RECURRENT ENVIRONMENTALLY TRIGGERED THROMBOPHLEBITIS - A 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 47  (5) , 338-344
Abstract
Disabled patients (20) with recurrent intractable nontraumatic phlebitis were studied. Patients were divided into 2 groups and matched for age and severity. The control group was continued on their standard anticoagulant regime, bed rest and support hose. The other group was placed in an especially designed environmental control unit (ECU) where all air, food and water could be controlled. The patients were taken off all medication and not fed until the leg pain and swelling disappeared, which was 4-7 days. The patients showed specific sensitivities to foods and ambient subthreshold doses of inhaled chemicals such as formaldehyde < 0.2 ppm, phenol < 0.0024 ppm, Cl2 < 0.33 ppm, petroleum alcohol < 0.5 ppm and pesticide (2,4 DNP [2,4-dinitrophenol]) < 0.0134 ppm under controlled double-blind challenges. Of 10 patients 8 had their phlebitis reproduced in this manner. When in the symptom-free state, these patients were required to ride an exercycle at 150 kpm for 1 mile daily to demonstrate absence of phlebitis (none could walk across the room prior to examination). The 5-yr follow-up in the group showed 2 48-h episodes of phlebitis cleared by home bed rest and food abstinence. The control group had > 60 episodes of phlebitis at home and 41 episodes in the hospital. Medical costs in the ECU treatment were much less than in the control group over the 5-yr follow-up.

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