Documento de Consenso SEMERGEN - CEFyL de la SEACV: Trombosis venosa superficial de miembros inferiores / Consensus document of SEMERGEN - CEFyL of the SEACV: super cial venous thrombosis of lower members in Primary Care

La trombosis venosa superficial (TVS) de miembros inferiores venía considerándose como una patología de naturaleza benigna con un curso clínico autolimitado. Actualmente se conoce que sus potenciales complicaciones pueden ser graves o incluso mortales, como la trombosis venosa profunda o el tromboembolismo pulmonar. Existen diferentes formas de presentación clínica, factores de riesgo y diferentes tratamientos para su abordaje, principalmente en Atención Primaria. Nuestro grupo de trabajo de vasculopatías de la Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN) ha elaborado esta actualización con la evidencia científica actual de forma conjunta con el Capílulo Español de Flebología y Linfología de la Sociedad Española de Angiología y Cirugía Vascular

The superficial venous thrombosis of the lower limbs was considered a pathology of a benign nature with a self-limiting clinical course. It is now known that its potential complications can be serious or even deadly, such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary thromboembolism. There are different forms of clinical presentation, risk factors and different treatments for its approach mainly in Primary Care. Our working group of vasculopathies of the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN) has developed this update with the current scientific evidence jointly with the Spanish Chapter of Phlebology and Lymphology of the Spanish Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery

Subcutaneous protein C concentrate in the management of severe protein C deficiency--experience from 12 centres.

Since the first description of subcutaneous protein C concentrate as treatment for severe protein C deficiency in 1996, further cases have been reported but there is no uniform approach to this form of treatment. In order to assess the safety and effectiveness of subcutaneous protein C concentrate and suggest recommendations for future use, patients who had received subcutaneous protein C concentrate were identified from the literature, by contacting the manufacturers and by personal communication. Treatment details were available from 14 cases. Apart from one case where the infusion interval was inadvertently increased, no thrombotic events occurred even when doses were subsequently reduced. Initially, a trough protein C level of >0·25 iu/ml should be aimed for. Subsequently, a smaller dose of subcutaneous protein C concentrate, especially if taken with an oral anticoagulant, may be protective maintenance treatment. The treatment was well tolerated with few side effects. Subcutaneous protein C concentrate on its own or combined with an oral anticoagulant appears to be safe and effective as maintenance treatment of severe protein C deficiency. A major advantage is the avoidance of central venous access devices. The incidence of neurodevelopmental handicap was high with blindness affecting the majority of patients.

Bemiparin versus unfractionated heparin as bridging therapy in the perioperative management of patients on vitamin K antagonists: the BERTA study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The management of patients on vitamin K antagonist therapy who require an invasive procedure is problematic. A randomised, controlled, double-blind clinical trial was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of bemiparin, a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), with unfractionated heparin (UFH) as bridging therapy: the BERTA (BEmiparin Randomised Trial on bridging Anticoagulants) study. METHODS: Two hundred and six patients on long-term oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) requiring an invasive procedure were randomized to receive bridging therapy with bemiparin + matching placebo or UFH. OAT was resumed on day 1. The study medication was continued for 5-6 days after the procedure. The primary efficacy endpoint was the combined incidence of arterial and venous thromboembolic events. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of major bleeding within 10 days after the invasive procedure. RESULTS: There were no thromboembolic events in the bemiparin group, but two events (2.2 %) occurred in the UFH group. No major bleeding occurred in either group, but minor bleeding occurred in four patients (4.3 %) and six patients (6.1 %) in the bemiparin and UHF groups, respectively. No deaths and no cases of severe thrombocytopenia occurred during the whole study period. CONCLUSION: Despite its small size, the BERTA study is the first randomised, double-blind clinical trial comparing UFH with a fixed high-risk thromboprophylactic dose of an LMWH as bridging therapy. There were no thromboembolic events and fewer bleeding episodes in the bemiparin group than in the UFH group, hence we suggest that bemiparin is at least as safe as UFH as bridging therapy.