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Thromb Haemost 2005; 93(05): 876-879
DOI: 10.1160/TH04-08-0508
Blood Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Cellular Haemostasis
Schattauer GmbH

Prevalence of venous thromboembolism at a teaching hospital in Okinawa, Japan

Mitsumasa Kishimoto
1   Division of Rheumatology, New York University, New York, USA, and Department of Public Health, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
2   Department of Medicine, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
,
Hwee Yong Lim
2   Department of Medicine, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
,
Yasuharu Tokuda
3   Department of Medicine, Okinawa Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan
,
Masashi Narita
3   Department of Medicine, Okinawa Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan
,
Hidetaka Kitazono
3   Department of Medicine, Okinawa Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan
,
Hiroki Ito
2   Department of Medicine, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
,
Todd B. Seto
2   Department of Medicine, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
,
Kenneth N. Sumida
2   Department of Medicine, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
,
Rebecca P. Gelber
2   Department of Medicine, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 17 August 2004

Accepted after resubmission 02 February 2005

Publication Date:
11 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

Limited data suggest that Asian Americans may have a lower risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) than Caucasians. However, the actual prevalence of VTE among Asians remains controversial, and has not been described in Japan. We studied all 131,060 patients hospitalized at a single medical centre in Japan (January 1987 – December 1999). Patients with VTE were identified through discharge diagnoses. Hospital records were reviewed for information on patient demographics, risk factors, and diagnostic modalities. VTE occurred in 0.11% of admissions (n=141, 95%CI 0.09–0.13%). Mean age (±SD) was 64±17 years, 70% were women, 91% had deep vein thrombosis, and 29% pulmonary embolism. Among hospitalized patients 50–69 years old, VTE was significantly more common among women than men (0.31% vs. 0.08%; OR 3.88; 95%CI 1.45–6.31). We found a low prevalence of VTE in Japan compared to that reported in the US. Future studies are needed to clarify the reasons for our findings.

Keywords

Thromboembolism - Japan - prevalence
 

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