Oral contraceptives, antithrombin- III activity, and postoperative deep-vein thrombosis.
Deep-vein thrombosis (D.V.T.) was detected by the fibrinogen-uptake test in six out of a total of thirty-one young women undergoing emergency abdominal surgery who gave a history of recent oral contraceptive intake. In contrast, no D.V.T. developed in nineteen similar patients who were not on oral contraceptives (P less than 0-01). Plasma-antithrombin-III activity was significantly lower preoperatively in patients taking oral contraceptives; postoperative D.V.T. subsequently developed in three out of five patients with preoperative antithrombin-III activity below 50%. In seventy-eight dental patients undergoing molar extraction, antithrombin-III activity was measured before, during, and after operation. Activity fell in all patients during operation, but the fall was significantly greater in women taking oral contraceptives (P less than 0-01). The intra-operative fall in antithrombin-III activity was prevented by a small preoperative dose of subcutaneous heparin.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000361:Agammaglobulinemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000172:deficiency*; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis; D020152:Antithrombin III Deficiency; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014081:Tooth Extraction
D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D000990:Antithrombin III; D005340:Fibrinogen; D006493:Heparin