Graduated compression stockings in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Venous volume (venous capacity) of the calf is low in patientswith acute myocardial infarction, who also have a high riskof deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The effect of graduated compressionstockings on the venous volume and on the incidence of DVT wastherefore studied in 80 patients aged 70 years and above withacute myocardial infarction. Graduated compression stockingswere randomly fitted to one leg, the other serving as a control,after which the venous volume was measured by strain gauge plethysmography.The incidence of DVT was measured by the ¹²⁵I fibrinogen uptaketest. Venous volume was significantly higher in legs treatedwith graduated compression stockings compared to control legs.DVT developed in eight control legs but not in any leg treatedwith graduated compression stockings (P = 0.003). DVT was alsosignificantly more frequent in women compared to men and themajority of DVT developed in legs with very low venous volumevalues.     

Incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Bedridden Non-surgical Patients

ABSTRACT. In order to detect deep vein thrombosis (DVT), 101 patients with acute medical or infectious disorders were examined with the ¹²⁵I-fibrinogen uptake test. All patients were bedridden on admission and were scanned daily from the second to the eighth day. Thirteen patients developed a positive fibrinogen uptake test. Thus, if a positive test is interpreted as DVT, the incidence of DVT was 13% in our bedridden patients. Of the patients admitted because of heart disease or pneumonia 20% had DVT, but only 4% of those admitted with other diagnoses. Other clinical “risk factors” studied, could not identify patients who developed DVT.     

Effect of previous frequency of headache, duration of fasting and caffeine abstinence on perioperative headache

We have examined the relationship between peri-operative headacheand various factors in 219 patients who fasted from midnightand underwent minor surgery under general anaesthesia. Fourto six hours after operation all patients completed a questionnaireon previous frequency of headache, daily consumption of caffeineand occurrence of perioperative headache. The duration of fasting,type of surgery, premedication and anaesthetic agents used wereobtained from the anaesthetic record. After multivariate logisticregression analysis a significant risk of preoperative headachewas found in patients who normally experienced headache morethan twice a month (odds ratio (OR): 7.7; confidence interval(Cl): 2.9–20.1), had a daily caffeine consumption >400 mg/24 h (OR: 5.0; Cl: 1.6–14.8) and who were anaesthetizedafter 12:00 (OR: 3.7; Cl: 1.4–9.8). The risk of postoperativeheadache was significantly greater in patients with preoperativeheadache (OR: 16.9; Cl: 6.5–43.8), daily caffeine consumption> 400 mg/ 24 h (OR: 3.9; Cl: 1.5–9.6) and in thosepatients who received atracurium, which was similar to the riskof trachea I intubation (OR: 3.7; Cl: 1.7–7.9). (Br. J.Anaesth. 1994; 72: 295–297)