Venous thromboembolism in overt hyperthyroidism - a direct association with clinical implications?

Hyperthyroidism is associated with procoagulant changes in the haemostatic system. At present, it is uncertain whether this leads to an increased risk of venous and/or arterial thrombosis. Only a few small studies have investigated this association but due to methodological limitations it is not possible to draw any definitive conclusions at this stage. Here we report two patients with severe venous thromboembolism (VTE) and concomitant hyperthyroidism without any risk factors for VTE. Hereby, we emphasise a possible association as supported by a number of previous studies. In a planned prospective multicentre cohort study we will examine the association between hyperthyroidism and VTE and determine its clinical relevance.