The rationale and evidence for the treatment of lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis with thrombolytic agents

This article presents the rationale and evidence for the treatment of lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) with thrombolytic agents. DVT is a common condition that has both acute and chronic complications. Standard treatment including anticoagulation therapy and compression stockings may not be entirely adequate, because a significant proportion of patients eventually develop severe post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). Thrombolytic agents offer a potential advantage because they may reduce residual vein stenosis and valve damage. The authors performed a systematic review of published randomized trials evaluating thrombolytic agents for DVT. The authors determined that thrombolysis therapy results in greater lysis and complication rates than does anticoagulation alone. The authors also found that PTS incidence is lower in patients treated with thrombolytics. However, several methodological flaws limit the conclusions with respect to reduction in PTS. Therefore, the authors conclude that although the lysis rate is greater for thrombolytic agents, they cannot be recommended routinely for DVT treatment.