Long-term Clinical and Cost-effectiveness of Early Endovenous Ablation in Venous Ulceration: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Venous Insufficiency: Wound Management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are one of the most common forms of chronic wounds and with nearly half the people having recurrent episodes, this significantly impacts a patient's quality of life. As such, VLU is a chronic disease that requires lifelong maintenance and awareness. A correct diagnosis of VLU is essential for management.

RECENT FINDINGS

VLUs can be of mixed etiology and treatment should be aimed at optimizing the underlying venous hypertension based on its cause. If there is an anatomical venous reflux contributing to the non-healing of the VLU, early treatment of incompetent veins can improve healing rates. All aspects contributing to the patient's ongoing venous hypertension should be addressed to provide appropriate treatment. This can include venous interventions but also through conservative measures. Patient education and their engagement in their own care is essential for good outcomes.

Automated devices for identifying peripheral arterial disease in people with leg ulceration: an evidence synthesis and cost-effectiveness analysis

Background

Peripheral artery disease is a common condition caused by narrowing/blockage of the arteries, resulting in reduced blood supply. Peripheral artery disease is associated with an increased risk of vascular complications, but early treatment reduces mortality and morbidity. Leg ulcers are long-lasting wounds, usually treated by compression therapy. Compression therapy is not suitable for people with peripheral artery disease, as it can affect the arterial blood supply. In clinical practice, people with peripheral artery disease are identified by measurement of the ankle-brachial pressure index using a sphygmomanometer and manual Doppler device. However, this method can be uncomfortable for people with leg ulcers and automated devices have been proposed as a more acceptable alternative. The objective of this appraisal was to summarise the clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence on the use of automated devices to detect peripheral artery disease in people with leg ulcers.

Methods

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Clinical effectiveness

To identify reports of relevant studies, we searched major electronic databases and scrutinised the information supplied by the manufacturers of the automated devices under investigation. Due to the lack of evidence on people with leg ulcers, we considered evidence from studies of any design assessing automated devices versus an acceptable reference device in any population receiving ankle-brachial pressure index assessment. We summarised information on diagnostic accuracy of the automated devices and level of agreement with the reference device. For each device, when data permit, we pooled data across studies by conducting random-effects meta-analyses using a Hierarchical Summary Receiving Operating Characteristics model.

Cost-effectiveness

An economic model comprising a decision tree (24 weeks) and Markov models to capture lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life-years associated with venous, arterial and mixed aetiology disease in leg ulcer patients. Analyses were conducted from a United Kingdom National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective. Costs and quality-adjusted life-years were discounted at 3.5% per year. Deterministic and several probabilistic analyses were used to capture uncertainty surrounding a range of optimistic and pessimistic assumptions about the impact of automated tests on health outcomes (ulcer healing and requirement for invasive management of arterial disease).

Results

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Clinical effectiveness

From the 116 records retrieved by the electronic searches, we included 24 studies evaluating five devices (BlueDop Vascular Expert, BOSO ABI-System 100, Dopplex Ability, MESI ankle-brachial pressure index MD and WatchBP Office ABI). Two studies assessing people with leg ulcers found that automated devices often gave higher ankle-brachial pressure index readings than manual Doppler (underestimation of arterial disease). In the 22 studies involving people without leg ulcers, automated devices generally demonstrated good specificity and moderate specificity. Meta-analysis of 12 studies showed a pooled sensitivity of 64% (95% confidence interval 57% to 71%) and a pooled specificity of 96% (95% confidence interval 92% to 98%) for detection of peripheral artery disease.

Cost-effectiveness

Automated devices cost less than manual Doppler to deliver. However, increased risks of invasive treatment requirements for inappropriately compressed arterial/mixed ulcers due to false-negative results, and increased healing times due to delayed compression of false-positive test results mean that in most scenarios manual Doppler was less costly and had slightly higher quality-adjusted life-years than automated devices. Results are highly uncertain, dependent on many assumptions and should be interpreted cautiously.

Limitations and conclusions

The limited evidence identified for each automated device, especially in people with leg ulcers, and its clinical heterogeneity precludes any firm conclusions on the diagnostic performance and cost-effectiveness of these devices in clinical practice.

