title: Optimal duration of treatment in surgical patients with calf venous thrombosis involving one or more veins.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate different durations of treatment in patients with calf venous thrombosis (CVT) involving 1 or more deep veins. The authors studied 2 groups of patients with postsurgical CVT diagnosed by echo-color Doppler. The first group consisted of 68 patients with CVT involving a single vein, and the second group consisted of 124 patients with CVT involving 2 or more veins. Immediately after diagnosis, all patients were treated with nadroparin calcium and sodium warfarin. Heparin treatment was withdrawn after 5-6 days of treatment, when the international normalized ratio (INR) was stabilized between 2 and 3. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups receiving anticoagulation treatment for 6 or 12 weeks, respectively. The endpoint was proximal extension of the thrombotic lesion, defined as the extension of the thrombus to the popliteal and/or femoral vein. In patients with single-vessel CVT there was no significant difference between the 2 subgroups, whereas in patients with CVT involving 2 or more vessels, a statistically significant difference was observed, the number of cases showing proximal extension of the thrombus being higher among patients treated for 6 weeks. Twelve weeks of anticoagulation treatment is better than 6 weeks only in patients with postsurgical CVT involving 2 or more veins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology, University Medical Hospital, University of Palermo, Italy. f_ferrara@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meli
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cospite
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Novo
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Novo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017762:Nadroparin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017762:Nadroparin; D014859:Warfarin