Diagnostic value of Doppler ultrasound with D-Dimer and antithrombin III for postpartum DVT in PIH patients

Abstract

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the lower extremities is a serious postpartum complication in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), often resulting in significant morbidity if not diagnosed early. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of vascular color Doppler ultrasound in combination with plasma D-dimer (D-D) and antithrombin III (ATIII) levels for detecting DVT in postpartum women with PIH. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 88 postpartum women with PIH, divided into DVT-positive and DVT-negative groups based on Doppler ultrasound findings. Clinical data, vascular imaging results, and laboratory parameters were compared between the groups. The study found that increased limb vessel diameter, decreased blood flow velocity, and elevated levels of D-D and ATIII were significantly associated with DVT. Multivariate analysis confirmed these as independent risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that combining Doppler ultrasound with D-D and ATIII measurements yielded superior diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.876), with a specificity of 96.57 %. These findings suggest that integrating vascular imaging with plasma biomarkers can enhance the early detection of DVT in high-risk postpartum populations. This combined diagnostic approach may provide a valuable, non-invasive strategy for improving maternal outcomes in clinical practice.