The Imperial College sponsored GAPs trial has recently opened to recruitment at Imperial College Healthcare Trust. The multicentre GAPS trial is examining the benefit of graduated compression stockings as an adjunct to low-dose low molecular weight heparin in the prevention of venous thromboembolism in elective surgical inpatients identified as moderate or high risk for venous thromboembolism. The importance of preventing patients from developing VTE is widely recognized.
The aim of this study is to look at whether patients who wear elastic stockings as well as taking anticoagulant medication have a lower chance of developing VTE than patients who take anticoagulant medications only. Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups:
1) Graduated compression to wear during their hospital stay, as well as taking low molecular weight heparin OR
2) low molecular weight heparin only
The trial team are all based in the Vascular department and consist of the Chief Investigator, Professor Alun Davies; Co-Investigator, Joe Shalhoub; Trial managers Francine Heatley and Rebecca Lawton and the Imperial research nurse, Vernisha Ali.
If you would like more information regarding the study please contact Vernisha at vernisha.ali@imperial.nhs.uk / 0203 311 7304 or email the Trial team at gapstrial@imperial.ac.uk