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COVID-19 and Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism (CORE-VTE)
Jesalyn Clarkson1, Micheal Guirguis2, Xueyi Chen3
1, PharmD, is a Clinical Pharmacist with Alberta Health Services, Red Deer, Alberta.
The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy
|June 30, 2025
Summary
For COVID-19-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE), 3-6 months of anticoagulant therapy may be sufficient. Most patients were followed for an extended period off treatment, with low rates of VTE recurrence and bleeding.
Area of Science:
- Medical Research
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).
- The optimal duration of anticoagulant therapy for COVID-19-associated VTE remains uncertain.
- This study investigates treatment duration, recurrence, and bleeding in VTE patients post-COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the duration of anticoagulant prescriptions filled after COVID-19-associated VTE.
- To assess the proportion of patients experiencing VTE recurrence.
- To evaluate the incidence of bleeding events in this patient cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of COVID-19-associated VTE cases in Alberta, Canada (February 2020 - June 2022).
- VTE and bleeding events identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9/10) codes.
- Analysis of prescription data to determine anticoagulant treatment duration.
Main Results:
- 822 patients analyzed; median follow-up of 359 days, with most off treatment.
- Median anticoagulant treatment duration was 100 days; 43.8% treated for 0-3 months, 28.5% for 4-6 months.
- Recurrent VTE occurred in 6.0% of patients, and bleeding in 8.8%.
Conclusions:
- A significant portion of patients were followed long-term after discontinuing anticoagulation.
- Considering the low recurrence and bleeding rates, 3-6 months of anticoagulant therapy appears reasonable for COVID-19-associated VTE.
- Further research may refine optimal treatment durations based on individual risk factors.
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