Correlation Between Cutaneous Manifestations and Functional Alterations in Chronic Venous Disease of the Lower Extremities.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Few studies have evaluated the correlation between the severity of cutaneous manifestations of chronic venous disease (CVD) of the lower limbs measured by the Clinical, Etiologic, Anatomic and Pathophysiologic classification (CEAP) and the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) combined, its risk factors, and venous reflux determined by Doppler ultrasonography. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical severity assessed by CEAP and VCSS with known risk factors for CVD and the severity of venous reflux.

METHODS: A prospective study was carried out on 250 patients with CVD characterized as C2 to C6 according to the CEAP classification, who attended the departments of Dermatology and Vascular Medicine at the Hospital Privado Universitario de Córdoba from April 2013 to December 2014. Chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to examine the relations between these variables.

RESULTS: Risk factors significantly associated with clinical severity included older age, hypertension, obesity, sedentarism, history of soft tissue infection, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), previous ulcer, and family history of venous ulcer. Both scores showed a good correlation between clinical severity and the presence of superficial, deep or perforating venous reflux. Older age, male gender and a history of DVT were significant risk factors for venous reflux in patients with mild disease.

CONCLUSIONS: In addition to venous reflux, modifiable risk factors such as obesity, sedentarism, and hypertension are associated with CVD severity. Mild cutaneous manifestations may accompany moderate to severe venous reflux, especially in middle-aged or older men with a history of DVT.