title: Prospective analysis of incidence, extent and chronicity of lower extremity venous thrombosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to determine all variables related to lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) to be used as reference in patients examined in a hospital setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients presented with signs and symptoms of venous thromboembolism over a one-year period, examined in our university hospital. Patients' demographics and clinical characteristics in a data base organized to answer all the pertinent questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 2594 patients. Thrombosis was found in 348 (13.4%) of which 249 were acute and 72 had chronic luminal changes. Unilateral thrombosis was found in 268 and bilateral in 80. Acute DVT and/or chronic changes were more common on the left limb. Chronic thrombosis was more prevalent in the proximal veins. Acute thrombosis was more often found in the inpatients. Both acute DVT and chronic changes were found in 27 patients (7.8%) of whom 15 were bilateral.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Various patterns of thrombosis are found in both inpatients and outpatients with the former having a higher incidence of acute events. Acute, chronic and recurrent thrombosis are very frequent and very important to report as they could change the management of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, New York, USA.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Poulikidis
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Gasparis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Labropoulos
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: deep vein thrombosis; duplex ultrasound