Doppler ultrasonographic examination of the leg veins of patients with Parkinson disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with Parkinson disease.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Outpatient neurology clinic.


METHODS
Eighty-one patients with Parkinson disease.


METHODS
Duplex ultrasonographic scans consisting of M mode images and compression images, Doppler flow assessment and augmentation of flow assessment.


RESULTS
Four patients had leg DVT; in 3 of the patients the thrombi were in calf veins, whereas in 1 patient the thrombosis was in the superficial femoral vein. Of the patients with DVT, 1 (1.23%) had stage 2 Parkinson disease, 1 (1.23%) had stage 2.5, and the other 2 (2.46%) had stage 4.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of DVT among patients who were more severely disabled by Parkinson disease. However, an overall incidence of DVT of 4.9% in a group of asymptomatic patients is clinically meaningful, suggesting that patients with Parkinson disease are at risk for asymptomatic leg DVT.
Burbridge
B E
BE
Department of Medical Imaging, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon. burbridb@duke.usask.ca
Wallace
J K
JK
Rajput
A
A
McCulloch
L
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology