Association between lower extremity deep vein thrombosis and balance function in patients with neurocritical ischemic stroke

Objective To explore the association between lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and balance function in patients with neurocritical ischemic stroke.

Methods The clinical data of 308 patients with neurocritical ischemic stroke were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into DVT group and non-DVT group according to whether lower extremity DVT occurred. The clinical data of the two groups were compared, and the independent influencing factors for the occurrence of lower extremity DVT in patients with neurocritical ischemic stroke were analyzed. Point-biserial correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlations.

Results Among the 308 patients, 142 (46.10%) developed lower extremity DVT. Compared with the non-DVT group (n=166), patients in the DVT group (n=142) had longer bed-rest time after admission and longer thrombin time (TT). They also had higher levels of D-dimer, platelet (PLT) count, fibrinogen (FIB), higher scores on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and a higher proportion of patients aged≥65 years, with a body mass index (BMI)>24 kg/m², complicated with hyperlipidemia, and complicated with diabetes. Their Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores were lower, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). After multicollinearity diagnosis, the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that long bed-rest time after admission, high D-dimer level, high PLT count, high FIB level, prolonged TT, high NIHSS score, age≥65 years, BMI>24 kg/m², complicated with hyperlipidemia, and complicated with diabetes were all independent risk factors for the occurrence of lower extremity DVT in patients with neurocritical ischemic stroke (P < 0.05), while a high BBS score was an independent protective factor (P < 0.05). The results of Point-biserial correlation analysis showed that bed-resttime after admission, D-dimer, PLT, FIB, TT, and NIHSS score were all positively correlated with the risk of lower extremity DVT in patients with neurocritical ischemic stroke (P < 0.05), while the BBS score was negatively correlated with the risk of lower extremity DVT (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Age, BMI, bed-rest time after admission, coagulation function, stroke severity, and balance function are all closely associated with the occurrence of lower extremity DVT in patients with neurocritical ischemic stroke.