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Comment & Response
May 2019

Revisiting Results on Use of Inferior Vena Cava Filters in Older Adults

Author Affiliations
  • 1Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(5):726-727. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0468

To the Editor In their recently published Research Letter, Bikdeli and colleagues analyzed 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality rates according to the use of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters in Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries 65 years and older who were hospitalized with acute pulmonary embolism (PE).1 The authors matched comorbidities as well as demographics in those who received IVC filters and those who did not, and showed that 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality rates were higher in those who received an IVC filter. They concluded that the data do not suggest an association between IVC filter use and lower mortality rates in these patients. They state that these findings, in combination with the paucity of evidence from trials, raise concerns about the widespread use of IVC filters.

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