Recurrent venous thrombosis and markers of inflammation

Inflammatory processes may play a key role in venous thrombosis, by inducin g a procoagulant state: through the action of cytokines and chemokines on m onocytes and endothelial cells. Plasma concentrations of three inflammatory mediators, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemota ctic protein 1 (MCP-1), that mediate the cross-talk between inflammation an d coagulation, were measured in 182 subjects with recurrent venous thrombos is and 350 healthy subjects recruited through a general practice. Elevated levels of IL-6 (>90(th) percentile of the control group) wire detected in 2 5.8% of the patients with venous thrombosis in comparison with 10% (by defi nition of the controls [odds ratio 2.4 (95% CI 1.5-3.8)]. In 21.5% of the p atients elevated plasma levels of IL-8 (>90(th) percentile) were determined [odds ratio 2.0 (95% CI 1.2-3.5)]. Elevated levels of MCP-1 (>90(th) perce ntile) were detected in 24.1% of the patients [odds ratio 1.9 (95% CI 1.2-3 .2)]. This is the first large clinical study showing that an increase in in flammation mediators is associated with venous thrombosis. Future prospecti ve studies are necessary to clarify the causal nature of the inflammatory p rocess with respect to venous thrombosis.