inDividual, Targeted thrombosIS Prophylaxis Versus the Standard 'One Size Fits All' Approach in Patients Undergoing Total hIp or Total kNee replaCemenT

NCT ID: NCT06581965

Last Updated: 2025-09-03

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE4

Total Enrollment

10078 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-11-11

Study Completion Date

2031-02-01

Brief Summary

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After hip or knee replacement all patients receive a standardized treatment with blood thinners, this medication is called thrombosis prophylaxis. However, despite this standard treatment some individuals still develop venous thrombosis (VTE), while others experience bleeding. This indicates that not all patients have the same VTE risk following surgery. Individualizing the amount of thrombosis prophylaxis following surgery might lead to less thrombotic and bleeding events. In this study the investigators individualize the treatment with thrombosis prophylaxis based on the medical history of a patient.

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

Can thrombosis prophylaxis be shortened in patients with a low VTE risk to decrease the risk of bleeding without increasing the risk of VTE? Does an increase in the dose and duration of thrombosis prophylaxis in patients with a high VTE risk reduce the risk of VTE without inducing an unacceptable risk of bleeds?

Researchers will compare both the shortened treatment in low VTE risk patients and the intensified and extended treatment in high VTE risk patients with the standard treatment to assess the risk of VTE and bleeding in comparison to the standard treatment.

Participants will receive 4 questionnaires to evaluate whether they have experienced a VTE or bleed. For this study no additional hospital visits are necessary.

Detailed Description

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Background

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are associated with an overall symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk of about 1.3% despite the use of prophylactic anticoagulants in all patients. While not preventing all VTEs, the uniform application of anticoagulant prophylaxis is at the same time associated with a major bleeding risk of at least 0.5%. Considering that a large proportion of all patients actually have a low VTE risk, this group is unnecessarily exposed to the burden and risks of thrombosis prophylaxis. On the contrary, some patients with a high VTE risk experience a VTE despite the use of the same prophylactic anticoagulants. These VTE cases could have possibly been prevented by intensified prophylaxis.

Objectives

Overall objective: To study whether the application of a targeted anticoagulation strategy leads to less thrombotic and bleeding complications in this large patient group.

Primary objective DISTINCT study arm 1 : To determine whether in-hospital thrombosis prophylaxis only is as effective compared with the standard thrombosis prophylaxis approach to prevent symptomatic VTE after total knee and hip arthroplasty in patients with a low VTE risk.

Primary objective DISTINCT study arm 2: To determine the incidence of symptomatic VTE after total knee and hip arthroplasty in patients with an intermediate VTE risk.

Primary objective DISTINCT study arm 3: To determine whether intensified thrombosis prophylaxis is more effective and equally safe compared with standard thrombosis prophylaxis to prevent symptomatic VTE in patients with a high VTE risk by comparing symptomatic VTE and bleeding complications.

Methods

The investigators hypothesize that:

1. In patients with a low VTE risk the thromboprophylaxis can be safely shortened to in-hospital duration only, without increasing the VTE risk (in comparison with the standard duration). In addition, this will lead to less bleeds.
2. In patients with a high VTE risk (individual predicted risk \>1.5%), a therapeutic dose of thrombosis prophylaxis for 6 weeks is more effective to prevent symptomatic VTE, in comparison with the standard thromboprophylaxis. In addition, the investigators expect that the benefits of this approach (less symptomatic VTEs) outweigh the induced bleeds.

In the trial participants are allocated to one of three study arms based on the postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk predicted with the TRiP(plasty) score. (Nemeth, 2024)

* DISTINCT 1 (low VTE risk, \<1.0%) will be a randomized study arm.
* DISTINCT 2 (intermediate VTE risk, 1.0%-1.5%) will be an observational study arm.
* DISTINCT 3 (high VTE risk, \>1.5%) will be a randomized study arm.

Participants will receive a questionnaire before surgery and 2 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months after surgery. To assess the outcome measures. Furthermore an additional questionnaire is send 1 year after surgery if the participant experienced a VTE, major bleed or prosthesis infection. This questionnaire is focused on quality of life and joint function. Participants without such an event can be invited to complete this questionnaire as well. No extra hospital visits are needed and the surgery does not change.