Study registration

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42022327588.

Funding

This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Evidence Synthesis programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR135478) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 37. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

The influence of socioeconomic factors on intervention and postoperative healing of venous ulcers: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE

In previous studies, venous ulcers (VUs) have been found to occur more often in patients with lower socioeconomic status. The aim of this study was to explore if socioeconomic factors influence the delay of referral to a vascular service or the time to healing after superficial venous intervention.

METHOD

In this prospective study, patients answered a questionnaire about the duration and recurrence of their VU, comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol, social and physical activities, ambulatory status, education, marital status, housing, perceived economic status and dependence on home care. Postoperative complications, VU healing and recurrence were noted one year after superficial venous intervention.

RESULTS

A total of 63 patients were included in this study (30 females and 33 males), with a mean age of 71.2 years (range: 37-92 years). Duration of the present VU in patients was: <3 months in 48%; 3-6 months in 27%; 6-12 months in 11%; and >12 months in 14%. Risk factors for delayed referral were recurrent VU (odds ratio (OR): 4.92; p=0.021); walking impairment (OR: 5.43; p=0.009) and dependence on home care (OR: 4.89: p=0.039) in a univariable analysis. The latter was the only significant finding in a multivariable analysis with socioeconomic risk factor (OR: 4.89; p=0.035). In 85% of patients, their VU healed without recurrence during one year follow-up. Healing took longer if the patients: were of older age (p=0.033); had a normal BMI (independent samples t-test, p=0.028); had a recurrent VU (OR: 5.00; p=0.049); or walking impairment (Fishers exact test, OR: 9.14; p=0.008), but no significant socioeconomic risk factors were found.

CONCLUSION

In this study, socioeconomic factors were not important risk factors for delayed referral of VU patients to a vascular service or prolonged healing time after superficial venous intervention.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

This work was supported by the Scandinavian Research Foundation for Varicose Veins and other Venous Diseases (SFÅV) and by ALF funding from Region Örebro County. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Comparative Effectiveness of Placental Allografts in the Treatment of Diabetic Lower Extremity Ulcers and Venous Leg Ulcers in U.S. Medicare Beneficiaries: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study Using Real-World Evidence

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of cellular tissue products (CTP) versus standard care in U.S. Medicare beneficiaries with diabetic lower extremity ulcers (DLEUs) or venous leg ulcers (VLUs). Approach: We performed a retrospective cohort study using real-world evidence from U.S. Medicare claims for DLEUs or VLUs between 2016 and 2020. There were three cohorts evaluated: viable cryopreserved placental membrane (vCPM) or viable lyopreserved placental membrane (vLPM); other CTP; and standard care. Claims were collapsed into episodes of care. Univariate and bivariate statistics were used to examine the frequency distribution of demographics and clinical variables. Multivariable zero-inflated binomial regressions were used to evaluate mortality and recurrence trends. Logistic regression compared three adverse outcomes (AOs): amputation; 1-year mortality; and wound recurrence. Results: There were 333,362 DLEU episodes among 261,101 beneficiaries, and 122,012 VLU episodes among 80,415 beneficiaries. DLEU treatment with vLPM was associated with reduced 1-year mortality (-26%), reduced recurrence (-91%), and reduced AOs (-71%). VLU treatment with vCPM or vLPM was associated with reduced 1-year mortality (-23%), reduced recurrence (-80%), and 66.77% reduction in AOs. These allografts were also associated with a 49% and 73% reduced risk of recurrence in DLEU and VLU, respectively, compared with other CTPs. Finally, vCPM or vLPM were associated with noninferior prevention of AOs related to amputation, mortality, and recurrence (95% CI: 0.69-1.14). Conclusions: DLEUs and VLUs treated with vCPM and vLPM allografts are associated with lowered 1-year mortality, wound recurrence, and AOs in DLEUs and VLUs compared with standard care. Decision makers weighing coverage of placental allografts should consider these added short- and long-term clinical benefits relative to costly management and high mortality of Medicare's most frequent wounds.

