Venous thromboembolism in adults with sickle cell disease: experience of a single centre in the UK

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a recognised complication of sickle cell disease (SCD), long considered to be a hypercoagulable state. While there is a good understanding of arterial thrombosis in SCD, the nature of VTE in SCD is less well-characterised. In this retrospective cohort study, we found that the incidence of VTE in our patient cohort was higher than in the non-SCD black population; patients of all SCD genotypes with VTE had significantly elevated steady-state platelet counts compared to those without. Recent hospitalisation (typically with acute sickle pain) was the commonest precipitating risk factor. These findings suggest consideration of longer VTE prophylaxis for acute hospital admissions in SCD.