Purpose: Published evidence on quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes and health care costs in patients with postthrombotic syndrome (PTS), a common and difficult-to-diagnose complication of venous thromboembolism (VTE), is reviewed.
Summary: Occurring in as many as 70% of patients with VTE, PTS remains a challenging and costly disorder, partly due to the lack of a standard diagnostic definition and varying classification systems. Searches of Medline and EMBASE identified 12 articles on humanistic and economic outcomes associated with PTS. The results of U.S. and international studies indicate that PTS is a key determinant of long-term QOL among patients with VTE. In one large study, 37% of patients with VTE developed PTS within two years of a diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and 4% developed severe PTS, with the occurrence of PTS linked to clinically relevant declines in measures of physical and mental health. Research indicates that the economic burden of PTS in the United States may be as high as $200 million annually. Recent progress in efforts to develop standard PTS terminology may facilitate the dissemination of clear consensus guidelines to assist in timely PTS detection and optimal care.
Conclusion: Appropriate measures to decrease PTS-related burdens may include the prevention of DVT, clear diagnostic criteria for PTS, and an education campaign aimed at increased standardization in the management of DVT. Gaps in the current understanding of the risk factors, diagnostic criteria, preventive strategies, and even treatment modalities for PTS hamper the ability of clinicians to employ measures that could reduce the occurrence of this disorder and the associated morbidity.