In this series, we cut to the chase and highlight our choice for the the top three articles on a given topic. Read on for the articles and brief discussion.
Three DVT articles that every emergency physician should know. What are they?
1) If there is any “must know” article for DVT or PE, this is it: commonly known as the Well’s Criteria, it provides a framework for the EP to approach any patient presenting with the the suspicion of DVT or PE. It is the ability to categorize patients into the different risk categories that we’re able to effectively use pre-test and post-test probability of a negative D-dimer to rule out the disease.
2) With the introduction of bedside clinician performed ultrasound, EPs now have a tool to evaluate the proximal lower extremity veins themselves. While there is abundant literature suggesting the feasibility of an EP performed bedside ultrasound, this review article showed that properly trained EPs can accurately diagnose DVTs with a pooled overall sensitivity and specificity of 95% and 96% respectively. However, several limitations were highlighted with regards to the available literature – there is no standardization of the technique used, and the studies involved EPs already highly trained in ultrasound and so the results cannot be generalized to all EPs.
3) This large RCT compares 2 point compression ultrasonography plus D-dimer with formal ultrasonography in symptomatic patients with suspected DVT. The rates of  confirmed DVT at 3 months were similar in the 2 groups. This suggests that EPs can manage symptomatic patients suspected of having DVT with just 2-point compression ultrasound and D-dimer.
Do you have other suggestions for studies? Comment below!