Blood Poisoning Elevates Clot Risk, Study

A new Danish study reveals that people who are admitted with blood poisoning may have a higher risk of suffering a blood clot.

Researchers at the Aarhus University highlight the correlation between blood poisoning and the increased risk of blood clot. Annually, nearly 10,000 Danes get admitted in hospitals due to blood poisoning while 3,000 people develop the condition during a hospital stay.

"We have followed more than 4,000 people who have been admitted with blood poisoning. The study shows that the risk of suffering a blood clot in either the brain or the heart is twice as high for patients with blood poisoning in relation to other patients who are also admitted with acute illnesses," Michael Dalager-Pedersen , PhD student at Aarhus University and Registrar at Aalborg University Hospital, said in a news statement.

This correlation between risk of blood clot and infections such as blood poisoning has garnered a lot of attention. The researchers hope that this new finding could be used for better prevention and to begin early treatment.

During the study they noticed that risk of blood clot was high within the first 30 days after infections such as blood poisoning. There was 3.7 percent increased risk of blood clot in those admitted with infection when compared to 1.7 percent for the acutely admitted patients and a 0.2 percent risk among the general public.

"It is important that we have now documented that there is a clear correlation between blood poisoning and blood clots. The new knowledge can be used by the medical doctors to increase focus on this patient group so they can begin relevant treatment quicker," says Reimar Wernich Thomsen from the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital.

The study was documented in the Circulation.