Men Have Higher Risk for VTE Recurrence Than Do Women

Prior research suggests that men have greater risk for recurrent venous thromboembolism after first VTE than do women. In this meta-analysis of seven prospective studies, international investigators examined the effect of sex on risk for recurrent VTE.

More than 2500 patients with first VTE occurrences were included in the studies (mean follow-up, 27 months). The 1-year incidence of recurrent VTE was 5.3% in women and 9.5% in men, and the 3-year incidence was 9.1% in women and 19.7% in men. Among patients with unprovoked first VTE (i.e., in the absence of surgery, trauma, cancer, immobility, or pregnancy), men had significantly higher risk for recurrent VTE than did women (hazard ratio, 1.8), after adjustment for multiple confounders. Among …