A 16-year haemodynamic follow-up of women with pregnancy-related medically treated iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis.
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate clinical and functional long-term outcomes following pregnancy-related medically treated iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT).


METHODS
retrospective follow-up of patients identified through a registry search.


METHODS
twenty-five women underwent clinical examination, colour duplex ultrasound and computerised strain-gauge plethysmography on two occasions a mean of nine and 16 years after DVT.


RESULTS
40% of the patients were completely asymptomatic and 52% had no clinical signs of venous disease after a mean follow-up of 16 years. The clinical signs were in general mild, and none of the 25 patients had skin changes or ulcers. Deep venous reflux was found in 36% of the patients; the same percentage at nine- and 16-years follow-up, and 24% had normal ultrasonographic appearance of all deep veins. None of the patients had plethysmographic evidence of outflow obstruction. There was a significant relationship between measures of venous reflux and the presence of leg swelling, but there was no clear relation between functional abnormalities and the extent of the initial DVT.


CONCLUSIONS
even after 16 years there are relatively mild symptoms and signs of venous disease in women with medically treated pregnancy-related iliofemoral DVT. Our results do not support earlier stated opinions that these patients represent a particular risk group for developing post-thrombotic syndrome.
Rosfors
S
S
Department of Clinical Physiology, Stockholm Söder Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, S-118 83 Stockholm, Sweden.
Norén
A
A
Hjertberg
R
R
Persson
L
L
Lillthors
K
K
Törngren
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D010991:Plethysmography; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy