title: The prevalence of venous thromboembolism of the lower extremity among thermally injured patients determined by duplex sonography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Morbidity and mortality from venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a significant problem for hospitalized patients. Despite the ample prospective literature defining the prevalence of VTE in hospitalized patient populations, the prevalence of VTE in the thermally injured population remains largely unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 148 thermally injured patients with hospital stays of greater than 3 days with lower extremity duplex ultrasonograms obtained at admission and discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine patients experienced VTE (6.08%). Eight of the nine deep venous thromboses were proximal. One of the two pulmonary embolisms was fatal. Treatment risk factors that were associated with VTE were the presence of a central venous line (p = 0.020) and transfusion of more than 4 units of packed red blood cells (p = 0.023). These treatment factors were significantly related to each other (p < 0.0001), to body surface area burned, and to intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of VTE in burn patients is similar to that of moderate- to high-risk general surgical patients for whom VTE prophylaxis is recommended. VTE prophylaxis of burn patients, especially those requiring central venous lines and more than 4 units of packed red blood cells, should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, 52242, USa. wibbenmeyer@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Lucy A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Wibbenmeyer
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hoballah
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Amelon
authors.forename: P X
authors.initials: PX
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Loret De Mola
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kealey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001830:Body Surface Area; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex / Q000379:methods; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control