Deep vein thrombosis induced by thalidomide to control epistaxis secondary to hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia

Thalidomide was recently reported to reduce the severity and frequency of epistaxes in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). We here describe the case of a patient with HHT and severe epistaxes refractory to medical and local surgical treatments who developed an extensive deep vein thrombosis shortly after initiation of treatment with thalidomide. This is the first report of venous thromboembolic complication induced by thalidomide prescribed in this setting. Although thalidomide was recently found to provide an alternative therapeutic strategy in patients with HHT and refractory epistaxes, this agent should be used with great caution in this indication, given its thrombogenicity and difficulties to manage systemic anticoagulation in patients with HHT. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 22:616-618 (C) 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.