Superficial venous thrombosis and venous thromboembolism: a large, prospective epidemiologic study.
BACKGROUND
Superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) is perceived to have a benign prognosis.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of venous thromboembolism in patients with SVT and to determine the 3-month incidence of thromboembolic complications.


METHODS
National cross-sectional and prospective epidemiologic cohort study. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00818688)


METHODS
French office- and hospital-based vascular medicine specialists.


METHODS
844 consecutive patients with symptomatic SVT of the lower limbs that was at least 5 cm on compression ultrasonography.


METHODS
Incidence of venous thromboembolism and extension or recurrence of SVT in patients with isolated SVT at presentation.


RESULTS
Among 844 patients with SVT at inclusion (median age, 65 years; 547 women), 210 (24.9%) also had deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or symptomatic pulmonary embolism. Among 600 patients without DVT or pulmonary embolism at inclusion who were eligible for 3-month follow-up, 58 (10.2%) developed thromboembolic complications at 3 months (pulmonary embolism, 3 [0.5%]; DVT, 15 [2.8%]; extension of SVT, 18 [3.3%]; and recurrence of SVT, 10 [1.9%]), despite 540 patients (90.5%) having received anticoagulants. Risk factors for complications at 3 months were male sex, history of DVT or pulmonary embolism, previous cancer, and absence of varicose veins.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings are from a specialist referral setting, and the study was terminated before the target patient population was reached because of slow recruitment.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial number of patients with SVT exhibit venous thromboembolism at presentation, and some that do not can develop this complication in the subsequent 3 months.


BACKGROUND
GlaxoSmithKline, sanofi-aventis, and the Ministère Francais de la Santé et des Sports (Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique).
University Hospital, Saint-Etienne, France. herve.decousus@chu-st-etienne.fr
Hervé
H
Decousus
Isabelle
I
Quéré
Emilie
E
Presles
Francois
F
Becker
Marie-Thérèse
MT
Barrellier
Myriam
M
Chanut
Jean-Luc
JL
Gillet
Hervé
H
Guenneguez
Christine
C
Leandri
Patrick
P
Mismetti
Olivier
O
Pichot
Alain
A
Leizorovicz
D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000925:Anticoagulants