Venous- linked with venous thrombosis at presentation (OR 12.9, 95% C.I. 5.27-31.6, p < 0.001), heart valve disease (OR 9.81 95% C.I. 1.82-52.9, p = 0.018), aGAPSS (OR 1.15 95% C.I. 1.02-1.29), and younger age (31 vs. 36.5 years, p = 0.001); and (3) Combined pattern -associated with heart valve disease (OR 40.5 95% C.I. 7.7-212) and pulmonary embolism (OR 7.47 95% C.I. 1.96-28.5). A 4th variant "the Breakthrough pattern" defined by re-thrombosis despite prophylactic therapy was observed in 100/143 (70%) patients and linked with heart valve disease (OR 8. 95% C.I. 2.43-26.3), venous thrombosis at presentation (OR 2.61 95% C.I. 1.47-4.66), leg ulcers (OR 12.2, 95% C.I. 1.4-107), hypertension (OR 1.99, 95% C.I. 0.92-4.34), and higher aGAPSS (OR 1.08, 95% C.I. 0.99-1.18)., Conclusion: In this real-life observation, re-thrombosis was common among pAPS patients including in those recommended to receive prophylactic therapy. Different patterns of recurrence were identified and linked with presenting symptoms, specific serological markers, APS manifestations, and comorbidities. Studies that will address interventions to prevent recurrences of APS-related events are needed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Niznik, Rapoport, Avnery, Lubetsky, Haj Yahia, Ellis and Agmon-Levin.)

Background: Patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) secondary to transient risk factors may develop VTE recurrences after discontinuing anticoagulation. Identifying at-risk patients could help to guide the duration of therapy., Methods: We used the RIETE database to assess the prognostic value of d-dimer testing after discontinuing anticoagulation to identify patients at increased risk for recurrences. Transient risk factors were classified as major (postoperative) or minor (pregnancy, oestrogen use, immobilization or recent travel)., Results: In December 2018, 1655 VTE patients with transient risk factors (major 460, minor 1195) underwent d-dimer measurements after discontinuing anticoagulation. Amongst patients with major risk factors, the recurrence rate was 5.74 (95% CI: 3.19-9.57) events per 100 patient-years in those with raised d-dimer levels and 2.68 (95% CI: 1.45-4.56) in those with normal levels. Amongst patients with minor risk factors, the rates were 7.79 (95% CI: 5.71-10.4) and 3.34 (95% CI: 2.39-4.53), respectively. Patients with major risk factors and raised d-dimer levels (n = 171) had a nonsignificantly higher rate of recurrences (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.14; 95% CI: 0.96-4.79) than those with normal levels. Patients with minor risk factors and raised d-dimer levels (n = 382) had a higher rate of recurrences (HR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.51-3.63) than those with normal levels. On multivariate analysis, raised d-dimers (HR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.09-2.77) were associated with an increased risk for recurrences in patients with minor risk factors, not in those with major risk factors., Conclusions: Patients with raised d-dimer levels after discontinuing anticoagulant therapy for VTE provoked by a minor transient risk factor were at an increased risk for recurrences., (© 2019 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.)