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Published on: April 13, 2018
Deep venous thrombosis in acute stroke patients
Jan P Bembenek1, Michał Karlinski, Adam Kobayashi
1Second Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland. jbembenek@o2.pl
Insights
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) affects less than 10% of acute stroke patients, primarily those with ischemic stroke. Pre-stroke disability and elevated C-reactive protein are key risk factors, but DVT does not significantly impact 3-month outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Medicine
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a recognized complication following stroke.
- Understanding DVT incidence and risk factors in acute stroke patients is crucial for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of DVT in acute stroke patients.
- To identify risk factors associated with DVT development post-stroke.
- To evaluate the impact of DVT on 3-month patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of 323 consecutive acute stroke patients.
- Ultrasound imaging performed within 7 days of stroke onset.
- Multivariate analysis to identify independent risk factors.
Main Results:
- Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was detected in 8.7% of patients, exclusively in those with ischemic stroke.
- Independent risk factors for DVT included elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (OR 3.15) and prestroke disability (Modified Rankin Scale 3-5, OR 2.89).
- DVT did not significantly influence the 3-month outcomes for stroke patients.
Conclusions:
- Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is an infrequent complication (<10%) in acute stroke.
- Prestroke dependency and elevated baseline CRP levels are significant independent risk factors for DVT in stroke patients.
- The presence of DVT does not appear to adversely affect the 3-month prognosis after acute stroke.
Abstract:
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a complication of stroke. Our aim was to determine the frequency of DVT in patients with acute stroke, risk factors for its development, and its influence on the 3-month outcome. A total of 323 consecutive patients with acute stroke were enrolled. We performed ultrasound imaging within 7 days after stroke. Deep venous thrombosis was found in 8.7% of patients, only in those with ischemic stroke. Patients with DVT were more frequently female (71.4% vs 49.5%), had prestroke Modified Rankin scale (mRS) 3 to 5 (42.9% vs 15.3%), elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) serum level (65.4% vs 32.5%), and a trend toward elevated serum fibrinogen level (85.7% vs 70.1%; P = .08). In a multivariate analysis, elevated CRP (odds ratio [OR] 3.15) and prestroke disability (OR 2.89) were independent risk factors for DVT. Deep venous thrombosis occurs in <10% of patients with acute stroke and does not significantly affect the 3-month outcome. Prestroke dependency and elevated CRP level at baseline are independent risk factors for DVT.
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