PRESENTATIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF LOWER LIMBS VARICOSE VEIN STRATIFIED BY GENDER althanih@hotmail.com

 

PRESENTATIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF LOWER LIMBS VARICOSE VEIN STRATIFIED BY GENDER

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Varicose veins (VV) in the lower limbs (LLVVs) affect approximately 30% of the population worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the presentation and management of VVs based on gender.

A retrospective analysis was conducted for adult patients presenting with LLVVs who underwent interventions for the GSV between 2006 and 2024.

There were 2386 LLVVs patients, of them 1695 (71%) underwent endovenous thermal ablation (EVA): Radiofrequency ablation [ERFA]:45.7% vs Laser ablation [ELA]:54.3% and 721 had surgical treatment (30%). The surgical treatment included GSV stripping (n=114), high vein ligation (n=91) and multiple avulsion (n=516). The mean age of the cohort was 43±10 years and females predominated (56.3% vs 43.7%). The VVs were unilateral in 1300 patients, bilateral in 969, left-sided in 1026 and right-sided in 1080 patients. Age, right-sided, left-sided, GSV stripping, high-vein ligation, EVA, multiple avulsions, deep system involvement were similar in males and females. Also, post-procedure deep system change, vein obliteration, complications and recurrence rates were comparable between genders. The significant differences between females and males were observed regarding working (58.5% vs 94.0%), BMI (31±6 vs 29±5), DM (15.8% vs 13.0%), smoking (1.4% vs 11.1%), pain (84.4% vs 79.8%), CEAP class 2 (74.2 vs 65.3) and 3 (52.0 vs 48%), bilateral VVs (45.2% vs 38.9%) and cosmetic concerns (52.4 vs 21.8%).

The treatment options, complications, and recurrences were comparable in males and females. Females had higher rates of pain and cosmetic concerns pre-procedures. The use of EVA has significantly replaced surgery in both genders with a low rate of complications.