Walking capacity and venous claudication after deep vein thrombosis: prospective follow-up, risk factors, and quality of life.

BACKGROUND

Data on the course of walking capacity after acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this prospective observational study was to assess the course of walking impairment and venous claudication after DVT and the association with clinical characteristics and quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

Walking capacity was assessed by standardized treadmill exercise tests (TETs) at DVT diagnosis and after 3 months. Pain-free walking distance (PWD) and maximum walking distance (MWD) were recorded. Venous claudication during TET was evaluated and documented by trained biomedical scientists according to a standardized protocol. QoL was evaluated with the EuroQoL Group 5-Dimension 5-Level and the VEnous INsufficiency Epidemiologic and Economic Study (VEINES-QoL/Sym) questionnaires.

RESULTS

Seventy-three patients (30.1% women; median age, 53.8 years; IQR, 42.9-60.0 years) were included. PWD and MWD generally improved over time, with a median change of 305 m (IQR, 33-710 m) and 30 m (IQR, 0-258 m), respectively. However, 16 (28.1%) patients reported persistent venous claudication after 3 months. Patients with venous claudication after 3 months tended to have higher rates of suprainguinal DVT, higher body mass index, and higher rates of arterial hypertension and were admitted to the hospital at DVT diagnosis more often. Generic and disease-specific QoL improved overall, but patients with venous claudication had significantly lower QoL scores than those without.

CONCLUSION

Walking capacity generally improved after DVT, but about one-third of patients had persisting venous claudication after 3 months, which was associated with poorer QoL. Suprainguinal DVT, higher body mass index, arterial hypertension, and hospital admission at diagnosis were more common in patients with venous claudication 3 months after DVT.