Use of the Delphi method to establish guidelines for treatment of thrombosis.

摘要

Pregnancy is a well-described risk factor for the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). It is estimated that pregnancy confers up to a 4-fold increased risk of VTE when compared to age matched, non-pregnant patients [1]. VTE is a relatively rare event in the pregnant patient, however, it remains the number one cause of pregnancy-related mortality in the developed world [2]. Coincident thrombophilic risk factors further increase the risk of VTE [3]. In the absence of large scale clinical trials, the optimal prophylaxis strategy for pregnant patients at high risk of thrombosis remains controversial. In this issue of the Journal, Chauleur et al. have used the Delphi method to develop a scoring system to help physicians: 1) predict thrombotic risk and 2) based on this risk, implement an appropriate prophylaxis strategy [4].