Association between insufficient venous systems and clinical manifestations in chronic venous disease of the lower limbs

Abstract

Introduction: The clinical, etiological, anatomical, and pathophysiological classification (CEAP) standardizes the manifestations of lower limb venous disease. Objective: To investigate the association between insufficient venous systems and the clinical classification of CEAP. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, analytical, correlational study was conducted. Sampling was non-probabilistic and convenience-based. The sample size was 136 lower limbs from 71 patients. Chi-square, Monte Carlo and Odd ratio (OR) statistical tests were used with 95% confidence intervals through bivariate logistic regression (p<0.05). Results: 71.8% of the subjects were female, with an average age of 66.1 years. The most frequent insufficient venous system was the superficial system, present in 61.7% of cases. 100% of the dilated great saphenous veins (GSV) had insufficiency. The most common CEAP clinical class was C2 (44.9%); 35.1% of C1 (telangiectasia) cases had an insufficient venous system; 50% of C2 cases had GSV insufficiency (p=0.227). There was an association between the insufficiency of both superficial and deep venous systems and the CEAP clinical classification (p=<0.001). The deep venous system was associated with severe chronic venous disease of the lower limbs, OR (6.04) with a 95% CI (1.02-35.73) and p=0.047. Conclusions: The study demonstrated an association between the insufficiency of both superficial and deep venous systems and the CEAP clinical classification. One third of the lower limbs with C1 (telangiectasias) had an insufficient venous system.