Self-Reported Emotional States and Psychosocial Patterns in Patients With Active Venous Leg Ulcers (CEAP C6): A...

Introduction Chronic venous disease (CVD), particularly in the class C6 ulcerative stage, imposes a profound multidimensional burden that extends beyond hemodynamic dysfunction. While the biological basis of venous leg ulcers (VLUs) is well-characterized, the integration of psychosocial states within a psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) framework remains exploratory. This study aimed to characterize self-reported emotional trajectories and exploratory psychosocial indicators in patients with active VLUs. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Mexico with 30 patients presenting active VLUs, categorized according to the Clinical, Etiological, Anatomical, and Pathophysiological (CEAP) classification system as class C6. Participants were assessed using a structured survey to map 15 emotional states and specific psychosocial constructs across three clinical milestones: a recalled pre-morbidity baseline, the current active ulcer stage, and a hypothetical healing projection. Data were analyzed to identify descriptive patterns of psychological distress and psychosocial well-being. Results A marked descriptive shift in emotional distribution was observed across reported milestones. The transition from baseline to the active ulcer stage was characterized by a prominent surge in aggregated psychological distress from 8.8% to 55.5% (+46.7 percentage points). During active ulceration, the most frequent states were shame (90.0%), vulnerability (70.0%), sadness (66.7%), fear (60.0%), and anxiety (56.7%). High frequencies were also observed for exploratory psychosocial indicators, specifically the high-responsibility profile (86.7%, n = 26) and perceived entrapment (76.7%, n = 23). In the hypothetical healing scenario, psychosocial well-being increased to 78.3% (+69.1 percentage points). Conclusions Patients with active class C6 venous ulcers demonstrate a high prevalence of emotional burden and specific psychosocial profiles related to perceived obligation and entrapment. Their most prevalent emotional states include shame, vulnerability, sadness, fear, and anxiety. These findings suggest that incorporating psychological assessment and support could be considered a potentially relevant component of comprehensive care for these patients, alongside traditional hemodynamic management. However, as these are hypothesis-generating observations, longitudinal research is required to determine the clinical impact of such interventions on wound healing trajectories and therapeutic engagement.