Diabetes mellitus increases the incidence of deep vein thrombosis after total knee arthroplasty

Many patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have diabetes mellitus, which may increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after TKA. We therefore assessed whether diabetes mellitus increased the incidence of DVT within 14 days after TKA. The incidence of DVT within 14 days of surgery was compared in diabetic and non-diabetic patients undergoing TKA in our hospital between June 2011 and February 2013. The relationships between diabetes mellitus and DVT were analyzed. Of the 358 enrolled patients, 70 (19.6 %) had diabetes and 288 (80.4 %) did not. DVT occurred within 14 days in 198 patients, 52 of 70 (74.3 %) in the diabetes group and 146 of 288 (50.7 %) in the non-diabetes group (p = 0.012). DVT of the contralateral leg was observed in 16 and 50 patients, respectively (p = 0.452). Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of DVT was 2.71-fold higher in patients with than without diabetes mellitus (95 % CI 1.183-6.212, p = 0.018). There were no significant differences in age, gender, hypertension, BMI, duration of surgery, intra-operative blood loss, and duration of tourniquet between the two groups. The incidence of DVT 14 days after TKA was significantly higher in patients with than without diabetes.