[Is anticoagulant therapy useful when treating erysipelas?]

Low or high dosage heparin adjuvant therapy for Erysipelas (E) has become frequent, especially in France.

Publications on erysipelas complications were reviewed, and 2 studies were found in which the detection of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was systematically performed: Mahe A (6DVT/40E), and Perrot JL (4DVP/155E). We calculated the relative incidence (CRI) at 4.9 p. 100, for all studies systematically detecting the DVT (whether symptomatic or not). The other studies reported clinical DVT. CRI was at 0.7 p. 100 without heparin adjuvant therapy. CRI was at 0, not statistically significant, with low or high dosage heparin adjuvant therapy. The most frequent complications for heparin treatment were: thrombocytopenia (5.7 and 0.9 p. 100 respectively with standard and low weight heparin), and hemorrhage (less than 3 p. 100 for DVT treatment).

The risk of DVT associated with E is inferior to 10 p. 100 (the level of risk for DVT is small according to consensus conferences on thromboembolism). The incidence of asymptomatic DVT is superior to that of symptomatic DVT. But we do not know if asymptomatic DVT is equivalent to symptomatic DVT. Consensus conferences on thromboembolism do not recommend the preventive administration of heparin to bedfast patients with a low risk of DVT.

There is no indication of adjuvant anticoagulant therapy for erysipelas. There is no indication for systematic prophylactic anticoagulant therapy for erysipelas. Prophylactic anticoagulant therapy is used depending on other risk factors of DVT. Wearing stockings may be another indication for patients.