Maximum venous outflow and development of deep vein thrombosis

To evaluate the relationship between maximum venous outflow (MVO) of the leg and development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), venous occlusion plethysmography (VOP) using a Mercury strain gauge was carried out in 56 unilateral DVT patients. The data from these patients were compared with those obtained from several control groups. Then, the relationship between plethysmographic and 9 clinical variables was statistically analysed in the normal legs of these patients. The mean MVO of the normal legs of these patients was significantly higher than that of the affected legs, but it was significantly lower than those of normal controls and patients with mild congestive heart disease. However, it was similar to those in patients with lymphedema and obese men. A decrease in the MVO of the normal legs of these patients was noted in older females with femoral vein obstruction of the left leg, with a shorter number of days from the onset of symptoms or with higher values for the obesity index and calf circumference. Significant correlations between the MVO and the obesity index (r = -0.59), venous capacitance (VC, r = 0.49) and the number of days from the onset of symptoms (r = 0.40) were found in the normal right legs of these patients (n = 40). In the normal left legs (n = 16), on the other hand, significant correlations were found between the MVO and the VC (r = 0.65) and the MVO and age (r = -0.65).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)