High-altitude exposure and hypoxia may induce a hypercoagulable state and promote venous thromboembolism. A prospective study published in The Clinical Respiratory Journal evaluated 158 adults with severe community-acquired pneumonia admitted to Lhasa People's Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. All patients underwent lower extremity venous compression ultrasound and/or computed tomography pulmonary angiography.

Clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, treatments, complications, and outcomes were compared between patients with and without venous thromboembolism. Venous thromboembolism occurred in 74 patients (46.8%), including 68 with deep vein thrombosis, 21 with pulmonary embolism, and 15 with both. A total of 123 patients (77.8%) received venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, with no significant difference in venous thromboembolism incidence among different…