- Submitted: 15th July 07

Dendrite is pleased to announce a new publication for July 2007 - the fourth VEnous thromboembolism RegIsTrY (VERITY) report which documents the diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in both the inpatient & outpatient settings in the UK. This new report includes analysis on almost 56,000 patients – the largest database of its kind world-wide.

Clinical issues for specific patient sub-populations and certain clinical practices are addressed in individual chapters:

• patients with pulmonary embolism
• the use of thromboprophylaxis
• patients with cancer and VTE
• pregnant women with VTE

Detailed risk factor profiling provides important insight into the patients presenting with symptomatic venous thromboembolism and highlights the need for improved preventative algorithms, which seek to help clinicians deliver timely, effective and targeted thromboprophylaxis. Based on analyses of the VERITY data, a new programme of research has been initiated with the ultimate goal of defining a national risk assessment-based approach for the prevention of venous thromboembolism.

Patients with a combination of cancer and thrombosis remain a significant challenge for clinicians. The VERITY data suggest novel associations between some rare tumour types & thrombosis. Although outcome data are limited, there is the suggestion that thrombosis is a signal for poor outcome in particular tumour types. These analyses are being extended with a view to helping improve care and outcomes in this particular patient group.

Where possible, the report integrates national guidelines with the registry findings to provide a comprehensive and integrated overview of thrombosis care in the United Kingdom. Such information is the essential bedrock for facilitating clinical governance. Particular focus has been placed on the new guidelines issued by the Department of Health and NICE on optimising in-hospital thrombosis-prevention strategies. This report validates many of the management approaches for thrombosis that have already been adopted across the NHS, but it is striking that there is still a largely unmet need for systematic documentation of long-term follow-up for those patients who are diagnosed with venous thromboembolism. The overriding mission of the VERITY investigators is to drive more improvements in patient-care for this patient population and this report has been designed to provide data and information to assist this process.