Sample size calculations

In DISTINCT study arm 1, the expected 3-month cumulative incidence of symptomatic VTE in the control arm is 0.75%. No risk reduction or increase is anticipated, so the expected risk in the short-duration prophylaxis group is also 0.75%. With a non-inferiority limit set at 1%, a sample size of 3,130 patients is needed to achieve a power of 90%, leading to an aim to include 1,739 patients in each group, totaling 3,478 patients after accounting for a maximum dropout rate of 10%.

For DISTINCT study arm 2, in the intermediate-risk group, the expected cumulative incidence of VTE within 3 months is 1.3%. With a sample size of 2,500, a 95% confidence interval width of 0.9% - 1.7% is expected, ensuring a probability of less than 15% that the upper bound of a two-sided 95% confidence interval will exceed the 2% margin.

In DISTINCT study arm 3, a 3-month cumulative incidence of symptomatic VTE of 2.5% is expected in the control group. With an anticipated relative risk reduction of 50% in the intervention group, a sample size of 3,694 patients is necessary to achieve 80% power. Considering an interim analysis and a slightly stricter statistical significance level at the final analysis, a total of 3,748 patients is required, with 2,050 patients in each arm after accounting for a maximum dropout rate of approximately 9%, totalling 4,100 patients.

Ethics: The study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee Leiden Den Haag Delft. All participants will provide informed consent.

Conditions

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Venous Thromboembolism Venous Thromboses Pulmonary Embolism Deep Vein Thrombosis

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

This trial consists of 3 study arms. DISTINCT 1 (low VTE risk \<1.0%): randomized (2 arms) DISTINCT 2 (intermediate VTE risk 1.0%-1.5%): observational DISTINCT 3 (high VTE risk \>1.5%): randomized (2 arms) Participants will be allocated to a study arm based on their predicted VTE risk which is determined by the TRiP(plasty) score.
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Blinded endpoint adjudication

Study Groups

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DISTINCT 1 short duration prophylaxis

Patients with a low VTE risk (predicted 3-months postoperative VTE risk \<1%) based on the TRiP(plasty) score. (Nemeth, 2024)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Short duration prophylaxis

Intervention Type OTHER

Only during hospitalization: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guideline "Antitrombotisch beleid". First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use (same type as used for control group).

DISTINCT 1 control

Patients with a low VTE risk (predicted 3-months postoperative VTE risk \<1%) based on the TRiP(plasty) score. (Nemeth, 2024)

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Control

Intervention Type OTHER

4 weeks: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guidelines. First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use.

DISTINCT 2 observational arm

Patients with an intermediate VTE risk (predicted 3-months postoperative VTE risk ≥1%-≤1.5%) based on the TRiP(plasty) score. (Nemeth, 2024)

Group Type OTHER

Control

Intervention Type OTHER

4 weeks: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guidelines. First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use.

DISTINCT 3 extended prophylaxis

Patients with a high VTE risk (predicted 3-months postoperative VTE risk \>1.5%) based on the TRiP(plasty) score. (Nemeth, 2024)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Higher intensity and longer duration prophylaxis

Intervention Type OTHER

The use of any thrombocyte aggregation inhibitors should be discontinued 5 days prior to surgery. Day 0-2: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guidelines. First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use.

Day 3: Apixaban 5mg b.i.d., continued until 6 weeks after surgery, conditional on the fact that no active bleeding of the surgical wound can be observed. In case of active bleeding, the prophylactic dose of thrombosis prophylaxis is continued. Thereafter, in case no active bleeding has been observed for 24 hours, the 5mg b.i.d. apixaban treatment will be started.

The 5mg b.i.d. apixaban dose will be adjusted to 2.5mg b.i.d. in case of an impaired kidney function (defined as eGFR 10-30ml/min).

DISTINCT 3 control

Patients with a high VTE risk (predicted 3-months postoperative VTE risk \>1.5%) based on the TRiP(plasty) score. (Nemeth, 2024)

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Control

Intervention Type OTHER

4 weeks: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guidelines. First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use.