Diagnosis and treatment of venous leg ulcers: S2k Guideline of the German Society of Phlebology and Lymphology (DGPL) e.V

This S2k guideline on venous leg ulcers was created on the initiative and under the leadership of the German Society of Phlebology and Lymphology (DGPL). The guideline group also consisted of representatives from the German Society for Phlebology and Lymphology, German Dermatological Society, German Society for General Medicine, German Society for Angiology, German Society for Vascular Surgery and Vascular Medicine, German Society for Surgery, German Society for Dermatosurgery, German Society for Wound Healing and Wound Treatment, Professional Association of Phlebologists and Lymphologists and Initiative Chronische Wunden. The aim of this guideline is to combine the different approaches and levels of knowledge of the respective professional groups on the basis of consensus, so that a basic concept for the best possible treatment of patients with venous leg ulcers can be provided. A total of 70 specific recommendations were formulated and agreed upon, divided into the subject areas of diagnostics, therapy, prevention of recurrences, and everyday challenges. The guideline thus reflects the current state of scientific knowledge and is intended to be widely used as the best available document for the treatment of patients with venous leg ulcers in everyday clinical practice.

Clinical outcomes of radiofrequency ablation using a radiofrequency needle device for varicose ulcer: A non-randomized controlled prospective study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the short-term clinical outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using a radiofrequency (RF) needle device for varicose ulcers.

METHODS

From September 2020 to September 2021, a total of 80 patients with varicose ulcers were included in this study. Based on the different surgical methods, the patients were divided into RF group and control groups, with 40 cases in each group. In the RF group, RFA was performed using an RF needle device and foam sclerotherapy was used for superficial veins. The control group was treated with conventional high-ligation stripping. The surgical data, hospitalization data, clinical efficacy, and postoperative complications of two groups were compared. Meanwhile, the correlation between RBC, HB, HCT, and ulcer healing time was analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, RF group had shorter surgery time, duration in the hospital, and less intraoperative bleeding (p < .05). The VCSS and CIVIQ scores in RF group were significantly higher than that in control group (p < .05). The healing time of ulcers was shorter in the RF group (x2 = 19.766, p = .000). The RF group had fewer postoperative complications. There was a positive correlation between RBC, HB, and HCT, and ulcer healing time (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

The use of the RF needle device for RFA to treat patients with varicose ulcers showed acceptable short-term clinical outcomes with less incidence of trauma, faster recovery, and fewer complications.

Editor's Choice - Short Term Cost Effectiveness of Radiofrequency Ablation and High Ligation and Stripping for Great Saphenous Vein Incompetence

OBJECTIVE

Superficial venous incompetence (SVI) is a common disease that causes significant quality of life (QoL) impairment. There is a need for more health economic evaluations of SVI treatment. The aim of this study was to perform a cost effectiveness analysis in patients with great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence comparing radiofrequency ablation (RFA), high ligation and stripping (HL/S), and no treatment or conservative treatment with one year follow up.

METHODS

Randomised controlled trial economic analysis from an ongoing trial; 143 patients (156 limbs) with GSV incompetence (CEAP clinical class 2 - 6) were included. Treatment was performed with RFA or HL/S. Follow up was performed up to one year using duplex ultrasound, revised venous clinical severity score (r-VCSS), Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ), and EuroQol-5D-3L (EQ-5D-3L).

RESULTS

Seventy-eight limbs were treated with RFA and HL/S respectively. No treatment or conservative treatment was assumed to have zero in treatment cost and no treatment benefit. In the RFA group, one limb had reflux in the GSV after one month and three limbs after one year. In HL/S, two limbs had remaining reflux in the treated area at one month and one year. Both disease severity (r-VCSS, p = .004) and QoL (AVVQ, p = .021 and EQ-5D-3L, p = .028) were significantly improved over time. The QALY gain was 0.21 for RFA and 0.17 for HL/S. The cost per patient was calculated as €1 292 for RFA and €2 303 for HL/S. The cost per QALY (compared with no treatment or conservative treatment) was €6 155 for RFA and €13 549 for HL/S. With added cost for days absent from work the cost per QALY was €7 358 for RFA and €24 197 for HL/S. The cost per QALY for both methods was well below the threshold suggested by Swedish National Board of Health.

