title: Superficial vein thrombosis in patients with varicose veins: role of thrombophilia factors, age and body mass.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of various risk factors including thrombophilia defects, in patients with varicose veins (VVs) and history of episodes of superficial vein thrombosis (SVT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and thirty patients with primary VVs were included in this prospective study. A total of 128 (43 men, age 56 ± 13) had an acute episode or a previous history of SVT, while 102 patients (27 men, age 48 ± 12) did not. Coagulation profile investigation included serum levels of protein C (PC), protein S (PS), anti-thrombin III (AT III), plasminogen (Plg), A(2) antiplasmin (A(2)Apl) and activated protein C resistance (APCR). This was performed at least 3 months after the SVT episode to ensure that the results were not altered. Age and body mass index (BMI) were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PC deficiency was detected in 3/128 (2.3%), PS deficiency in 19/128 (14.8%), AT III deficiency in 29/128 (22.7%), Plg deficiency in 9/128 (7%), A(2)Apl excess in 3/128 (2.3%) and APCR in 9/128 (7%) patients with SVT and 0/102 (0%), 3/102 (2.9%), 15/102 (14.7%), 6/102 (5.8%), 0/102 (0%) and 1/102 (0.9%) in the control group, respectively. BMI greater than 30 kg m(-2) was associated with SVT. In logistic regression analysis SVT was associated with PS deficiency (odds ratio (OR) 6.7, p = 0.004, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.83-24.53), obesity (OR 3.5, p = 0.003, 95% CI 1.53-8.05) and age (OR 1.038, p = 0.001, 95% CI 1.01-1.06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity, age and PS deficiency were found as factors associated with SVT episodes in patients with VVs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, University of Thessalia, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Karathanos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sfyroeras
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drakou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roussas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Exarchou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kyriakou
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Giannoukas
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018455:Protein S Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers