title: Venous thromboembolism during combat operations: a 10-y review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article examines the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in combat wounded, identifies risk factors for pulmonary embolism (PE), and compares the rate of PE in combat with previously reported civilian data.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was performed of all U.S. military combat casualties in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom with a VTE recorded in the Department of Defense Trauma Registry from September 2001 to July 2011. The Military Amputation Database of all U.S. military amputations during the same 10-y period was also reviewed. Demographic data, injury characteristics, and outcomes were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 26,634 subjects, 587 (2.2%) had a VTE. This number included 270 subjects (1.0%) with deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 223 (0.8%) with PE, and 94 (0.4%) with both DVT and PE. Lower extremity amputation was independently associated with PE (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-2.69). A total of 1003 subjects suffered a lower extremity amputation, with 174 (17%) having a VTE. Of these, 75 subjects (7.5%) were having DVT, 70 (7.0%) were having PE, and 29 (2.9%) were found to have both a DVT and a PE. Risk factors found to be independently associated with VTE in amputees were multiple amputations (OR, 2; 95% CI, 1.35-3.42) and above the knee amputation (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.3-3.32).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combat wounded are at a high risk for thromboembolic complications with the highest risk associated with multiple or above the knee amputations.
authors.affiliation: Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Tara N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.affiliation: Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Chad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.affiliation: Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Aden
authors.affiliation: Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohn
authors.affiliation: Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Electronic address: christopher.eric.white@us.army.mil.
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Amputation; Combat; Deep venous thrombosis; Pulmonary embolism; Trauma; Venous thromboembolism; War