CONCLUSION

RFA is more cost effective than HL/S and no treatment or conservative treatment at one year follow up.

Patient perceptions and preferences of minimally invasive treatment modalities in varicose veins: a cross-sectional survey

Purpose

Minimally invasive therapies (MIT) have gained popularity due to their capacity to reduce trauma, enhance aesthetic outcomes, and shorten recovery periods. This article explores patients' perceptions and preferences regarding MIT for varicose veins (VVs) while analyzing associated influencing factors to provide a better understanding.

Patients and methods

A cross-sectional survey at Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital was performed from January 2022 to June 2023, involving 305 participants with VVs. The questionnaire assessed patient demographics, VVs severity, prior treatment experiences, and treatment preferences. Statistical analyses, including chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were conducted to explore the correlations between patient characteristics, treatment preferences, and factors influencing these choices.

Results

Nearly half of the participants (44.3%) lacked information on any surgical options, whereas a slight majority (55.7%) possessed familiarity with at least one treatment modality, and only 9.8% knew of all six treatment methods presented. Patient surveys discerned that the majority (68.5%) declared an inadequate grasp of treatment methodologies to articulate a treatment preference. Among the 96 patients who made a treatment choice, 24.0% opted for traditional surgery, while 76.0% chose MIT and a higher preference for MIT among male patients compared to female patients (p = 0.006). The patients preferred treatment options for VVs significantly affected by vascular surgeon recommendations and the number of follow-up visits (r = 0.129, p = 0.024; r = 0.122, p = 0.033).

Conclusion

The study highlights limited awareness of MIT among Chinese patients with VVs. The insights emphasize the influential role of vascular surgeons' recommendations and suggest a growing predilection for less invasive treatments due to their advantages in recovery and aesthetics. Provider-patient communication, including education about available treatments and shared decision-making, is essential to align treatment plans with patient expectations and improve outcomes.

Impact of COVID-19 on patients undergoing scheduled procedures for chronic venous disease

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered the medical landscape. Various strategies have been employed to preserve hospital beds, personal protective equipment, and other resources to accommodate the surges of COVID-19 positive patients, hospital overcapacities, and staffing shortages. This has had a dramatic effect on vascular surgical practice. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical delays and adverse outcomes for patients with chronic venous disease scheduled to undergo elective operations.

METHODS

The Vascular Surgery COVID-19 Collaborative (VASCC) was founded in March 2020 to evaluate the outcomes of patients with vascular disease whose operations were delayed. Modules were developed by vascular surgeon working groups and tested before implementation. A data analysis of outcomes of patients with chronic venous disease whose surgeries were postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 through February 2021 was performed for this study.

RESULTS

A total of 150 patients from 12 institutions in the United States were included in the study. Indications for venous intervention were: 85.3% varicose veins, 10.7% varicose veins with venous ulceration, and 4.0% lipodermatosclerosis. One hundred two surgeries had successfully been completed at the time of data entry. The average length of the delay was 91 days, with a median of 78 days. Delays for venous ulceration procedures ranged from 38 to 208 days. No patients required an emergent intervention due to their venous disease, and no patients experienced major adverse events following their delayed surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions may be safely delayed for patients with venous disease requiring elective surgical intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic. This finding supports the American College of Surgeons' recommendations for the management of elective vascular surgical procedures. Office-based labs may be safe locations for continued treatment when resources are limited. Although the interventions can be safely postponed, the negative impact on quality of life warrants further investigation.

Dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane to treat venous leg ulcers: a cost-effectiveness analysis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (DHACM) in Medicare enrolees who developed a venous leg ulcer (VLU).

METHOD

This economic evaluation used a four-state Markov model to simulate the disease progression of VLUs for patients receiving advanced treatment (AT) with DHACM or no advanced treatment (NAT) over a three-year time horizon from a US Medicare perspective. DHACM treatments were assessed when following parameters for use (FPFU), whereby applications were initiated 30-45 days after the initial VLU diagnosis claim, and reapplications occurred on a weekly to biweekly basis until completion of the treatment episode. The cohort was modelled on the claims of 530,220 Medicare enrolees who developed a VLU between 2015-2019. Direct medical costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and the net monetary benefit (NMB) at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY were applied. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were performed to test the uncertainty of model results.

RESULTS

DHACM applied FPFU dominated NAT, yielding a lower per-patient cost of $170 and an increase of 0.010 QALYs over three years. The resulting NMB was $1178 per patient in favour of DHACM FPFU over the same time horizon. The rate of VLU recurrence had a notable impact on model uncertainty. In the PSA, DHACM FPFU was cost-effective in 63.01% of simulations at the $100,000/QALY threshold.

CONCLUSION

In this analysis, DHACM FPFU was the dominant strategy compared to NAT, as it was cost-saving and generated a greater number of QALYs over three years from the US Medicare perspective. A companion VLU Medicare outcomes analysis revealed that patients who received AT with a cellular, acellular and matrix-like product (CAMP) compared to patients who received NAT had the best outcomes. Given the added clinical benefits to patients at lower cost, providers should recommend DHACM FPFU to patients with VLU who qualify. Decision-makers for public insurers (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid) and commercial payers should establish preferential formulary placement for reimbursement of DHACM to reduce budget impact and improve the long-term health of their patient populations dealing with these chronic wounds.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Support for this analysis was provided by MiMedx Group, Inc., US. JLD, and RAF are employees of MiMedx Group, Inc. WHT, BH, PS, BGC and WVP were consultants to MiMedx Group, Inc. VD, AO, MRK, JAN, NW and GAM served on the MiMedx Group, Inc. Advisory Board. MRK and JAN served on a speaker's bureau. WVP declares personal fees and equity holdings from Stage Analytics, US.

Noncompliance with Guidelines on the Use of Ultrasound and Pentoxifylline in the Treatment of Venous Ulcers in a Rural Health Care System

Guidelines based on randomized controlled data recommend patients with newly diagnosed venous leg ulcers (VLUs) to undergo venous reflux duplex ultrasound (US) and be considered for treatment with pentoxifylline to accelerate ulcer healing. A retrospective review was conducted of 2,061 patients with VLU diagnosed between 2011 and 2020 in a rural health care system to identify factors associated with increased or decreased likelihood of being prescribed venous reflux duplex US and pentoxifylline. Venous reflux duplex US (16%) and pentoxifylline (0.7%) were prescribed infrequently. Evaluation by a vascular specialist was associated with a significantly increased frequency of undergoing venous reflux duplex US (5%-38%). Seeing a wound care specialist was associated with an increased frequency of being prescribed pentoxifylline (0.7%-1.4%). Increased referral to specialists and/or referring clinician education on guideline-based care may be of benefit to patients with VLUs. Pentoxifylline seems underused, even by specialists. Further study is needed to confirm these findings and determine whether they are generalizable.

Treatment patterns and outcomes of Medicare enrolees who developed venous leg ulcers

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively evaluate the comorbidities, treatment patterns and outcomes of Medicare enrolees who developed venous leg ulcers (VLUs).

METHOD

Medicare Limited Data Standard Analytic Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Department Files were used to follow patients who received medical care for a VLU between 1 October 2015 and 2 October 2019. Patients diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and a VLU were propensity matched into four groups based on their treatment regimen. Episode claims were used to document demographics, comorbidities and treatments of Medicare enrolees who developed VLUs, as well as important outcomes, such as time to ulcer closure, rates of complications and hospital utilisation rates. Outcomes were compared across key propensity-matched groups.

RESULTS

In total, 42% of Medicare enrolees with CVI (n=1,225,278), developed at least one VLU during the study, and 79% had their episode claim completed within one year. However, 59% of patients developed another VLU during the study period. This analysis shows that only 38.4% of VLU episodes received documented VLU conservative care treatment. Propensity-matched episodes that received an advanced treatment or high-cost skin substitutes for a wound which had not progressed by 30 days demonstrated the best outcomes when their cellular, acellular, matrix-like product (CAMP) treatment was applied weekly or biweekly (following parameters for use). Complications such as rates of infection (33%) and emergency department visits (>50%) decreased among patients who received an advanced treatment (following parameters for use).

