title: Risk factors for deep venous thrombosis in tetraparesic mentally retarded patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The risk factors and incidence of deep venous thrombosis were studied in a population of para- and tetraparesic patients institutionalized for long durations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospectively, the antecedents and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis were collected for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were available for 57 patients. The mean duration of hospitalization was 18 years. None of the patients presented thromboembolic pathology. Ninety-three per cent of the patients were spastic tetraparesic, 7% were spastic paraparesic. Sixty per cent of the patients presented added risk factors, mostly orthopaedic surgery, bone fractures and hormonal treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spasticity probably plays a role in preventing deep venous thrombosis in paralysed patients, but it does not fully explain the absence of deep venous thrombosis in this population.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital San Salvadour, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, BP 80-83407 Hyères Cedex, France. marie-christine.rousseau@ssl.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rousseau
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillotel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007326:Institutionalization; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D020335:Paraparesis / Q000150:complications*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*