title: A prospective study of venous hemodynamics and quality of live at least five years after varicose vein stripping.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess venous hemodynamics and quality of life at lest five years after varicose vein stripping.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective study with 39 patients (63 limbs) with primary lower limbs varicose veins. Preoperatively, all patients were subjected to clinical evaluation, duplex ultrassound, air plethysmography (APG), and CIVIQ questionnaire of quality of life. By APG, venous filling index (VFI), ejection fraction (EF), and residual volume fraction (RVF) were determined. CIVIQ addresses four domains in course of 20 questions, including states of physical, social, and psychological well-being, and pain level. Varicose veins were treated by standard venous stripping. At least five years after surgery (77.9 ± 10.9 months), patients were reassessed and had clinical examination, duplex ultrasound, APG, and CIVIQ repeated. No late follow-up data was available for 24 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative and late postoperative VFI levels were similar, whereas EF (P=0.05) and RVF (P=0.01), as hemodynamic variables, significantly improved following surgery. In the late postoperative period, overall CIVIQ scores were significantly lower (P=0.005), as were scores in all four domains: pain (P=0.001), physical (P=0.007), social (P=0.008), and psychological (P= 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a small prospective cohort, improvements in venous hemodynamics and in quality of life of patients submitted to standard varicose veins stripping were maintained five years after the procedure.
authors: Rogerio Takeyoshi
authors: RT
authors: Uema
authors: Nei Rodrigues Alves
authors: NR
authors: Dezotti
authors: Edwaldo Edner
authors: EE
authors: Joviliano
authors: Marcelo Bellini
authors: MB
authors: Dalio
authors: Takachi
authors: T
authors: Moriya
authors: Carlos Eli
authors: CE
authors: Piccinato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010991:Plethysmography; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*