[Computerized registry of patients with thromboembolic disease in Spain (RIETE): background, objectives, methods, and...

Venous thromboembolic disease (VTD) is a common and severe condition. Its anticoagulation-based treatment is not without complications and failures.

To create in Internet a broad database of patients with venous thromboembolic disease attended at spanish hospitals which might be helpful in the clinical practice.

Computerized registry of all incident cases of patients with objective diagnosis of VTD attended at 27 spanish hospitals since March, 1st, 2001. All data related to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up during at least a 3-month period were collected.

Since March 1st to August 31st, 2001, 573 patients were included (399 with VTD, 108 with PE and 66 with VTD and PE). The mean age of patients was 65.8 years. 10.5 % of patients had at least one risk factor: 5.2% hypoprothrombinemia (< 50%), 3% history of recent hemorrhage, 1.8% creatinine higher than 3 mg/dl, 1.3% hemodynamic unstability, 1.1% pregnancy, and 1% thrombopenia lower than 60000 platelets/mm3. The three-month follow-up period was completed by 35.4% of patients, 21.8 % of them with events (death [4.7%], hemorrhage [12.5%], and VTD relapse [4.2%]). Hypoprothrombinemia was significantly associated with increased risk of complications and history of recent hemorrhage with relapse.

It is feasible to create a database containing information on a relevant number of VTD patients, 10.5% of them with complications. Such information will allow its utilization at short-term for the decision-marking process, particularly for patients with complications.