ABSTRACT
The association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and venous and arterial thrombosis has been known since 1936, when Bargen and Barken, studying 1,500 patients with chronic ulcerative disease described the occurrence of episodes of arterial thrombosis and thrombophlebitis, which were sufficiently extensive and severe in 1.2% of cases. It is speculated that thrombotic events could be implicated in the pathogenesis of IBD. Although the risk of thromboembolism is reported as 3 to 4 times higher in patients with UC or CD, in comparison with the general population, the actual incidence of these events in patients with these diseases is not well established. The risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism is described between 10 and 13%, regardless of the clinical treatment, with mortality rates of 8 to 25%. Several acquired factors are described, including inflammation, surgery, prolonged immobilization, central venous catheter, dehydration, use of corticosteroids, oral contraceptives, smoking, presence of antiphospholipid antibodies and hyperhomocysteinemia.
