Efficacy of compression stockings on preventing post-thrombotic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The effectiveness of elastic compression stockings (ECS) in preventing post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) following deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remains controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate whether ECS prevents PTS in DVT patients. A systematic search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB v2 tool, and statistical analysis was conducted with Review Manager 5.4. Of 389 identified articles, 6 studies were included, comprising a total of 1589 participants. A total of 5 randomized controlled trials involving 1490 patients were analyzed. ECS use was associated with a significant reduction in overall PTS risk [odds ratio (OR) 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23-0.86, p=0.02] and mild to moderate PTS (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34-0.87, p=0.01). No significant benefit was observed for severe PTS. ECS may reduce PTS risk, particularly in mild to moderate cases.