(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- People with superficial vein thrombosis may
have an increased risk of developing vein thrombosis, a life-threatening
condition.
In a new study, researchers found 24 percent of participants with
superficial vein thrombosis -- a condition that causes clotting in the blood
vessels close to the skin --- had deep vein thrombosis but showed no
symptoms of the condition. The study also showed deep vein thrombosis
occurred in the same leg as superficial vein thrombosis in 73 percent of
participating patients, in the other leg in 9 percent of patients, and in
both legs in 18 percent of patients. The authors say the calf muscle veins
were most commonly affected.
Researchers looked at 46 men and women with. Each participant underwent
color-coded duplex sonography testing to verify his or her vein thrombosis
and rule out or detect deep vein thrombosis.
"The results of this study indicated that concurrent deep vein thrombosis is
more likely when superficial vein thrombosis affects the lower leg," study
authors wrote. "In these cases, the deep veins should be assessed by
color-coded duplex sonography to exclude or confirm acute deep vein
thrombosis."
SOURCE: Archives of Dermatology, July 2009
