ANTI-XA FACTOR AS A PREDICTOR OF POST-OPERATIVE DEEP-VEIN THROMBOSIS IN GENERAL-SURGERY

This study was stimulated by a recent report linking a low preoperative level of an endogenous coagulation inhibitor (anti‐Xa factor) with an increased incidence of postoperative deep venous thrombosis (DVT) (Stamatakis et al., 1977). Preoperative and postoperative levels of anti‐Xa were measured and correlated with the postoperative incidence of deep venous thrombosis assessed by the 125I fibrinogen uptake test to determine whether a high risk group could be isolated and a suitable regimen of prophylaxis introduced. In this study of 22 surgical patients the postoperative DVT rate was 41 per cent. However, preoperative measurements of anti‐Xa activity failed to show any statistically significant difference between those patients with DVT and the non‐DVT group. The findings do not support the use of anti‐Xa levels as a preoperative predictor of postoperative DVT in the individual. Copyright © 1979 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd.