Chronic venous disorder may increase risk of venous thromboembolic events and mortality: Study

A new study published in the Frontiers in Medicine found chronic venous disorder (CVD), as a significant risk factor for serious and potentially fatal vascular complications. This large-scale retrospective cohort analysis used the TriNetX electronic health records database, is one of the most comprehensive assessments to date on the relationship between CVD severity, thromboembolic events, and patient outcomes.

The new findings indicate that individuals with CVD face substantially elevated risks for several thrombotic conditions,, including superficial vein thrombosis (SVT), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE), as well as increased all-cause mortality.

This research analyzed data from 463,313 CVD patients, where the patients with CVD had a 19-fold higher risk of developing superficial vein thrombosis when compared to those without CVD. Also, the risk of deep vein thrombosis was more than 3-times higher, and pulmonary embolism risk more than doubled. Mortality rates also increased by approximately 80 percent.

Even after adjusting for disease severity the pattern remained consistent. Both subgroups expressed increased risks of thromboembolic events and higher death rates, highlighting that CVD of any severity may carry serious systemic consequences.

The analysis also examined the effects of procedural interventions like vein ablation, stripping, or other corrective therapies, on long-term outcomes. Among patients who underwent such interventions, the risks of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and all-cause mortality were notably reduced.

Also, the hazard ratios suggested a 10% decrease in DVT risk, a 40% reduction in PE, and a 50% drop in mortality when compared to those who did not receive procedural treatment. However, intervention patients experienced a elevated risk of superficial vein thrombosis, likely due to localized vein manipulation following the procedures.

Overall, the findings of this study suggest that CVD is far from a benign condition; it is a systemic disorder with measurable risks for serious thromboembolic complications. Future prospective randomized trials are imperative to confirm whether interventional therapies can definitively reduce these life-threatening outcomes.

Source:

Moderegger, E. L., Dräger, S., Preuss, S. L., Vorobyev, A., Terheyden, P., Kridin, K., Bieber, K., Ludwig, R. J., Kahle, B., & Curman, P. (2025). Increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and all-cause mortality in chronic venous disorder: a large-scale retrospective cohort study. Frontiers in Medicine, 12(1683970). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1683970