An open trial of enoxaparin in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis of the leg.

An open and prospective phase II trial assessing the action of a fixed dose of a low molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin), determined by the patient's weight, in the treatment of established deep vein thrombosis of the leg is hereby described. A series of 51 patients received a regimen of 1 mg.kg-1 or 105 anti-Xa IU.kg-1 s.c. every 12 h for a period of 12 days. Thromboses were categorized as postsurgical (28 cases) or medical (23 cases). There was a significant improvement in clinical signs (pain and edema) and phlebographic indices (Marder and Arnesen scores). The extent of vascular clearing was a 30% reduction in phlebographic scores between day 0 and day 12. Only 5 patients had an absence of improvement. Two of the 51 patients stopped the drug in the first week of treatment because of bleeding. There were no occurrences of thrombocytopenia, and the agent was well tolerated.