Thrombosis Awareness

by Donna Castellone, MS, MT(ASCP)S • September 26, 2023

World Thrombosis Day

The interpretations below are provided by Donna Castellone, MS, MT (ASCP) SH for Aniara Diagnostica.

Participate in the 60 for 60 Challenge!

WTD invites you to #MoveAgainstThrombosis with us!

Join us from October 1 - 13 as we pedge to get up and move every 60 minutes for 60 seconds in an effort to raise awareness of the 60% of blood clos that occur during or after hospitalization.

https://www.worldthrombosisday.org/take-action/60-for-60- challenge/

Breaking the Silence: Addressing Mental Health in Thrombosis Patients

Join us on October 10, 2023, at 11 am (US-ET), for an impactful World Thrombosis Day webinar titled "Breaking the Silence: Addressing Mental Health in Thrombosis Patients." Co-hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this webinar aims to shed light on the crucial intersection of mental health and thrombosis, providing valuable insights and support for patients and healthcare professionals alike.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T5OUp6fjRMu3ZIEmy6 56ZQ#/registrationM

10th Anniversary

10th Anniversary Twitter Town Hall: Impact of Thrombosis Awareness Over the Last Decade

Be part of the largest conversation about blood clots and join us for the World Thrombosis Day (WTD) Twitter Town Hall – #ClotChat. In celebration of WTD’s 10th anniversary, this town hall will focus on celebrating the significant contributions of our esteemed partners who have played a pivotal role in increasing awareness of thrombosis throughout the past decade. We invite all WTD partners to join us for this important discussion on Twitter.

https://www.worldthrombosisday.org/newsroom/news/

THROMBOSIS AWARENESS

How has thrombosis awareness made a difference over the past ten years? Did you know that 1 in 4 people worldwide die from conditions caused by thrombosis? Up to 60% of venous thrombosis occur during or after hospitalization, which is a preventable hospitalization death. There are 10 million cases of hospital associated clots globally occurring in low-, middle- and high-income patients.1

One of the downsides of technology is the increase in sedentary lifestyles which increase our risk of thrombosis. Things like sitting at a desk, watching TV can result in the pooling of blood in veins resulting in deep vein thrombosis, and if it breaks off and travels to the lung it can cause a pulmonary embolism. One of the goals of World Thrombosis Day is to increase awareness of the risks of thrombosis and encourage people to take preventative action against it since 1 in 4 adults don't meet the recommended level of physical activity. Even adding light intensity exercise provides health benefits. A goal of 10,000 steps each day has been set, but even 7000 steps can have a significant impact on thrombosis.2 In a study of more than 15,000 people those who watched television had a 70% greater risk of suffering from VTE compared with those who never watched TV. 3

Physical activity was a protective factor for VTE, even moderate activity benefits VTE prevention. The protective effect is stronger in women when compared to men. This may be due to sex hormone differences. Results from randomized clinical trials revealed that promoting daily walking, cycling and exercise should be considered primary prevention for VTE.<sup.4

The negative impact of inactivity includes: difficulty sleeping, low energy, poor posture, weight gain, lack of focus, constipation, tight hips and hamstrings, stiff neck and shoulders and back pain. Moving can also release endorphins that can boost energy levels, as well as serotonin with can have a positive impact on mental health.2

Pediatric Awareness

The incidence of VTE in pediatrics is a rare occurrence, but there has been an increase in pediatric VTE due to awareness. Between 1980-2012 the rate of obesity has more than doubled in children aged 6–11 (7% to 18%) and quadrupled in adolescents aged 12–19 (5% to 21%).5 Additionally, children can spend up to 8 hours watching TV, playing videogames and other electronic activities increasing their risk due to a sedentary lifestyle. Extreme gamers can play up to 48.5 hours/week and may have an excessive VTE risk in the setting of obesity. Many gamers also sit in a cross legged position. It is important to understand the amount of game time to help to understand the degree of sedentary.5

The pediatric VTE mortality rate is 2% with a risk of post thrombotic syndrome of 26%. Based on these findings it is important to modify these risks that occur in pediatrics. In a recent study of adolescent thromboembolism, associated risk factors for developing a thromboembolic event included obesity in 47%, central venous catheters in 27%, infection in 27%, surgery in 27%, immobility in 22%, autoimmune disease in 19%, and other medical conditions in 11% of patients.5

Cardiovascular Health and Physical Inactivity:

The prevalence of physical inactivity (PI) is linked with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) at a rate of 6%, 7% with type II diabetes, as well as 10% of breast cancer and 10% of colon cancer as well as premature mortalily. A sedentary lifestyle and a low level of physical fitness are associated with increased plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-7, TNF, and C-reactive protein (CRP). It is associated with metabolic disorders.6

What are 10 easy ways to move against thrombosis?

  1. Go on a walk.
  2. Set a timer and stretch once an hour for five minutes.
  3. Try a new workout or exercise through videos, or class at a local gym.
  4. Work standing up
  5. Do a walking challenge either in person or virtually.
  6. Dance!
  7. Take breaks on road trips, stop and walk around.
  8. Encourage patients to move at least 30 minutes each day to decrease risk.
  9. Raise your legs above your heart from time to time to increase blood flow.
  10. Take a yoga class.7

Conclusion:

Clearly there is a correlation between an increased risk for thrombosis in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Raising awareness in both healthcare professionals and the community is the purpose of World Thrombosis Day. Check out the activities and pledge to move more and make others aware of the importance of physical activity.

CALLING ALL CLOTTERS/COAGULATION LABORATORIES:
ACTIVITY: THE COAGULATION COMMUNITY IT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW LABORATORIES HANDLE FACTOR ASSAY ORDERING. DO YOU USE ARABIC NUMERALS WHEN ORDERING (FACTOR 8) OR ROMAN NUMERALS (FACTOR VIII). SEND ME HOW YOUR LABORATORY HANDLES THIS, AS WELL AS IF YOU BELIEVE IT SHOULD CHANGE TO ARABIC NUMERALS AND WHY? Email me at: Dcastellone28@gmail.com - I will publish the results next month!

REFERENCES:

  1. https://www.worldthrombosisday.org/
  2. HASSAN MUAZ Why you need to move more in your day JULY 10, 2023 https://theeagleonline.com.ng/why-you- need-to-move-more-in-your-day/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CMake%20it%20a%20daily%20habit,chances%20of%20a%20healthy%20life
  3. Matthew Sloan, Move more every day to combat a sedentary lifestyle, Harvard Blog, May 24, 2018.https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/move-more-every-day-to-combat- a-sedentary-lifestyle 2018052413913#:~:text=A%20sedentary%20life%20can%20affect%20your%20health%20in,to%20a%20study%20of%20more%20than %2015%2C000%20people

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