Smoking and Risk Factors in Deep Vein Thrombosis

Summary

The incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as diagnosed by the ¹²⁵I fibrinogen test (¹²⁵IFT) was determined in a series of 300 newly admitted medical and 201 surgical patients. 6 medical patients died before ¹²⁵IFT screening could be completed. The incidence of DVT was l4% in medical patients and 18% in surgical patients. Increasing age, a malignant condition and a past history of thromboembolism all increased the risk of DVT. Increasing levels of cigarette smoking were found to be associated with a reduced incidence of DVT. Although statistical significance was achieved at only the 10% level for this finding it is in agreement with the results from studies on patients with myocardial infarction. The protective effect of cigarette smoking was observed at all ages, and in both medical and surgical patients.

• References

• 1 Burn JH. 1952. Practical Pharmacology. Blackwell; Oxford:
• 2 Cellina GU, Honour AJ, Littler WA. 1975; Direct arterial pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiogram during cigarette smoking in unrestricted patients. American Heart Journal 89: 18
• 3 Corre E, Lellouch J, Schwartz D. 1971; Smoking and leukocyte counts. Lancet 2: 632
• 4 Cox DR. 1970. Analysis of Binary Data. Methuen, London:
• 5 Edinburgh Multi-Unit Controlled Trial. 1974; Heparin versus Dextran in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis: a multi-unit controlled trial. Lancet 2: 118
• 6 Flanc C, Kakkar VV, Clarke MB. 1968; The detection of venous thrombosis of the legs using ¹²⁵I-labelled fibrinogen. British Journal of Surgery 55: 742
• 7 Handley AJ, Teather D. 1974; Influence of smoking on deep vein thrombosis after myocardial infarction. British Medical Journal 2: 230
• 8 Hills NH. et al 1972; Prevention of deep vein thrombosis by intermittent pneumatic compression of calf. British Medical Journal 1: 131
• 9 Howell RW. 1970; Smoking habits and laboratory tests. Lancet 2: 152
• 10 International Multicentre Trial. 1975; Prevention of fatal postoperative pulmonary embolism by low doses of heparin: an international multicentre trial. Lancet 2: 45
• 11 Ludbrook J, Vincent AH, Walsh JA. 1974; The effect of sham smoking and tobacco smoking on hand blood flow. Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science 52: 285
• 12 Marks P, Emerson PA. 1974; Increased incidence of deep vein thrombosis after myocardial infarction in non-smokers. British Medical Journal 3: 232
• 13 Ogston D, Bennett NB, Ogston CM. 1970; The influence of cigarette smoking on the plasma fibrinogen concentration. Atherosclerosis 11: 349
• 14 Okuna T. 1973; Smoking and blood changes. Journal of the American Medical Association 225: 1387
• 15 Ochsner A. et al 1951; Thrombo-embolism: an analysis of cases at the Charity Hospital in New Orleans over a 12-year period. Annals of Surgery 134: 405
• 16 Sarin CL, Austin JC, Nickel WO. 1974; Effects of smoking on digital blood flow velocity. Journal of the American Medical Association 229: 1327
• 17 Seltzer CC. 1974; Effect of smoking on blood pressure. American Heart Journal 87: 558
• 18 Wasserman J. 1973; Cigarette smoking and secondary polycythemia. Journal of the American Medical Association 224: 1654