The evolution of the Caprini score

Abstract

The article is a narrative review of the literature that addresses the issues of individual risk assessment of hospital-acquired VTE using the Caprini score. It provides modern epidemiological data confirming the high medical and social significance of the problem of hospital venous thrombosis. The questions of the natural evolution of the Caprini score since the publication of the initial version in 1991 are discussed, a comparative analysis of the modifications of 2005, 2010 and 2013 is carried out, and the features of validation studies that have proven the superiority of the classical version of 2005 are discussed. Attention is paid to the problem of integrating the Caprini score into medical documentation with automation of the process of risk assessment and the appointment of preventive measures. The issue of heterogeneity of approaches to dividing patients into risk groups for developing VTE in accordance with the assessed scores is discussed separately; data from modern studies are presented confirming the existence of very high (9–10 points) and extremely high (≥11 points) risk groups that require an individual approach to prevention of thrombotic complications. Summary data are provided on the frequency of registration of VTE in accordance with Caprini scores in patients of various medical profiles based on a meta-analysis of 68 validation studies. The possibility of using patient-oriented questionnaires based on the Caprini score is discussed, which demonstrate high consistency with the original scale, but have not yet been studied in prospective studies. Revised algorithms are proposed to individually assess the risk of VTE using the 2005 vers of the Caprini score and prescribe adequate prophylaxis. It is concluded that the Caprini score still continues to improve and evolve in accordance with general trends in the development of medicine and healthcare, while maintaining the status of the most studied and in demand system for individual assessment of the risk of developing hospital-acquired VTE.