Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40369661›Full record

Observational studyScandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine2025

Proximal venous ultrasound with risk stratification safely excludes deep venous thrombosis in emergency department routine care: an observational study.

Maroan Cherkaoui, Mohammed Al-Attabi, Sara Salimi, Bader Cherkaoui, Jakob L Forberg

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Maroan CherkaouiDepartmenf of Emergency Medicine, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
Mohammed Al-AttabiDepartmenf of Emergency Medicine, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
Sara SalimiDepartmenf of Emergency Medicine, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
Bader CherkaouiDepartmenf of Emergency Medicine, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
Jakob L ForbergDepartmenf of Emergency Medicine, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden. jakob.lundager_forberg@med.lu.se.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLower limb deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is common in emergency departments (EDs) and can be fatal if left untreated due to the risk of progression to pulmonary embolism (PE). In Scandinavia, DVT diagnosis typically relies on ultrasound performed outside the ED in the diagnostic departments. However, international guidelines now recommend combining limited/proximal compression ultrasound of the lower extremity PUL with risk stratification as a viable approach for diagnosing and ruling out DVT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of ruling out DVT by integrating PUL with risk stratification in ED routine care.

methodsThis observational cohort study was conducted at the Helsingborg Hospital ED, Sweden, from April 2022 to November 2024. Adult patients with suspected DVT underwent PUL combined with risk stratification using the Wells score. Risk stratification, PUL findings, diagnosis and management plan were prospectively recorded. A 30-day follow-up was conducted to identify any subsequent DVT, PE or deaths registered as caused by PE post index visit. Patients prescribed anticoagulation following an ED-diagnosed DVT were followed up at 3 and 6 months to monitor for major bleeding events.

resultsA total of 560 patients were evaluated, with an overall DVT prevalence of 18.4%. Of these, 471 patients (82.5%) were managed entirely within the ED, without referral to the diagnostic department. Of the 381 patients discharged from the ED with DVT ruled out (negative PUL and low risk assessment), two were diagnosed with DVT or PE within 30 days. This resulted in a negative predictive value of 99.5% (95% CI: 98-99.9%) and a sensitivity of 97.8% (95% CI: 92.4-99.7%) for PUL combined with low-risk stratification in ruling out DVT. One of the 90 patients diagnosed with DVT in the ED and prescribed anticoagulant therapy experienced a major bleed related to an in-hospital procedure.

conclusionsIn this single-center ED study the combination of PUL and risk stratification in routine care was a safe and effective method for the early diagnosis and ruling out DVT. Using this approach, more than 8 out of 10 patients could be diagnosed in the ED without the need for external diagnostic support.

Indexed as

Emergency Service, HospitalLower ExtremityVenous ThrombosisAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRisk AssessmentSwedenUltrasonographyDeep vein thrombosisDVTEDEmergency departmentLCULimited compression ultrasoundPOCUSPoint-of-care ultrasound.Proximal compression ultrasound

Identifiers

PMID40369661
PMCPMC12077004

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.