Recurrence of Cancer-associated Venous Thromboembolism between 2009 and 2013: A Nationwide Korean Study

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer irrespective of cancer stage. Two successive nationwide population-based epidemiologic studies conducted between 2004 and 2013 using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) databases showed a gradual increase in annual ageand sex-standardized incidence (ASR) of VTE over the decade, even though the incidence rates in Republic of Korea are lower than those in Western countries. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that, unlike the incidence rates, the recurrence rates of VTE in Asia are comparable to those in Western countries. Therefore, the recurrence rate of cancer-associated VTE (CAT) in Asia can be expected to be as high as that reported in a Western population but has not yet been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the recurrence rates of anticoagulant use in patients with CAT vs. non-cancer-associated thrombosis VTE (NCAT) using Republic of Korea HIRA data collected between 2009 and 2013. Methods