Chronic venous disease in a cohort of healthy UK Asian men.
OBJECTIVE
This group has previously reported that UK Asians are significantly less likely to undergo surgery for lower limb venous disease than age and sex matched Caucasians. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of lower limb chronic venous disease (CVD) in the UK Asian male population.


METHODS
A prospective, epidemiological survey.


METHODS
100 unselected Asian men attending a local Mosque were assessed for the evidence of lower limb CVD, involving the collection of data on history and clinical signs and objective assessments of venous pathophysiology using lower limb venous ultrasonography and venous photoplethysmography (PPG).


RESULTS
On clinical examination, 80 limbs (in 50 subjects) had clinical evidence of CVD, the majority of cases consisting of varicose veins (CEAP C2). No limbs had either healed or active ulceration (C5/6), and only 2 limbs had thread veins (C1). Eight subjects had had previous venous surgery. The venous refill time (vRT) measured by PPG was lower in limbs with CVD. On venous ultrasound, reflux was present in 73/200 limbs, affecting primarily the GSV system, with only 7 limbs having deep venous reflux.


CONCLUSIONS
Present data strongly suggest that the low rates of superficial venous surgery in UK Asians is not because they are inherently less likely to develop CVD.
Sam
R C
RC
Birmingham University Department of Vascular Surgery, Heart of England NHS Trust, UK. rachel.sam@virgin.net
Hobbs
S D
SD
Darvall
K A L
KA
Rehman
A
A
Adam
D J
DJ
Silverman
S H
SH
Bradbury
A W
AW
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017156:Photoplethysmography; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology