Impact of the VTE-PREDICT calculator on clinicians’ decision making in fictional patients with venous thromboembolism: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background

After 3 months of anticoagulation for venous thromboembolism (VTE), the decision needs to be made whether to stop anticoagulation or extend treatment indefinitely. The VTE-PREDICT calculator can be used to estimate individual risks of VTE recurrence and bleeding to guide this decision.

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of predicted individual risks of recurrence and bleeding on clinicians’ decisions on anticoagulation duration and to assess usefulness of the VTE-PREDICT calculator.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial and within-subject study was conducted among clinicians treating VTE patients. The clinicians were asked to complete an online survey containing 6 fictional case vignettes. Group A proposed anticoagulant duration for each case without additional information first and subsequently after seeing calculator-predicted risks (within-subject analysis). Group B was directly provided with calculator risks and proposed treatment duration for each case vignette (for comparison with group A results in a randomized controlled trial analysis). Then, group B received questions on usefulness and credibility of the calculator.

Results

Forty-five clinicians were assigned to group A and 48 to B. Overall, group A did not propose different anticoagulation durations than group B. However, individual clinicians in group A changed proposed duration in 35% of the cases after seeing the calculator risks. The calculator was considered useful and credible by most clinicians.

Conclusion

Overall, use of the VTE-PREDICT calculator did not affect proposed anticoagulation duration. However, individual clinicians frequently changed their proposed duration after using the calculator, especially for patients with high bleeding risk.