S1859 Incidence and Clinical Outcomes of Venous Thromboembolisms in Hospitalized Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Five-Year National Database Analysis (2016-2021)

Introduction: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant complication of ulcerative colitis (UC), leading to worsened disease severity, increased mortality, and higher healthcare costs. This study assessed the incidence of VTE among hospitalized UC patients and analyzed associated outcomes, including colectomy and mortality rates, based on data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) spanning 2016 through 2021. Methods: We identified UC-related hospitalizations from the NIS dataset using International Classification of Diseases-10 -CM diagnostic codes from 2016 to 2021. Cases involving concurrent VTE—either deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism—were analyzed separately. Multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for patient age, sex, comorbidities (including obesity and hypertension), and corticosteroid use, evaluated associations between VTE and key clinical outcomes: colectomy rates, in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and hospitalization costs. Results: Out of 349,872 hospitalizations identified with UC, 24,841 (7.1%) had documented VTE. Patients diagnosed with VTE had a significantly higher colectomy rate compared to those without VTE (27.6% vs 10.8%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, VTE was linked to greater in-hospital mortality (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.97–2.56). Significant predictors of VTE included corticosteroid use (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.64–2.15), obesity (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.51–1.97), and hypertension (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.24–1.60). Additionally, patients with VTE experienced longer hospital stays (mean LOS 8.2 vs 5.1 days, P < 0.001) and incurred substantially higher hospitalization costs (mean $55,532 vs $28,114, P < 0.001). Notably, younger patients (<50 years old) represented 32.3% of VTE cases, highlighting significant thrombotic risk even in younger individuals. Conclusion: The occurrence of VTE significantly worsens clinical outcomes and increases economic burden in hospitalized UC patients. Early identification, targeted preventive strategies, and careful management, particularly in corticosteroid-treated, obese, and younger patient groups, are essential to reduce VTE risk and enhance patient outcomes.