Background The relationship between cancer and thrombosis has been studied for years, but reliable guidelines for thromboprophylaxis in that situation are still unclear. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the files of 3159 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed solid tumors at Jules Bordet Institute from January 2008 to December 2011. Among them, 99 developed a symptomatic thromboembolic episode and were matched with 2 controls (nested case control). The aim was to identify risk factors of thromboembolic events and to validate in our setting the Khorana score. Results In the cohort study, nodal status ≥ 2, presence of metastases, and primary tumor site were found to be the most significant predictive factors of a thromboembolic event (n = 99; 3.1%) in the multivariate analysis. In the nested study (n = 265), hemoglobin < 13 g/dL or treatment with a red cell growth factor, CRP ≥ 31.6 mg/L, creatinine level > 0.96 mg/dL, chronic inflammatory disease, and personal or familial history of thromboembolic events were found to be the most significant predictive factors of a thromboembolic event in the multivariate analysis. In our population, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the Khorana score were respectively 29%, 93%, 15%, and 96%. Conclusion We confirm the value of the risk factors identified in the literature with the additional presence of nodal involvement, elevated CRP, and creatinine levels, which may be helpful for patient risk stratification and should be considered in future clinical trials. Our results also suggest that the Khorana score might help to identify patients who can safely be spared of thromboprophylaxis.
Background. Blood gas analysis (BGA) is a frequent painful procedure in emergency departments. The primary objective of the study was a quantitative analysis to assess the mean difference and 95% confidence interval of the difference between capillary and arterial BGA for pH, pCO2, and lactate. Secondary objective was to measure the sensitivity and specificity of capillary samples to detect altered pH, hypercarbia, and lactic acidosis. Adults admitted to the ED were screened for inclusion. We studied the agreement between the two methods for pH, pCO2, and lactate with Bland-Altman bias plot analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results. One hundred ninety-seven paired analyses were included. Mean difference for pH between arterial and capillary BGA was 0.0095, and 95% limits of agreement (LOA) were −0.048 to 0.067. For pCO2, mean difference was −0.3 mmHg, and 95% LOA were −8.5 to 7.9 mmHg. Lactate mean difference was −0.93 mmol/L, and 95% LOA were −2.7 to 0.8 mmol/L. At a threshold of 7.34, capillary pH had 98% sensitivity and 97% specificity to detect acidemia; at 45.9 mmHg, capillary pCO2 had 89% sensitivity and 96% specificity to detect hypercarbia. At a threshold of 3.5 mmol/L, capillary lactate had 66% sensitivity to detect lactic acidosis. Conclusion. Capillary BGA cannot replace arterial BGA despite high concordance between the two methods for pH and pCO2 and moderate concordance for lactate. Capillary measures had good accuracy when used as a screening tool to detect altered pH and hypercarbia but insufficient sensitivity and specificity when screening for lactic acidosis.
Study objective The primary objective of the study was a quantitative analysis to assess the mean difference and 95% confidence interval of the difference between capillary and arterial blood gas analyses for pH, pCO2 and lactate. Secondary objective was to measure the sensitivity and specificity of capillary samples to detect altered pH, hypercarbia and lactic acidosis. Methods Adults admitted to the ED for whom the treating physician deemed necessary an arterial blood gas analysis (BGA) were screened for inclusion. Simultaneous arterial and capillary samples were drawn for BGA. Agreement between the two methods for pH, pCO2 and lactate were studied with Bland-Altman bias plot analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value as well as AUC were calculated for the ability of capillary samples to detect pH values outside normal ranges, hypercarbia and hyperlactatemia. Results 197 paired analyses were included in the study. Mean difference for pH, between arterial and capillary BGA was 0.0095, 95% limits of agreement were -0.048 to 0.067. For pCO2, mean difference was -0.3 mmHg, 95% limits of agreement were -8.5 to 7.9 mmHg. Lactate mean difference was -0.93 mmol/L, 95% limits of agreement were -2.7 to 0.8 mmol/L. At a threshold of 7.34 for capillary pH had 98% sensitivity and 97% specificity to detect acidemia; at 45.9 mmHg capillary pCO2 had 89% sensitivity and 96% specificity to detect hypercarbia. Finally at a threshold of 3.5 mmol/L capillary lactate had 66% sensitivity to detect lactic acidosis. Conclusion Capillary measures of pH, pCO2 and lactate cannot replace arterial measurements although there is high concordance between the two methods for pH and pCO2 and moderate concordance for lactate. Capillary blood gas analysis had good accuracy when used as a screening tool to detect altered pH and hypercarbia but insufficient sensitivity and specificity when screening for lactic acidosis.
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