Risk factors for a first and recurrent venous thrombosis

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to identify new risk factors for first and recurrent venous thrombosis of both the upper and lower extremity, and assess the incidence of recurrence and mortality after a first venous thrombosis. An overview was provided of the current literature on risk factors and treatment for a first venous thrombosis of the upper extremity (chapter 2). We investigated the association between levels of coagulation factors, blood group and a first venous thrombosis of the upper extremity (chapter 3), and studied risk factors for a recurrent event in patients with a first venous thrombosis of the upper extremity (chapter 4). Furthermore, we studied the association between venous thrombosis and long-term mortality (chapter 5). In this study we found that patients with thrombosis died more of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than expected from population figures. COPD was found to be a risk factor for a first venous thrombosis in chapter 6. We studied the incidence of recurrent venous thrombosis, as well as sex, age and an idiopathic first venous thrombosis as risk factors for recurrence (chapter 7). Body height was studied as a risk factor for both first and recurrent venous thrombosis in combination with mobility (chapter 8).