Short-term response to thrombolytic therapy in deep venous thrombosis: predictive value of venographic appearance

To determine whether the response to thrombolytic therapy for lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) can be predicted from the venographic appearance, 139 thrombosed venous segments were analyzed. Initial and follow-up venograms were obtained in 62 patients randomized to 24-hour infusions of recombinant human-tissue-type plasminogen activator (rTPA) (n = 34), rTPA plus heparin (n = 16), or heparin alone (n = 12). Segmental response to therapy was evaluated by means of blinded review of the paired venograms. The response (50%-100% lysis) to rTPA alone was significantly greater in venous segments involved with nonobstructive thrombi than in those with obstructive thrombi (12 of 23 vs five of 51; P less than .005). Results were similar for the combination of rTPA and heparin (five of six vs six of 30, P less than .01). No significant difference was seen in the response of either obstructive or nonobstructive thrombus to heparin alone. Thrombotic tails responded substantially (greater than 50% decrease in size) to rTPA with or without heparin in 22 of 24 patients. The venographic appearance of DVT appears to help in predicting the therapeutic response to thrombolytic therapy.