Mechanical restraint in psychiatric hospitals linked to elevated venous thromboembolism risk, Danish study finds

Summary

This population-based cohort and self-controlled case series study from Denmark (2000-2022) examined the short-term risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after mechanical restraint among psychiatric inpatients. Among 24,423 patients exposed to mechanical or chemical restraint, the study found that mechanical restraint was associated with a significantly elevated risk of VTE. At 30 days after restraint, the cumulative incidence of VTE was 3.5 per 1000 patients in the mechanical restraint group versus 1.7 per 1000 in the chemical restraint group (risk ratio 2.07). In the self-controlled case series, the incidence rate ratio was 4.49 in the 14 days after mechanical restraint compared with baseline periods. While the absolute risk was low, the findings highlight the importance of preventive strategies to reduce VTE risk in mechanically restrained psychiatric patients.

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