Below knee immobilisation
| Author, date and country | Patient group | Study type (level of evidence) | Outcomes | Key results | Study weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testroote M et al, 2009, Netherlands | Adult outpatients with lower limb injuries treated in a brace or plaster cast | Systematic review and meta-analysis of six RCTs (1490 patients). Subgroup analyses included 788 patients managed non-surgically and 894 patients treated in a below knee cast (level of evidence 1–) | Overall incidence of DVT | Placebo group: 18.1%, LMWH group: 10% OR 0.49 (95% CI 0.34 to 0.72) | Statistical and clinical heterogeneity. The numbers of patients in the included studies are small. The assessment of patients in below knee plaster casts includes patients managed surgically |
| Incidence of DVT in conservatively managed patients | Placebo group: 11.3%, LMWH group: 4.2% OR 0.35 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.62) | ||||
| Incidence of DVT in patients in a below knee POP | Placebo group: 18.6%, LMWH group: 11.8% OR 0.54 (95% CI 0.37 to 0.8) |
DVT, deep vein thrombosis; LMWH, low molecular weight heparin; RCTs, randomised controlled trials.