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Observational Study
. 2024 Jun 12;19(1):349.
doi: 10.1186/s13018-024-04838-1.

Associations of RBC counts and incidence of DVT in patients with spinal cord injury: a five year observational retrospective study

Zhang Jinlong  1 , Wang Cheng  2 , He Chengqi  3
Affiliations
Observational Study

Associations of RBC counts and incidence of DVT in patients with spinal cord injury: a five year observational retrospective study

Zhang Jinlong et al. J Orthop Surg Res. .

Abstract

Background: The role of red blood cell (RBC) counts as potential independent risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) remains uncertain. This study aims to clarify the associations between RBC counts and DVT incidence among this population.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 576 patients with SCI admitted to the rehabilitation medicine department from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021. After exclusions, 319 patients were analyzed, among which 94 cases of DVT were identified.

Results: Mode of injury, D-dimer and anticoagulant therapy were significant covariates (P < 0.05). Age, fibrinogen, D-dimer, anticoagulant therapy and American Spinal Cord Injury Association impairment scale (AIS) grades were associated with RBC counts and DVT incidence (P < 0.05). Adjusting for these factors, a 1.00 × 10^12/L increase in RBC counts correlated with a 45% decrease in DVT incidence (P = 0.042), revealing a "U" shaped relationship with a pivot at 4.56 × 10^12/L (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: RBC counts below 4.56 × 10^12/L serve as a protective factor against DVT, while counts above this threshold pose a risk. These findings could inform the development of DVT prevention strategies for patients with SCI, emphasizing the need for targeted monitoring and management of RBC counts.

Keywords: Anticoagulant therapy; D-dimer; Deep vein thrombosis; Fibrinogen; Red blood cell counts; Spinal cord injury.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of the study Abbreviations: red blood cell count (RBC) count, white blood cell count(WBC) count, red blood cell distribution width(RDW), type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2D), high blood pressure(HBP), American Spinal Cord Injury Association impairment scale(AIS) grades, deep vein thrombosis(DVT)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Curvilinear fitting analysis The black continual line is a fitting line of RBC counts and incidence of DVT, and the interval between black dot lines is the 95%CI. Abbreviations: red blood cell count (RBC) count
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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