title: Sulodexide in Patients with Chronic Venous Disease of the Lower Limbs: Clinical Efficacy and Impact on Quality of Life.
abstract: Chronic venous disease (CVD) of the lower limbs is a common problem. It is more prevalent in women than in men and has a significant impact on patients' quality of life (QoL) and on the healthcare system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sulodexide in adult patients with CVD of the lower limbs and its effect on patients' QoL.
  
  
  
  Patients with CVD were treated with sulodexide [250 LSU (lipasemic units) twice daily] for 3 months in a setting of real-life clinical practice. The endpoints of this observational non-comparative, open-label prospective study were the clinical efficacy of sulodexide (evaluated by scoring objective and subjective symptoms with a Likert-type scale) and the impact of sulodexide therapy on patients' QoL [assessed using the chronic venous insufficiency quality of life questionnaire (CIVIQ)].
  
  
  
  The study included 450 patients (mean age 46.9 ± 10.5 years, range 17-78 years). A greater percentage of patients were female (65.4%). Three months of treatment with sulodexide significantly improved all objective and subjective symptoms (p < 0.0001). Overall, patients reported a significant improvement in all QoL scores (p < 0.0001). Adverse events were spontaneously reported by two patients (one case of epigastric pain and one of gastric pain with vomiting).
  
  
  
  Oral sulodexide significantly improves both objective and subjective symptoms, as well as functional and psychological aspects of QoL in patients with CVD.
  
  
  
  No funding or sponsorship was received for this study. Sponsorship for article processing charges and open access fees was provided by Alfa Wassermann.
authors.affiliation: Service of Cardiovascular Surgery, La Rabta University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia. nelleuch@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Nizar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elleuch
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zidi
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Zied
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bellamine
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Hammamet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abdelaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamdane
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mondher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerchi
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jellazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014416:Tunisia; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C007858:glucuronyl glucosamine glycan sulfate
keywords: Chronic venous disease; Lower limbs; Quality of life; Sulodexide; Vascular medicine