Does eradication of superficial vein incompetence after superficial vein thrombosis reduce the risk of recurrence and of deep vein thrombosis? A pilot study evaluating clinical practice in Örebro county, Sweden
2022 (English)In: Phlebology, ISSN 0268-3555, E-ISSN 1758-1125, Vol. 37, no 8, p. 610-615Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Background: Elective eradication of superficial vein incompetence (SVI) is advocated after superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), and to prevent recurrent SVT. However, this practice currently lacks evidence and not all SVT patients are referred.
Method: Pilot study based on retrospective review of medical records for patients in orebro county, Sweden; diagnosed with SVT during 2019. Patients in primary care without venous intervention were compared with patients from a vascular service treated with eradication for SVI, regarding prevalence of VTE and recurrent SVT during one-year follow-up.
Results: Out of 236 records reviewed, 97(41%) were included, 44 in the vascular care, and 53 in primary care. Erroneous diagnosis and coding were common causes for exclusion. The groups differed in ultrasound verified SVT 25(47.2%) and 35(79.5%) (p = .001), LMWH treatment 13(24.5%) and 24(54.5%) (p = .002), and history of prior SVT 19(35.8%) and 31(70.5%) (p = .001). There was no difference in the incidence of VTE during follow-up, 1(1.9%) and 1(2.3%) (p = 1.000), or recurrent SVT, 7(13.2%) and 6(13.6%), respectively (p = .951).
Conclusions: This pilot study cannot confirm if elective eradication of SVI after SVT reduces the risk of VTE and recurrent SVT, however, the incidence of VTE was low in both groups. Limitations of the study are the small sample size and the lack of duplex ultrasound in all cases in both groups at diagnosis and at follow-up. Further prospective studies on homogenous populations are needed.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sage Publications, 2022. Vol. 37, no 8, p. 610-615
Keywords [en]
superficial vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, varicose veins, endovenous ablation
National Category
Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-100315DOI: 10.1177/02683555221113402ISI: 000824961900001PubMedID: 35802031Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85133828130OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-100315DiVA, id: diva2:1685297
Note
Funding agency:
Skandinavian Research Foundation for Varicose Veins and other Venous Diseases 2021
2022-08-022022-08-022023-12-08Bibliographically approved