Interventions

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Short duration prophylaxis

Only during hospitalization: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guideline "Antitrombotisch beleid". First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use (same type as used for control group).

Intervention Type OTHER

Higher intensity and longer duration prophylaxis

The use of any thrombocyte aggregation inhibitors should be discontinued 5 days prior to surgery. Day 0-2: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guidelines. First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use.

Day 3: Apixaban 5mg b.i.d., continued until 6 weeks after surgery, conditional on the fact that no active bleeding of the surgical wound can be observed. In case of active bleeding, the prophylactic dose of thrombosis prophylaxis is continued. Thereafter, in case no active bleeding has been observed for 24 hours, the 5mg b.i.d. apixaban treatment will be started.

The 5mg b.i.d. apixaban dose will be adjusted to 2.5mg b.i.d. in case of an impaired kidney function (defined as eGFR 10-30ml/min).

Intervention Type OTHER

Control

4 weeks: any type of LMWH or DOAC in a prophylactic dose as approved by the Dutch guidelines. First dose of LMWH within 6-24h following surgery. First dose of apixaban within 12-24h following surgery. First dose of rivaroxaban 6-10h following surgery. First dose of dabigatran within 1-4h following surgery. The applied type of anticoagulant is according to the local standard use.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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Standard treatment

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Scheduled to undergo an elective total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty
* Aged 18 years or older

Exclusion Criteria

* Primary arthroplasty for fractures
* Revision surgery
* Hemiarthroplasty
* Pregnancy
* Current use of therapeutic anticoagulant therapy of any type (e.g., LMWH, DOAC, vitamin K antagonist)
* A contraindication for either study drug
* Insufficient knowledge of the Dutch language
* Insufficient mental or physical ability to fulfil trial requirements
* Active malignancy (i.e. cancer diagnosis within six months before surgery (excluding basal-cell or squamous-cell carcinoma of the skin), recently recurrent or progressive cancer or any cancer that required anti-cancer treatment within six months before surgery)
* Patients using thrombocyte aggregation inhibitors that cannot be temporarily discontinued at the discretion of their treating physician
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Leiden University Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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B.Nemeth

Postdoctoral researcher Clinical epidemiology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Banne Nemeth, dr

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Leiden University Medical Center

Locations

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Gelre Ziekenhuizen

Apeldoorn, Gelderland, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Zuyderland

Geleen, Limburg, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Anna Ziekenhuis

Geldrop, North Brabant, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Bravis ziekenhuis

Roosendaal, North Brabant, Netherlands

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis

Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

OLVG

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Bergman Clinics

Naarden, North Holland, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Isala ziekenhuis

Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Alrijne

Leiderdorp, South Holland, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Reinier Haga Orthopedisch Centrum

Zoetermeer, South Holland, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Netherlands

Central Contacts

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Banne Nemeth, dr

Role: CONTACT

+31715264037

Ruben Y Kok, drs

Role: CONTACT

+31715265633

References

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Nemeth B, Smeets M, Pedersen AB, Kristiansen EB, Nelissen R, Whyte M, Roberts L, de Lusignan S, le Cessie S, Cannegieter S, Arya R. Development and validation of a clinical prediction model for 90-day venous thromboembolism risk following total hip and total knee arthroplasty: a multinational study. J Thromb Haemost. 2024 Jan;22(1):238-248. doi: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.033. Epub 2023 Nov 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 38030547 (View on PubMed)

Kok RY, van Bodegom-Vos L, Ettema HB, Groenwold RHH, van den Hout WB, Huisman MV, Klok FA, Nelissen RGHH, van Rein N, van Veen M, Vehmeijer SBW, Wiegerinck JJI, Cannegieter SC, Nemeth B. Study protocol for the DISTINCT trial: inDividual, targeted thrombosIS prophylaxis versus the standard 'one-size-fits-all' approach in patients undergoing Total hIp or total kNee replaCemenT - a national, multicentre, randomised, multiarm, open-label trial. BMJ Open. 2025 Oct 6;15(10):e101180. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-101180.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 41057196 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2023-510186-98-00

Identifier Type: CTIS

Identifier Source: secondary_id

U1111-1305-2311

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

P24.031

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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