J Korean Med Sci.  2013 Sep;28(9):1382-1387. 10.3346/jkms.2013.28.9.1382.

Incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis after Spinal Cord Injury in Korean Patients at Acute Rehabilitation Unit

• Do JG
• Kim DH
• Sung DH

• KMID: 1793057
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.9.1382

Abstract

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and subsequent pulmonary embolism (PE) remain significant causes of morbidity, mortality in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Since incidence of DVT after SCI in Korean population has not been much studied, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 185 SCI patients admitted for acute rehabilitation unit to investigate the incidence of DVT. Color Doppler ultrasonography was performed to screen for the occurrence of DVT at the time of initial presentation to acute rehabilitation unit. Primary study outcome was the incidence of DVT. Possible risk factors for DVT including the epidemiologic characteristics, completeness of motor paralysis, cause of injury, spasticity, surgery, and active cancer were analyzed. The incidence of DVT after SCI was 27.6%. In multiple logistic regression analysis, absence of spasticity was a significant independent risk factor (P<0.05) for occurrence of DVT. Symptomatic pulmonary embolism was evident in 7 patients without an episode of sudden death. Therefore, it is concluded that the incidence of DVT after SCI in Korean patients is comparable with that in Western populations. This result suggests that pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis should be considered in Korean patients with SCI.

Keyword

Deep Vein Thrombosis; Incidence; Spinal Cord Injuries; Rehabilitation Unit

MeSH Terms

Acute Disease
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Female
Humans
Incidence
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Paralysis/etiology
Pulmonary Embolism/epidemiology/etiology
Rehabilitation Centers
Republic of Korea
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Spinal Cord Injuries/*complications
Venous Thrombosis/*epidemiology/etiology/ultrasonography
Young Adult

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Time distribution on the detection of DVT by color Doppler US. DVT, deep vein thrombosis; Mo, month; SCI, spinal cord injury; US, ultrasound.

• 

  Fig. 2 The incidence and location of DVT. DVT, deep vein thrombosis.

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