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The 125I-fibrinogen test was evaluated as a diagnostic tool for deep vein thrombosis in patients with erysipelas. In the investigated group of 43 patients, several showed an increased uptake that could not be verified by subsequent phlebography. The false positive test may have been caused by the local inflammatory process. The 125I-fibrinogen test seems to be too unspecific to be used for diagnosing deep vein thrombosis in this patient group.

Infectious complications increase the risk of postoperative thromboembolism. In order to assess the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in acute infections not associated with surgery, 36 patients with acute pneumonia or pyelonephritis were evaluated regarding development of DVT with the 125I-fibrinogen uptake test with confirmative phlebography. 1/15 patients with pyelonephritis and 1/21 patients with pneumonia developed DVT. No fatal pulmonary embolism was seen. The frequency of DVT was thus 6%. This low figure may be due to early mobilization of the patients and does not motivate routine anticoagulant prophylaxis against thromboembolic complications in patients with acute infections.