Summary
Background
The optimal management of distal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is highly debated. The only available placebo‐controlled trial suggested the absence of clear benefit of anticoagulation. Many physicians feel that, beyond preventing thromboembolic complications, anticoagulation with low‐molecular‐weight heparin (LMWH) has the potential to improve pain control.
Objectives
To analyze whether LMWHs decrease pain in patients with distal deep vein thrombosis.
Patients and methods
Two‐hundred and fifty‐two patients included in a multicenter, placebo‐controlled, randomized clinical trial of LMWH in patients with acute distal DVT and who were asked to rate their pain at inclusion and at each medical visit, using a visual analogue pain scale (VAS).
Results
One hundred and thirty patients were randomized in the therapeutic nadroparin arm and 122 patients were randomized in the placebo arm. Mean VAS values were 4.6 (standard deviation [SD] 2.5) at inclusion, 2.1 (SD 2.0) at 1 week and 0.4 (SD 1.2) at 6 weeks. We calculated the individual variation in VAS between inclusion and 1 week in patients in whom VAS was available at the two study time‐points. There was no difference in the mean VAS reduction between patients treated with therapeutic nadroparin (n = 106) and with placebo (n = 109): −2.6 (SD 2.4) vs. −2.3 (SD 2.0) after 1 week and −4.4 (SD 2.8) vs. −4.0 (SD 2.4) after 6 weeks, respectively. The use of compression stockings was associated with a reduction in pain.
Conclusion
These data suggests that LMWH use does not improve pain control as compared with placebo in patients with acute distal DVT.