PURPOSE: Venous thromboembolism is a relevant social and health care problem for its high incidence, pulmonary embolism-related mortality and long-term sequelae which may be disabling (post-thrombotic syndrome and ulceration). PROCEDURES: The aim of our work was to establish the presence of coagulation disorders (hypercoagulable states) in the patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the leg. Prospectively we have analyzed a group of 30 patients with echosonographicaly verified DVT of the leg who were admitted to the department of vascular surgery from August 1st 2000 to July 31st 2001. The following parameters were monitored: prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), fibrinogen (Fib), alpha 2 anti-plasmin (A-2 AP), D-dimer (DD), antithrombin III (AT III) and factor VII. FINDINGS: Activation of the coagulation process was registered. The values of monitored coagulation parameters are shown in table 1. Plasma levels of monitored parameters in the patients with DVT of the leg were significantly higher than in the control subjects. CONCLUSION: In patients with a DVT a hypercoagulable state is common finding. Some parameters of coagulation activity such as D-dimer might be of great interest in the diagnostic strategy of DVT.
PURPOSE:Venous thromboembolism is a relevant social and health care problem for its high incidence, pulmonary embolism-related mortality and long-term sequelae which may be disabling (post-thrombotic syndrome and ulceration). PROCEDURES: The aim of our work was to establish the presence of coagulation disorders (hypercoagulable states) in the patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the leg. Prospectively we have analyzed a group of 30 patients with echosonographicaly verified DVT of the leg who were admitted to the department of vascular surgery from August 1st 2000 to July 31st 2001. The following parameters were monitored: prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), fibrinogen (Fib), alpha 2 anti-plasmin (A-2 AP), D-dimer (DD), antithrombin III (AT III) and factor VII. FINDINGS: Activation of the coagulation process was registered. The values of monitored coagulation parameters are shown in table 1. Plasma levels of monitored parameters in the patients with DVT of the leg were significantly higher than in the control subjects. CONCLUSION: In patients with a DVT a hypercoagulable state is common finding. Some parameters of coagulation activity such as D-dimer might be of great interest in the diagnostic strategy of DVT.