title: [Thrombotic accidents induced by thalidomide: two cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  First used as a sedative, thalidomide was taken out the market because of its teratogenicity. Despite other side effects, especially neuropathies, this drug is now again prescribed in various autoimmune and neoplasic diseases. Recently, venous or arterial thrombotic events have been described after the introduction of thalidomide.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this report, we describe two new venous thrombosis cases occurring during a treatment with thalidomide. The first case is a 37-year-old man treated for a discoid lupus, who developed three deep-vein thrombosis and a massive pulmonary embolism, with recurrent thrombosis even with an efficient anticoagulation therapy until the final stop of thalidomide. The second one is a 66-year-old woman treated with thalidomide for a multiple myeloma and a melanoma in therapeutic escape, who developed a deep-vein thrombosis two months after the beginning of her treatment. Published reports suggest that most thrombotic events appeared under three months after the introduction of the treatment and that thalidomide could have acted as a precipitating or as a starting factor in a patient population already at risk of thrombosis. Those complications should be particularly severe, but the mechanism underlying thrombosis with thalidomide is unknown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A complete coagulation check-up is advised before beginning a treatment with thalidomide.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008177:Lupus Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013792:Thalidomide
vernacular_title: Accidents thrombotiques favorisés par le thalidomide: deux observations.