Homans sign
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2016) |
| Homans sign | |
|---|---|
| Differential diagnosis | deep vein thrombosis |
In
dorsiflexion of the foot.[1] After many examples of false-positive Homans' signs were reported, Homans redefined it in 1944, stating that "discomfort need have no part in the reaction", and that increased resistance, involuntary flexure of the knee or pain in the calf upon forced dorsiflexion should be considered positive responses.[1][2][3][needs update
]
It is estimated to have a
Doppler ultrasound), as well the ease of eliciting it.[4] An elevated D-dimer in the elderly population has no predictive value for deep venous thrombosis. Signs and symptoms of DVT in general are not sufficiently sensitive or specific to make a diagnosis, being helpful only to help determine the likelihood of a DVT (with the use of a clinical prediction rule such as the Wells score).[5]
There may exist some concern that eliciting this sign may be dangerous and that it should not be elicited.[6][7]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4377-2207-9.
- ISBN 9780674933200.
- ^ Shafer N. & Duboff S. (1971). "Physical signs in the early diagnosis of thrombophlebitis," Angiology 22:18–30.
- ^ Urbano, Frank (March 2001). "Homans' Sign in the Diagnosis of Deep Venous Thrombosis" (PDF). Hospital Physician. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- PMID 17060659.
- ^ Grant, Brydon (2016-02-02). "Diagnosis of suspected deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremity". UpToDate. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ISBN 9780199699476.
Further reading
- Baker, W.F. Jr (1998). "Diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism". Med. Clin. North Am. 82 (3, May): 459–476. PMID 9646774.
- Urbano, Frank L. (2001). "Review of Clinical Signs: Homans' Sign in the Diagnosis of Deep Venous Thrombosis" (PDF). Hospital Physician (March 22): 22–24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2016.