Document Detail


Prospective study on the usefulness of lung scan in patients with deep vein thrombosis of the lower limbs.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11372666     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common finding in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limbs, but the usefulness of seeking for silent PE in patients with acute DVT has not been evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study involving consecutive patients with acute symptomatic proximal DVT (confirmed by objective methods) and no clinical suspicion of PE. All patients underwent chest X-ray, ventilation-perfusion lung scan and arterial blood gases on admission, and received anticoagulant therapy. Those with scintigraphic evidence of PE underwent repeated lung scan and blood gases 7 days later. The aim of the study was to assess how many patients with silent PE develop symptoms while on heparin therapy, and in how many of them such symptoms are due to recurrent PE. RESULTS: 946 consecutive patients with acute, proximal DVT had no contraindications to full-dose anticoagulant therapy. Baseline lung scan revealed high-probability defects (silent PE) in 200 (21%). Seven of these 200 patients had symptomatic recurrences during the 7-day study period, and an inferior vena cava filter was inserted. Besides, 6 patients developed PE symptoms, but no new perfusion defects were found on repeated scan. They switched to coumarin therapy, and they did not develop any further complications. CONCLUSIONS: Lung scan in patients with symptomatic DVT and no clinical suspicion of PE may be useful, since some patients with silent PE may develop symptoms while on heparin therapy. Without a baseline scintigraphy all these patients would have been considered to have recurrent PE, and vena cava interruption could have been performed.
Authors:
M Monreal; J Ruiz; M Fraile; M Bonet; E Davant; J Muchart; V Vallejos
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Clinical Trial; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Thrombosis and haemostasis     Volume:  85     ISSN:  0340-6245     ISO Abbreviation:  Thromb. Haemost.     Publication Date:  2001 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2001-05-24     Completed Date:  2002-02-19     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7608063     Medline TA:  Thromb Haemost     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  771-4     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol de Badalona, Servei de Medicine Internal, Spain. mmonreal@ns.hugtip.scs.es
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anticoagulants / pharmacology
Blood Gas Analysis
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Heparin / pharmacology
Humans
Leg / blood supply
Lung / blood supply,  radionuclide imaging*
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Pulmonary Embolism / diagnosis*,  epidemiology,  etiology,  radionuclide imaging*
Recurrence
Survival Rate
Venous Thrombosis / complications*,  drug therapy,  epidemiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Anticoagulants; 9005-49-6/Heparin

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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