Concomitant acute deep venous thrombosis and superficial thrombophlebitis of the lower limbs

Abstract

Introduction: Some patients may have deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and superficial thrombophlebitis (ST) of the lower limbs at the same time. Aims: To analyze the frequency of risk factors for thrombosis (RF), other than thrombophilias, in patients with concomitant DVT and ST. Patients and methods: Clinical examination, plasma D-dimers and duplex ultrasonography were performed in 88 consecutive patients (mean age 64.9±13.9 years) admitted in Medical Clinic in 2007. Patients with DVT were divided into two groups: A (with ST – 30 subjects, 34.1%) and B (without ST – 58 patients, 65.9%). Results: Conditions known as RF were the following (Group A versus B): varicose veins (17 vs 21 patients, p=0.11), obesity (12 vs 19, p=0.66), previous venous thromboembolism (8 vs 16, p=0.87), malignancy (4 vs 10, p=0.44), chronic obstructive lung disease (4 vs 7, p=0.56), sepsis (2 vs 3, p=0.56), stroke and chemotherapy (1 vs 2, p=0.73), bed rest more than three days (1 vs 7, p=0.17), major surgery (1 vs 1, p=0.57), family history of DVT (1 vs 0, p=0.57), immobilizing plaster cast (0 vs 1, p=0.57). Conclusion: One third of patients with DVT had ST. None of those conditions considered as RF for DVT correlated with DVT-ST association.