title: Prevalence of asymptomatic lower limb venous thrombosis in infertile women with thrombophilic disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic venous thrombosis in infertile women with thrombophilic disorders (TDs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 73 infertile women with TDs underwent duplex ultrasound scan to evaluate superficial and deep venous circulation of lower limbs. A control group of 35 infertile women without TDs was included. A single TD was found in 13 (17.8%) subjects, and 40 (54.8%) women presented a combined defect (more than three alterations). No residual mural thrombosis (RT) was noted in any deep veins. We found RT in 48 (65.8%) patients of TD group, while no RT was found in the control group (p < 0.0001). None of the clinical and prothrombotic factors were predictors of RT (all p > 0.20), and frequency of TD did not correlate with multi-vessel RT (p = 0.252).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No signs of deep vein thrombosis but high prevalence of superficial RT is present in infertile women with TDs. Further studies are needed to assess the prognostic value of our findings.
authors.affiliation: Cardiotoracovascular Department, Division of Angiology, Ferrarotto-Policlinic Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy lucacost84@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.affiliation: Cardiotoracovascular Department, Division of Angiology, Ferrarotto-Policlinic Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Pino
authors.affiliation: Cardiotoracovascular Department, Division of Angiology, Ferrarotto-Policlinic Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ragusa
authors.affiliation: Cardiotoracovascular Department, Division of Angiology, Ferrarotto-Policlinic Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buccheri
authors.affiliation: Cardiotoracovascular Department, Division of Angiology, Ferrarotto-Policlinic Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sole
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Garibaldi Hospital, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Virgilio
authors.affiliation: Cardiotoracovascular Department, Division of Angiology, Ferrarotto-Policlinic Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamburino
authors.affiliation: Conjugal Sterility Center, Policlinic Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellanca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035002:Lower Extremity; D015995:Prevalence; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Hypercoagulability; duplex ultrasound; venous thromboembolism