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Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · TH Open 2021; 05(04): e585-e590
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1741076
Original Article

Potential Association between Distal Deep Vein Thrombosis and Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis

Authors

  • Angelo Adamo 

    1   Department of Medicine, Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy

  • Luca Spiezia 

    1   Department of Medicine, Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy

  • Valle Fabio Dalla

    1   Department of Medicine, Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy

  • Giampiero Avruscio

    2   Department of Cardiac, Angiology Unit, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy

  • Paolo Simioni

    1   Department of Medicine, Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy
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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.

Keywords

atherosclerosis - deep vein thrombosis - peripheral arterial disease - pulmonary embolism - venous thromboembolism


Publication History

Received: 17 May 2021

Accepted: 11 October 2021

Article published online:
30 December 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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