Introduction: The prediction of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) development among patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is currently based on clinical characteristics alone; reliable biomarkers are unavailable. Coagulation Factor XIII A chain (F13A1) of the clotting cascade stabilizes the thrombus; myeloperoxidase (MPO) interacts with the endothelium; and Fms-related tyrosine kinase 4 (FLT4), also known as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3, encodes a vascular endothelium-derived growth factor receptor that participates in angiogenesis.

Objectives: In this study, MPO, FLT4, and F13A1 gene expression was evaluated to identify novel biomarkers of PTS.

Methods: This study evaluated nine patients stratified into three different groups. The control group included three healthy patients (group I); the second group included three patients with DVT without PTS (group II); and the third group included three patients with PTS (group III). The expression of MPO, FLT4, and F13A1 was evaluated in the three groups.

Results: A significant decrease in FLT4 expression (ΔCt -2.71; gene expression 0.03, p=0.11 in group II; ΔCt -2.44; gene expression 0.01, p=0.05 in group III) and a nonsignificant difference in MPO gene expression were found among the three groups; however, there was a notable progressive increase in F13A1 expression (ΔCt 6.54; gene expression 3.5, p=0.02 in group III).

Conclusions: Despite the low sampling rate in the present study, the decreased FLT4 expression and increased of F13A1 expression may represent biomarkers of PTS in group III.