Prevalence of Venous Thromboembolism Across Ethnic Groups in the United States.

Understanding the overall prevalence of VTE is paramount in estimating the burden of illness associated with this disease. This study aims to assess the number of VTE cases in the United States across ethnic groups based on recent data.

Data from the Marketscan® Medicaid database from Thomson Reuters (Jan 2002–Dec 2005) were extracted for patients aged ≥18 years. Patients were evaluated for VTE in each year, defined by the presence of a VTE diagnosis on an inpatient claim or on ≥1 outpatient claim with evidence of anticoagulant administration. Age-, sex- and race-specific VTE prevalence rates were derived by dividing the number of VTE cases identified by the number of individuals in the underlying MarketScan populations during that time. These rates were then multiplied by 100,000 to obtain a VTE prevalence rate per 100,000.

In 2002, there were 276 individuals with evidence of VTE per 100,000 plan enrollees. In 2005, that number grew to 358, a 30% increase. African American males had the highest overall observed prevalence rate of 584 per 100,000 enrollees in 2002, growing to 785 in 2005 (Table). Caucasian males had the next highest observed prevalence at 457 per 100,000 enrollees in 2002, growing to 643 per 100,000 in 2005. Females generally had lower observed prevalence of VTE than males, although Hispanic females had similar prevalence's to Hispanic males (94 vs 93 in 2002, 149 vs 154 in 2005). Following multivariate adjustment for comorbidities and conditions known to be strong risk factors associated with developing VTE, African Americans were at significantly increased risk for VTE than Caucasians (Odds Ratio 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.07, p<0.05).

VTE prevalence increased during the study period for the overall US Medicaid population. African Americans had the highest rate of VTE, followed by Caucasians and Hispanics. There is a need for improved VTE awareness and prevention across all ethnic groups.

Deitelzweig:sanofi-aventis: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau, The authors received editorial/writing support in the preparation of this abstract funded by sanofi-aventis U.S., Inc.; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Scios: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Speakers Bureau. Lin:sanofi-aventis: Employment. Johnson:sanofi-aventis: Research Funding. Schulman:sanofi-aventis: Research Funding.