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Superficial thrombophlebitis — thrombosis and inflammation usually involving the saphenous veins — generally has been considered an annoyance rather than a serious condition (with the notable exception of migratory thrombophlebitis as a paraneoplastic manifestation of cancer). However, clinicians are increasingly recognizing that superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) can accompany — and perhaps lead to — more-serious conditions, such as deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).
To assess prevalence of thromboembolic complications in patients with SVT, French investigators performed a prospective, observational study of 844 patients with SVT (about one quarter of whom also had DVT or symptomatic PE at presentation). A total of 5…