Out-patient treatment of acute deep vein thrombosis.

Background: To assess whether uncomplicated deep vein thrombosis could be treated in an out-patient setting without increasing the frequency of complications, and to determine the proportion of patients with deep vein thrombosis, traditionally treated as in-patients at the Departments of Medicine, who are eligible for such treatment.

Methods: In a multicentre study, carried out at six hospitals of varying sizes and serving a population of about 600,000, consecutive patients over 18 years of age, with verified deep vein thrombosis, primarily presented as acute cases at the respective Departments of Medicine, were considered for treatment on an out-patient basis during a 1-year period.

Interventions: Those eligible for out-patient treatment were put on low molecular weight heparin and oral anticoagulants, and scheduled for daily attendance at the out-patient clinic of the respective Dept.