Grant: Project Grant

Inflammation defends the human body against invading microbes. The formation of blood clots in the veins of the leg (deep vein thrombosis) causes undesired inflammation leading to harmful consequences. As a result, almost one in two people experiences the so-called "post-thrombotic syndrome" after blood clots. This condition leads to swelling and pain in the leg, which can progress to leg ulceration and immobility. To date, there is no treatment that can help prevent or cure post-thrombotic syndrome. Colchicine is a very safe and cheap medication that blocks inflammation. This oral tablet has been already used for decades to cure several diseases in which inflammation causes harmful consequences. In addition, recent large studies demonstrated that a low dose of colchicine can be well tolerated and beneficial if taken once a day after the formation of a blood clot in the heart. Our goal is to evaluate whether a study assessing if these anti-inflammatory tablet can be safe and effective to reduce the harmful effects of inflammation and post-thrombotic syndrome after deep vein thrombosis is feasible. To answer our research question, we plan to include in our study 150 patients from 5 Canadian centers. The proposed treatment is very promising as it has been already proven to be safe and effective in conditions where undesired inflammation after other types of blood clot causes harm. Moreover, if supported by the results of our full study, the proposed medication, colchicine, could be quickly used all around the world as it is widely available and very cheap.