Deep Vein Thrombosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Deep Vein Thrombosis, including details on dvt, prevention, effects, causes, air travel, blood clots.

Markers of endothelial and haemostatic function in the treatment of relapsed myeloma with the immunomodulatory agent Actimid (CC-4047) and their relationship with venous thrombosis.

Streetly M, Hunt BJ, Parmar K, Jones R, Zeldis J, Schey S

Department of Haematology, Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

We evaluated the serum/plasma levels of cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta2] and markers of coagulation, fibrinolysis, endothelial and platelet activation during the first 4 wk of treatment with the thalidomide analogue Actimid (CC-4047) in 15 patients with relapsed/refractory myeloma. There was evidence of activation of endothelium (soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule, sVCAM), coagulation (prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, PF1 + 2) and fibrinolysis (D-dimers) but no evidence of platelet activation or endothelial cell damage in myeloma patients. These parameters were not affected by the use of CC-4047. Three of four patients with baseline D-dimers levels >500 microg/L subsequently developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The hypothesis that D-dimer level >500 microg/L may predict for those patients most at risk of thromboembolism with multiple myeloma undergoing treatment is worthy of further study.

Published 21 March 2005 in Eur J Haematol, 74(4): 293-6.
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