Methods: Forty consecutive symptomatic patients with objectively documented acute DVT of the lower extremities were included in the study. The patients were divided into LMWH and OA groups. Both groups used LMWH during the first seven days of treatment. Thereafter, one group continued to receive only LMWH while the other group continued that treatment with the addition of OA.
Results: There were no fatal bleeding complications in either group. Mortality was not observed in any of the 40 patients. Venous insufficiency developed in four (20%) patients in the LMWH group and in six (30%) patients in the OA group. During the six-month follow-up, recurrent thrombosis developed in two patients in the LMWH group and in four patients in the OA group. This was not found to be statistically significant.
Conclusion: In our study, the use of subcutaneous LMWH without laboratory monitoring has been shown to be effective and safe for the secondary prophylaxis of acute DVT.