DVT Prophylaxis in Sixteen and Seventeen Year Olds and the NICE Guidelines – Should Adult Risk Assessment Tools be used for Children?

Description

The presentation delivered by Jan Muhammad focuses on the topic of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis in 16 and 17-year-olds, discussing the implications of the revised NICE guidelines from 2018 which expanded the risk assessment and thromboprophylaxis recommendations for this age group. An analysis was conducted on the incidence of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) at the University Hospital of Leicester, which serves a diverse population. The study reviewed records from 2013 to 2019, surveying admissions and day attendances to assess the frequency of VTE cases in adolescents.



A total of 14,000 patients were studied, with important findings indicating that among the patients scanned for suspected VTE, a small fraction had positive results. Three specific cases were highlighted, providing insights into the risk assessment process used in their institution and the various underlying conditions of the patients. The overall rate of VTE in this age group was found to be low, challenging the effectiveness of using adult screening tools for risk assessment in adolescents and suggesting that routine prophylaxis might not be effective or safe.



The presentation concludes by emphasizing the need for NICE to develop more tailored guidelines based on the evidence collected, pointing out the burden of current practices on healthcare resources and the importance of re-evaluating DVT prophylaxis protocols for this demographic.

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