Loading...
Graduated compression stockings reduce pooling of blood in the deep veins and are frequently used — alone or together with anticoagulation — to decrease the risk for deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Investigators recently conducted a multinational, multicenter trial among immobilized, hospitalized stroke patients to determine whether below-knee stockings are as effective as thigh-high stockings. The stockings used in the study were manufacturer-supplied.
A total of 3114 patients were randomized to receive thigh-high or below-knee stockings to wear while they were hospitalized. Ultrasonography of the lower extremity was performed between 7 and 10 days after enrollment. A second scan, if practical, was done 25 to 30 days after enrollment. The pri…