Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21943460›Full record

ArticleAnnals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England2011

Prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in general surgery: guidelines differ and we still need local policies.

D Veeramootoo, L Harrower, R Saunders, D Robinson, W B Campbell

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 32% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

D VeeramootooDepartment of General Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, UK. docrajv@doctors.org.uk
L Harrower
R Saunders
D Robinson
W B Campbell
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionVenous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis has become a major issue for surgeons both in the UK and worldwide. Several different sources of guidance on VTE prophylaxis are available but these differ in design and detail.

methodsTwo similar audits were performed, one year apart, on the VTE prophylaxis prescribed for all general surgical inpatients during a single week (90 patients and 101 patients). Classification of patients into different risk groups and compliance in prescribing prophylaxis were examined using different international, national and local guidelines.

resultsThere were significant differences between the numbers of patients in high, moderate and low-risk groups according to the different guidelines. When groups were combined to indicate simply 'at risk' or 'not at risk' (in the manner of one of the guidelines), then differences were not significant. Our compliance improved from the first audit to the second. Patients at high risk received VTE prophylaxis according to guidance more consistently than those at low risk.

conclusionsDifferences in guidance on VTE prophylaxis can affect compliance significantly when auditing practice, depending on the choice of 'gold standard'. National guidance does not remove the need for clear and detailed local policies. Making decisions about policies for lower-risk patients can be more difficult than for those at high risk.

Indexed as

Practice Guidelines as TopicAnticoagulantsElective Surgical ProceduresEmergency TreatmentEnglandGuideline AdherenceHeparin, Low-Molecular-WeightHumansIntraoperative ComplicationsMedical AuditOrganizational PolicyPhysical Therapy ModalitiesRisk AssessmentVenous ThromboembolismAnticoagulantsHeparin, Low-Molecular-Weight

Identifiers

PMID21943460
PMCPMC3365454
OpenAlexW1974899109

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.