PMID- 12010667
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20030731
LR  - 20220316
IS  - 0390-6078 (Print)
IS  - 0390-6078 (Linking)
VI  - 87
IP  - 5
DP  - 2002 May
TI  - High versus low doses of unfractionated heparin for the treatment of superficial 
      thrombophlebitis of the leg. A prospective, controlled, randomized study.
PG  - 523-7
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The optimal treatment of superficial thrombophlebitis 
      of the leg is undefined. The main study objective was to assess the efficacy and 
      safety of unmonitored high doses as compared to low doses of unfractionated 
      heparin (UFH) for prevention of venous thromboembolic complications in patients 
      with superficial thrombophlebitis of the thigh. DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixty 
      consecutive patients with acute thrombophlebitis of the great saphenous vein, as 
      assessed by ultrasonography, were randomized to subcutaneous injection twice 
      daily of UFH in high unmonitored doses (12,500 IU for one week followed by 10,000 
      IU) or prophylactic doses (5,000 IU) for four weeks. The rate of asymptomatic 
      involvement of the deep venous system and/or symptomatic thromboembolic events 
      during a six-month follow-up period was assessed and compared between the two 
      study groups. RESULTS: Six of the 30 patients (20.0 %; 95% CI, 7.7 to 38.6) 
      randomized to low-dose UFH developed symptomatic or asymptomatic events as 
      compared to 1 of the 30 patients (3.3%; 95% CI, 0.07 to 17.2) who received 
      high-dose UFH (p=0.05 by one-sided Fisher's exact test). No patient experienced 
      major bleeding complications in either group. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: The 
      results of this study suggest that in patients with acute thrombophlebitis of the 
      thigh unmonitored high doses of UFH are more effective than prophylactic doses of 
      UFH for prevention of venous thromboembolic complications and do not enhance the 
      risk of bleeding complications.
FAU - Marchiori, Antonio
AU  - Marchiori A
AD  - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Chair of Internal Medicine, 
      University Hospital of Padua, Italy.
FAU - Verlato, Fabio
AU  - Verlato F
FAU - Sabbion, Paola
AU  - Sabbion P
FAU - Camporese, Giuseppe
AU  - Camporese G
FAU - Rosso, Federica
AU  - Rosso F
FAU - Mosena, Laura
AU  - Mosena L
FAU - Andreozzi, Giuseppe Maria
AU  - Andreozzi GM
FAU - Prandoni, Paolo
AU  - Prandoni P
LA  - eng
PT  - Clinical Trial
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Randomized Controlled Trial
PL  - Italy
TA  - Haematologica
JT  - Haematologica
JID - 0417435
RN  - 9005-49-6 (Heparin)
SB  - IM
MH  - Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
MH  - Female
MH  - Hemorrhage/chemically induced
MH  - Heparin/*administration & dosage/toxicity
MH  - Humans
MH  - Leg/blood supply
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Prospective Studies
MH  - Saphenous Vein/diagnostic imaging/pathology
MH  - Thrombophlebitis/complications/*drug therapy
MH  - Treatment Outcome
MH  - Ultrasonography
EDAT- 2002/05/16 10:00
MHDA- 2003/08/02 05:00
CRDT- 2002/05/16 10:00
PHST- 2002/05/16 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2003/08/02 05:00 [medline]
PHST- 2002/05/16 10:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Haematologica. 2002 May;87(5):523-7.