Pulmonary vascular disease & thromboembolismCohort study
Venous thromboembolism after mechanical restraint in psychiatric hospitals: population based cohort and self-controlled case series study
- Population-based cohort and self-controlled case series study
- propensity-weighted
Authors' conclusion
Mechanical restraint was associated with an elevated risk of VTE.
Study context
- Population
- Adult inpatients (≥18 years) exposed to restraint at psychiatric hospitals in Denmark, 2000–2022SCCS: 1285 with incident venous thromboembolism (VTE)
- Participants
- 24,423 inpatients
- Exposure
- Mechanical restraint vs chemical restraint
- Outcome
- Cumulative incidence of VTE (propensity-weighted), risk ratio and risk difference (incl. NNH)
- Follow-up
- 30 days after restraint
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
VTE
Mechanical restraint
3.5 per 1000 patients
cumulative incidence · 95% CI 2.5–4.7
Chemical restraint
1.7 per 1000 patients
cumulative incidence · 95% CI 1.0–2.6
Each group vs chemical restraintRisk ratio (95% CI)
Mechanical restraint
2.07(1.25–3.71)
Each group vs chemical restraintRisk difference, per 1000 patients (95% CI)
Mechanical restraint
1.8(0.5–3.2)
- Mechanical restraint
- NNH 548 (95% CI 311–1912)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | IRR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| VTE, self-controlled case series · 14 days after mechanical restraint | 4.49 (3.09–6.54) | |
| 0.10.31310Incidence rate ratio (log scale) |
Original publication
Venous thromboembolism after mechanical restraint in psychiatric hospitals: population based cohort and self-controlled case series study. BMJ. Published 1 July 2026. doi:10.1136/bmj-2026-100016
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it