Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis in a triathlete: Again intense endurance exercise as a thrombogenic risk

Am J Emerg Med. 2017 May;35(5):808.e1-808.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2016.12.023. Epub 2016 Dec 13.

Abstract

Triathlon followers increase each year and long-distance events have seen major growth worldwide. In the cycling phase, athletes must maintain an aerodynamic posture on the bike for long periods of time. We report a case of a 38-year-old triathlete with symptoms of an axillary vein thrombosis 48h after a long triathlon competition. After 3days of hospitalization with a treatment consisted on enoxaparin anticoagulant and acenocumarol, the patient was discharged with instructions to continue treatment under home hospitalization with acetaminophen. Four weeks after the process, the patient was asymptomatic and the diameter of his arm was near normality. Due to the growing popularity of events based on endurance exercise, it is necessary more research to determine the etiopathogeny of deep venous thrombosis in athletes.

Keywords: Deep vein thrombosis; Endurance exercise; Paget-Schroetter; Triathlon; Tromboembolism.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use*
  • Athletes
  • Competitive Behavior
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Enoxaparin / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Physical Endurance / physiology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis / drug therapy
  • Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis / pathology

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Enoxaparin