title: Chronic venous disorders of the leg: epidemiology, outcomes, diagnosis and management. Summary of an evidence-based report of the VEINES task force. Venous Insufficiency Epidemiologic and Economic Studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To critically review the classification, epidemiology, outcomes, diagnosis and treatment of chronic venous disorders of the leg (CVDL), to issue evidence-based recommendations, and to identify areas requiring further research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles identified by an extensive literature search were scored by members of an international task force. Only those articles with a moderate or strong rating for internal validity were retained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A scoring system weighing CVDL severity according to the probability of ulcer occurrence is proposed. Epidemiological data on the frequency of CVDL and its risk factors are reviewed. The following items are evaluated: costs associated with treatment; clinical outcomes related to CVDL and its treatment; available generic and disease-specific measures of quality of life; diagnostic procedures used to detect venous reflux; and efficacy of available treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CVDL is an important public health problem, based on its prevalence, cost and impact on quality of life. High-priority areas for research on CVDL are identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abenhaim
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Norgren
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baccaglini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berard
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cornu-Thenard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Depairon
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dormandy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Durand-Zaleski
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fowkes
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lamping
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Partsch
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Scurr
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zuccarelli
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D015995:Prevalence; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014689:Venous Insufficiency; D020246:Venous Thrombosis