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The incidence of and risk factors for developing postthrombotic syndrome after acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) have not been well described. In a prospective cohort study, 387 DVT patients at eight Canadian hospitals were treated with heparin followed by warfarin and had follow-up visits at 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 months. The syndrome was quantified with the Villalta scale, a reliable clinical measure of five symptoms (pain, cramps, heaviness, pruritus, and paresthesia) and six signs (redness, edema, induration, hyperpigmentation, venous ectasia, and pain on calf compression).
At each study visit, 38% to 48% of patients had mild, moderate, or severe postthrombotic syndrome (11% to 14%, moderate or severe). Most patients with no or mild sympto…