Pain Assessment in Patients with Venous Leg Ulcer Treated by Compression Therapy with Unnas Boot

Aim: To assess pain in patients with venous leg ulcer receiving compression therapy with Unna’s boot. Methods: This was a clinical, analytical, descriptive study conducted from June 2010 to May 2011 with 50 patients with venous leg ulcers. The visual analog scale (VAS) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) were used to assess pain at inclusion (baseline) and after 4, 8 and 12 months of treatment. Results: The mean VAS score was 6.70 (severe pain) at baseline, 5.02 (moderate pain) at 4 months, and 0 (no pain) at 8 and 12 months, with significant difference between time points. All patients described their pain on the MPQ as sensory, affective, and miscellaneous at baseline. However, after 4 months of Unna’s boot treatment, 10 (20%) patients reported sensory pain, 46 (92%) had miscellaneous pain and 44 (88%) experienced affective pain, with significant difference between time points. Conclusion: Patients with venous leg ulcers reported improvement in pain following treatment with Unna’s boot.