Classification of saphenous refluxes: implications for treatment

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Medical Imaging
• Gerontology

Background:

• Varicose veins affect a significant portion of the population, often leading to discomfort and complications.
• Doppler duplex examination is a key diagnostic tool for assessing venous insufficiency.
• Understanding the relationship between patient demographics and disease presentation is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlations between patient age, clinical symptoms, and physical signs with Doppler duplex findings in varicose veins.
• To identify age-related patterns in the severity and presentation of venous insufficiency.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 2275 Doppler duplex examinations in 1751 patients (mean age 50).
• Data collected included patient age, symptoms (aching, heaviness, burning pain), and signs (hyperpigmentation, healed or open ulcers).
• Correlation analysis was performed between age, symptoms, signs, and ultrasound-detected venous abnormalities.

Main Results:

• Patient age was associated with the presence and severity of symptoms and signs of venous insufficiency.
• Older age correlated with saphenofemoral junctional incompetence and reflux to the ankle (Hach stage IV).
• Younger patients presented with less advanced clinical signs (C0-C2), while more advanced signs (C4-C6) were associated with older age.

Conclusions:

• Ageing is a significant factor in the progression of varicose veins, associated with worsening symptoms, signs, and multifocal reflux.
• These findings underscore the importance of early intervention in venous insufficiency to prevent disease advancement.
• Timely treatment can potentially mitigate the predictable deterioration associated with ageing and venous disease.