Summary of strength of evidence of the cited studies of vascular complications following splenectomy in various hematologic disorders
| Medical condition . | Reported vascular complications . | Strength of evidence . |
|---|---|---|
| Thalassemia | Arteriothrombosis | Large multi-institutional survey7,20 |
| Individual case reports or small series21,,,–25 | ||
| DVT or PE | Large multi-institutional survey7 | |
| Institutional retrospective review36,37 | ||
| Individual case reports or small series38,–40 | ||
| PAH | Cross-sectional studies66,67 | |
| Sickle cell disease* | Arteriothrombosis | Large prospective cohort (stroke)28 |
| DVT or PE | National database review41,42 | |
| PAH | Prospective cohort68 | |
| Hereditary spherocytosis | Arteriothrombosis | Cross-sectional studies9,10 |
| Individual case reports11 | ||
| DVT or PE | Cross-sectional study10 | |
| Individual case reports46,60 | ||
| PAH | Case control studies55,56 | |
| Individual case reports60,62 | ||
| Hereditary stomatocytosis | Arteriothrombosis | Individual case reports50 |
| DVT or PE | Small case series, but includes majority of known cases17 | |
| Individual case reports50 | ||
| PAH | Small case series, but includes majority of known cases17 | |
| Individual case reports50,51,53 | ||
| Other asplenic states | Arteriothrombosis | Case control study8 |
| Individual case reports18,19,26,27 | ||
| DVT or PE | Case control study (autopsies)43 | |
| Population-based prevalence study49 | ||
| Individual case reports44,45,47,48 | ||
| PAH | Case control studies55,–57 | |
| Individual case reports61,63,–65 |
| Medical condition . | Reported vascular complications . | Strength of evidence . |
|---|---|---|
| Thalassemia | Arteriothrombosis | Large multi-institutional survey7,20 |
| Individual case reports or small series21,,,–25 | ||
| DVT or PE | Large multi-institutional survey7 | |
| Institutional retrospective review36,37 | ||
| Individual case reports or small series38,–40 | ||
| PAH | Cross-sectional studies66,67 | |
| Sickle cell disease* | Arteriothrombosis | Large prospective cohort (stroke)28 |
| DVT or PE | National database review41,42 | |
| PAH | Prospective cohort68 | |
| Hereditary spherocytosis | Arteriothrombosis | Cross-sectional studies9,10 |
| Individual case reports11 | ||
| DVT or PE | Cross-sectional study10 | |
| Individual case reports46,60 | ||
| PAH | Case control studies55,56 | |
| Individual case reports60,62 | ||
| Hereditary stomatocytosis | Arteriothrombosis | Individual case reports50 |
| DVT or PE | Small case series, but includes majority of known cases17 | |
| Individual case reports50 | ||
| PAH | Small case series, but includes majority of known cases17 | |
| Individual case reports50,51,53 | ||
| Other asplenic states | Arteriothrombosis | Case control study8 |
| Individual case reports18,19,26,27 | ||
| DVT or PE | Case control study (autopsies)43 | |
| Population-based prevalence study49 | ||
| Individual case reports44,45,47,48 | ||
| PAH | Case control studies55,–57 | |
| Individual case reports61,63,–65 |
None of the reported complications specifically mention their occurrence after splenectomy, yet most patients with sickle cell disease are functionally asplenic.