Predictive value of decreasing antithrombin III in deep-vein thrombosis.
Antithrombin III (At-III) was measured at the time of admission and two days later in 131 patients laid up in a coronary care unit. The patients were examined for deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) clinically and by means of 125I-fibrinogen scanning. 19 patients developed DVT. In 11 subjects with and 25 without DVT At-III decreased more than 10%. And in 7 with and 17 without DVT At-III decreased more than 15%. One person with DVT had subnormal At-III. By using decrease of At-III or subnormal initial At-III to predict DVT the following predictive value (PV) were found. Decrease less than or equal to 10%, PV pos. = 0.32 and PV neg. = 0.93. Decrease less than or equal to 15%, PV pos. = 0.32 and PV neg. = 0.90. The positive predictive values obtained were too low to let decreasing At-III give occasion for prophylactic anticoagulant treatment.
D000208:Acute Disease; D020152:Antithrombin III Deficiency; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors