Factors associated with the timing of diagnosis of venous thromboembolism: results from the MASTER registry

INTRODUCTION: Signs and symptoms of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are non-specific and thus can make diagnosis difficult, even for an experienced clinician. We aimed to evaluate the timing of diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in Italian hospitals and to identify individual and clinical predictors of timely or delayed diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MASTER is a multicenter prospective registry of patients with acute DVT and PE. Information on clinical presentation and diagnostic methods, temporary and permanent risk factors, were captured by an electronic data network at the time of the index event. RESULTS: Data on 2047 patients (1024 males), 1505 with DVT …