title: Impact of the postthrombotic syndrome on quality of life after primary upper extremity deep venous thrombosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the impact of the postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) on quality of life after primary upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients with a history of primary UEDVT, treated with anticoagulation alone, and twenty healthy controls were retrospectively identified and prospectively assessed for health-related quality of life (SF-36 and VEINES-QOL-questionnaire) and upper extremity functional impairment (DASH-score). Presence of PTS was classified according to the modified Villalta-score. Comparisons between patients and controls and between patients with and without PTS were performed using Fisher`s exact test (categorical variables) and Mann-Whitney-U-test (continuous variables).
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the modified Villalta-score, 32 % of the patients suffered from mild to moderate PTS. None of the patients developed severe PTS. Compared to healthy control subjects, patients with a history of primary UEDVT reported on considerably worse health-related quality of life and significantly stronger upper extremity functional impairment. Within the cohort of patients with UEDVT, subjects with PTS had a significantly reduced quality of life and a more severe functional limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quality of life and functional performance are impaired in patients with a history of conservatively treated primary UEDVT. Impairment is most pronounced in patients with mild to moderate PTS occurring in every third patient.
authors.affiliation: Klinikum der LMU, Med. Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Sektion Angiologie - Gefässzentrum, Munich, Germany. michael.czihal@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czihal
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rademacher
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernau
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054070:Postthrombotic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D056824:Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants