Is the Wells Score Useful for Diagnosing DVT in Hospitalized Patients?

The Wells score was developed to prevent unnecessary ultrasound imaging in outpatients with nonspecific signs and symptoms of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Although the Wells score has been validated in outpatient settings, preliminary studies show that it might not be accurate in hospitalized patients. In this prospective study, U.S. investigators used Wells scores (1 point each for presence of risk factors such as active cancer, immobilization, recent major surgery, swelling of the entire leg, and calf swelling; 2 points subtracted for alternative diagnosis) to assess 1153 hospitalized adults who underwent lower-extremity ultrasound for suspected DVT. Patients were classified by Wells score as having low (≤0 points), moderate (1–2 points)…