Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism in a patient with eosinophilia and obesity

Abstract

A 46-year-old female patient with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation was admitted to our hospital. She was treated with urokinase and repeated plasma exchange and with the administration of low-molecular-weight heparin coupled with a high dose of glucocorticoid after inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement. As the etiology of DVT, blood tests showed no evidence of antiphospholipid syndrome or protein S/C deficiency except for hypereosinophilia and obesity with a high body mass index (34 kg/m2). Activated protein C (APC) resistance was not detected. Eosinophilia coupled with remarkable obesity was considered to be the trigger of DVT in this patient. After intensive therapy along with strict anti-coagulant agents, effective reduction of thrombosis in both the IVC and pulmonary arteries was observed along with improvement of the coagulation system.