Effect of seasonal variations on the emergence of deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremity

Objective: We aimed to determine the role of seasonal and meteorological variations in the incidence of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Methods: A total of 296 patients with DVT for the first time were admitted to the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic of the Alsancak State Hospital during the four-year period between January 1999 and December 2002. Of these cases, 151 were women (51%) and the average age was 58.8 years. We investigated the effect of each month and season on the onset of acute symptoms of DVT. Meteorological data were also compared during the onset of disease. Results: We found that DVT frequency significantly increased during the six-month period between October and March, particularly on the coldest winter days and when atmospheric pressure was low. Conclusions: Lower extremity DVT significantly correlates with meteorological variables such as cold temperatures and low atmospheric pressure. Further multicentric prospective studies are necessary to determine the extent of these effects. (C) 2004 Royal Society of Medicine Press.