Abstract
Background Several studies have previously reported an association between idiopathic proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and atherosclerosis, but whether spontaneous distal DVT is associated with asymptomatic atherosclerosis is still unknown. Methods Ultrasonography of the carotid arteries was done for plaque detection and intima-media thickness (IMT) evaluation, and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in 116 patients with spontaneous DVT and without symptomatic atherosclerosis. Fifty-seven patients (M/F 19/38, age range 54–78 years) had distal DVT and 59 (M/F 24/35, age range 51–73 years) had proximal DVT. A group of 57 (M/F 21/36, age range 64–70 years) matched subjects acted as controls. Results No significant difference was found in carotid plaques between patients with distal or proximal DVT versus controls ( p > 0.05 in all comparisons). Carotid IMT (mean ± SD) was significantly increased in patients with distal (1.00 ± 0.20 mm) and proximal (0.98 ± 0.16 mm) DVT versus controls (0.88 ± 0.15 mm, p <0.01 in both comparisons). An ABI £ 0.9 was found in 3/57 (5.3%) and 5/59 (8.5%) patients with distal and proximal DVT, respectively versus no controls with abnormal ABI. Conclusion Our results revealed that there may be an association between spontaneous distal DVT and asymptomatic atherosclerosis, and confirmed the known association between idiopathic proximal DVT and asymptomatic atherosclerosis. Larger studies are needed to confirm our results and to evaluate their clinical implications.
Highlights
Several studies have previously reported an association between idiopathic proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and atherosclerosis, but whether spontaneous distal DVT is associated with asymptomatic atherosclerosis is still unknown
Our results revealed that there may be an association between spontaneous distal DVT and asymptomatic atherosclerosis, and confirmed the known association between idiopathic proximal DVT and asymptomatic atherosclerosis
Patients with spontaneous venous thromboembolism (VTE) have a higher prevalence of atherosclerosis defined as the presence of asymptomatic atherosclerotic lesions in the carotid arteries as compared with patients with VTE secondary to known risk factors and healthy subjects.[1]
Summary
Ultrasonography of the carotid arteries was done for plaque detection and intima-media thickness (IMT) evaluation, and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in 116 patients with spontaneous DVT and without symptomatic atherosclerosis. A group of 57 (M/F 21/36, age range 64–70 years) matched subjects acted as controls. Study Design and Objective We considered all consecutive outpatients evaluated at the Angiology Unit and the Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit at Padova University Hospital between August 2020 and December 2020 with a recent (within a month) diagnosis of spontaneous proximal or distal DVT, as assessed by compression ultrasonography. We selected 57 subjects without DVT, matched for age and sex with cases, among caregivers and relatives of our cases who acted as controls. All enrolled patients provided written informed consent in compliance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Padova University Hospital’s Ethical Committee was notified as required for observational studies
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