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Iliac vein compression not cause of iliac DVT
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According to a retrospective study, iliac vein compression appears to be a promoter of, but not a cause of, iliac deep vein thrombosis.
“The clinical significance of this study is that endovascular treatment (angioplasty and stent) is inappropriate for those with iliac compression solely to prevent DVT,” Feng Chen, PhD, from the department of vascular surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, China, said in a press release.
Chen and colleagues analyzed records and CT images of 278 patients with left-sided DVT (228 with iliac DVT; mean age, 60 years; 34% men; 50 with infrainguinal DVT; mean age, 55 years; 72% men) and 232 controls with no DVT (mean age, 56 years; 50% men).
Using logistic regression analysis, the researchers determined the influence of iliac vein compression on left iliac and infrainguinal DVT.
Compared with controls, mean percentage compression of the left iliac vein was higher in those with left iliac DVT (74.64% vs. 53.42%; P < .01) but lower in those with infrainguinal DVT (45.37% vs. 53.42%; P < .01), according to the researchers.
For each 10% increase in percentage compression of the left iliac vein, there was increased odds of left iliac DVT (OR = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.64-2.15), but not increased odds of infrainguinal DVT (OR = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.76-1.03), Chen and colleagues wrote.
“Given the high incidence of vein compression in our patient population, yet the relatively low incidence of DVT in general, the presence of this anatomic finding alone [does] not likely result in left-sided DVT,” Chen said in the release. “These data suggest that, in general, compression itself is not the precipitating factor in iliac DVT; rather, it is the promoter of iliac DVT should infrainguinal thrombosis occur.” – by Erik Swain
Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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