title: The Aberdeen varicose vein questionnaire, patient factors and referral for treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been suggested that the Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ) could be used to help inform a patient pathway for referral and treatment of varicose veins. We aimed to determine 1) which patient and vein characteristics affected the AVVQ score, and 2) whether scores differed between those who were and were not offered treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients completed the AVVQ at the clinic prior to being seen. Treatment was offered to patients with symptoms, and duplex detected truncal incompetence by surgeons blinded to the score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 228 consecutive patients completed the AVVQ: 199 were valid questionnaires. On multivariate analysis, factors associated with a worse quality of life were female gender (p = .034, 3.14 mean unit increase in AVVQ), and bilateral varicose veins (10.25 unit increase, p < .001). For patients with C2 disease, only the presence of bilateral veins was significant. Overall, the AVVQ score was higher in those patients offered treatment than in those who were not (mean 20.3 [SD = 9.9] vs. 17.3 [SD = 10.3], p = .023), which equates to a 2.74 unit increase. This was not significant in patients with C2 disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is unlikely that a threshold AVVQ score could be used to aid referral of patients with C2 disease. The distribution of veins (unilateral vs. bilateral) must be adjusted for when reporting AVVQ scores.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Staniszewska
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tambyraja
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Afolabi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bachoo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brittenden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000145:classification* / Q000628:therapy; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire; Bilateral; CEAP; Endovenous; Gender