Prevalence of antithrombin deficiency in patients with chronic leg ulcer

Antithrombin is one of the main endogenous anticoagulants and its deficienc y is associated with deep venous thrombosis. The aim of the present study w as to evaluate the prevalence of antithrombin deficiency in patients with c hronic lower extremity ulcers. Forty-eight patients with chronic lower limb ulcers for longer than 10 years, evaluated during 1997, were studied: 40 w ere female (83.3%) and eight were male (16.6%), with ages ranging from 43 t o 73 years (mean, 55.2 years). Antithrombin was dosed by the coagulometric method, with evaluation of the functional activity. Measurement was repeate d in those cases where deficiency was found to be present. The highest prev alence rate for antithrombin deficiency in the general population was one i n every 2000 cases. Data analysis was performed by utilizing the odds ratio with a confidence interval of 95% and P < 0.05. Deficiency in antithrombin levels was recorded in two (4.1%) of the patients with chronic ulcer. Thes e results indicate a higher prevalence rate of antithrombin deficiency in t hose patients with chronic leg ulcers, suggesting that an association may b e present. Further studies with a larger number of patients are required to confirm this hypothesis. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.