Clinical aspects of venous thrombophilia

Abstract

Venous thrombophilia is the result of clotting changes namely of a hypercoagulable state together with blood flow and vessel wall changes. There is no need for all these components to be present in order for thrombosis to occur. As the matter of fact, thrombosis may occur even if only one of these conditions is present. In clinical practice a combination of factors is usualy seen. In comparison with arterial thrombophilia, clotting changes and blood flow seen to play a major role in venous thrombosis. Venous thrombophilia may remain asynptomatic or may result in a series of clinical syndromes. The commonest of these are: 1. Superficial vein thrombosis, 2. Deep vein thrombosis of legs, 3. Deep vein thrombosis of arms, 4. Caval veins thrombosis, 5. Portal vein thrombosis, 6. Hepatic veins thrombosis, 7. Renal vein thrombosis, 8. Cerebral sinuses thrombosis, 9. Right heart thrombosis, 10. Miscellaneous (ovarian, adrenal veins thrombosis, etc.). Since the first two are widely and easily recognized, these is no need for an extensive discussion. Deep vein thromboses of upper limbs are not as frequent as those of lower limbs or of superficial phlebitis but they can still be recognized on clinical grounds and non invasive techniques. The remaining 7 syndromes are less common and therefore less frequently suspected and recognized. Of particular interest, among these less common manifestations of venous thrombophilia are hepatic vein and renal vein thrombosis. Hepatic veins thrombosis, sometimes part of inferior vena cava thrombosis is most frequently due to an isolated occlusion of hepatic veins thereby causing a form of venocclusive disease. Occasionally diagnosis may be difficult because of slow onset of symptoms (hepatomegaly, right flank pain, fever, ascites etc.). The same is true for renal vein thrombosis which may also be of difficult diagnosis since it causes proteinuria and flank pain. The proteinuria is often interpreted as due to a nephrotic syndrome which, incidentally, may cause by its turn renal vein thrombosis. Portal vein thrombosis and cerebral sinuses thrombosis on the contrary are more easily suspected because of ascites, adominal pain, jaundice or headache, eye proptosis, vomiting. Right heart thrombosis should be suspected in cases of recurrent pulmonary embolization. Ovarian or adrenal veins thrombosis are rare. The competent physician should always consider, given certain congenital or acquired conditions, the possibility to be facing a special form of venous thrombosis or a venous thrombosis in unusual sites. An early diagnosis, as often in medicine, is of paramount importance for a prompt treatment and a satisfactory outcome.