Concomitant thrombosis in patients with cellulitis as incidental finding.

BACKGROUND

Although inflammation and thrombosis are tightly connected, only 45% of patients with lower leg cellulitis receive anticoagulant therapy. Available data about the prevalence of concomitant deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with cellulitis of the lower extremity is scarce and general guidelines regarding diagnosis and prevention of venous thromboembolism are missing.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine how frequently DVT occurs as an incidental finding in patients with cellulitis and to provide recommendations for diagnostics and anticoagulant therapy.

METHODS

Patients' records were analysed and 192 consecutive patients with cellulitis were included in this study. The prevalence of concomitant DVT was examined by duplex ultrasound, as well as comorbidities and risk factors.

RESULTS

We detected thrombosis in 12.0% of the patients with lower leg cellulitis, of which 43.5% were located in a proximal vein and 52.2% in the veins of the calf.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results clearly indicate that cellulitis is not only a differential diagnosis, but should be considered a risk factor for venous thrombosis. Therefore, prophylactic anticoagulation should be considered in patients suffering from cellulitis and a systematic screening for venous thrombosis in patients with cellulitis should be performed.