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The risk factors for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) include older age, obesity, cancer, immobility, hormonal agents, a positive family history of VTE, and a previous episode of VTE. Now, investigators have conducted three studies to further examine the extent of these risks.
Engbers and colleagues conducted a population-based, case-control trial of more than 400 persons in the Netherlands and the US (>70 years) to ascertain the risks for VTE in an older population. They determined that the odds ratio (OR) for VTE — adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index — was 14.8 within 2 weeks after hospital discharge. During the 3 months after hospitalization, ORs were as follows: for fractures, 12.7; for patients who underwent surgery, 6.6; …