Evaluation of Articles to Determine Incidence of Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) (5)
| Question | Considerations |
|---|---|
| Is the study group defined (specification of denominator)? | Information is required to specify the study population: patients would require injuries to > 1 system, and injury severity scores must be available. To document the true risk of DVT, study patients should not receive heparin prophylaxis. |
| Is the study prospective? | Accurate determination of incidence would require prospective evaluation of a defined group of patients. |
| Is objective documentation of DVT available (specification of numerator)? | Diagnosis of DVT requires objective documentation. Articles were selected if patients underwent duplex scanning or venography for diagnosis. |
| Is the follow-up period defined and adequate? | Incidence rates are stated in terms of a defined period of time. Articles were selected if a defined follow-up period was stated and patient follow-up was comprehensive. |