Fondaparinux vs warfarin for the treatment of unsuspected pulmonary embolism in cancer patients

Figures & data

Table 1 Primary cancer site

Site	Number (64)	%
Gastrointestinal	29	45
Pancreas	13	20
Urogenital	11	17
Prostate	9	14
Hematologic	10	15
Lung	8	12
Breast	2	3.3
Renal	2	3.3
Others	2	3.3

Table 2 Thrombi localization in pulmonary artery as revealed by CT in enrolled patients with APE

Localization	Patients
	n	%
Central nonocclusive position	6	9
Main lobar arteries (three in the right and five in the left)	8	13
Lobar arterial branches (eight in the right and five in the left)	13	20
Segmental branches of lobar arteries (16 in the right and ten in the left lung)	26	41
Subsegmental lobar pulmonary branches (seven in the right and four in the left)	11	17

Abbreviations: CT, computer tomography; APE, asymptomatic pulmonary embolism.

Table 3 Efficacy outcome evaluation during the follow-ups (T0: 90 days and T1: 1 year) through computer tomography and documenting the persistence or recurrence of pulmonary thrombosis

	Group A, warfarin (n=32)	Group B, fondaparinux (n=32)	P-value
T0
Persistence	14	4	<0.01
Reduction	8	12	<0.01
Disappearance	10	16	<0.01
T1
Recurrence	7	6	0.32
Appearance of specific symptoms	5	4	0.12
Thrombotic events	6	6	0.46

Table 4 Safety outcome evaluation

	Group A, warfarin (n=32)	Group B, fondaparinux (n=32)	P-value
Major bleeding	6	3	<0.01
Minor bleeding	5	4	0.12
Overall mortality	4	3	0.47