CONCLUSION

Medicare enrolees with CVI have diverse comorbidities and many do not receive sufficient management, which contributes to high rates of VLUs and subsequent complications. Medicare patients at risk of a VLU who receive early identification and advanced CAMP treatment demonstrated improved quality of life and significantly reduced healthcare resource utilisation.

No More Venous Ulcers-What More Can We Do?

Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are the most severe complication caused by the progression of chronic venous insufficiency. They account for approximately 70-90% of all chronic leg ulcers (CLUs). A total of 1% of the Western population will suffer at some time in their lives from a VLU. Furthermore, most CLUs are VLUs, defined as chronic leg wounds that show no tendency to heal after three months of appropriate treatment or are still not fully healed at 12 months. The essential feature of VLUs is their recurrence. VLUs also significantly impact quality of life and could cause social isolation and depression. They also have a significant avoidable economic burden. It is estimated that the treatment of venous ulceration accounts for around 3% of the total expenditure on healthcare. A VLU-free world is a highly desirable aim but could be challenging to achieve with the current knowledge of the pathophysiology and diagnostic and therapeutical protocols. To decrease the incidence of VLUs, the long-term goal must be to identify high-risk patients at an early stage of chronic venous disease and initiate appropriate preventive measures. This review discusses the epidemiology, socioeconomic burden, pathophysiology, diagnosis, modes of conservative and invasive treatment, and prevention of VLUs.

Endovenous ablation for venous leg ulcers

BACKGROUND

Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are a serious manifestation of chronic venous disease affecting up to 3% of the adult population. This typically recalcitrant and recurring condition significantly impairs quality of life, and its treatment places a heavy financial burden upon healthcare systems. The longstanding mainstay treatment for VLUs is compression therapy. Surgical removal of incompetent veins reduces the risk of ulcer recurrence. However, open surgery is an unpopular option amongst people with VLU, and many people are unsuitable for it. The efficacy of the newer, minimally-invasive endovenous techniques has been established in uncomplicated superficial venous disease, and these techniques can also be used in the management of VLU. When used with compression, endovenous ablation aims to further reduce pressure in the veins of the leg, which may impact ulcer healing.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effects of superficial endovenous ablation on the healing and recurrence of venous leg ulcers and the quality of life of people with venous ulcer disease.

SEARCH METHODS

In April 2022 we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); Ovid MEDLINE (including In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations); Ovid Embase and EBSCO CINAHL Plus. We also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing and unpublished studies, and scrutinised reference lists of relevant included studies as well as reviews, meta-analyses and health technology reports to identify additional studies. There were no restrictions on the language of publication, but there was a restriction on publication year from 1998 to April 2022 as superficial endovenous ablation is a comparatively new technology.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing endovenous ablative techniques with compression versus compression therapy alone for the treatment of VLU were eligible for inclusion. Studies needed to have assessed at least one of the following primary review outcomes related to objective measures of ulcer healing such as: proportion of ulcers healed at a given time point; time to complete healing; change in ulcer size; proportion of ulcers recurring over a given time period or at a specific point; or ulcer-free days. Secondary outcomes of interest were patient-reported quality of life, economic data and adverse events.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two reviewers independently assessed studies for eligibility, extracted data, carried out risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane RoB 1 tool, and assessed GRADE certainty of evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

The previous version of this review found no RCTs meeting the inclusion criteria. In this update, we identified two eligible RCTs and included them in a meta-analysis. There was a total of 506 participants with an active VLU, with mean durations of 3.1 months ± 1.1 months in the EVRA trial and 60.5 months ± 96.4 months in the VUERT trial. Both trials randomised participants to endovenous treatment and compression or compression alone, however the compression alone group in the EVRA trial received deferred endovenous treatment (after ulcer healing or from six months). There is high-certainty evidence that combined endovenous ablation and compression compared with compression therapy alone, or compression with deferred endovenous treatment, improves time to complete ulcer healing (pooled hazard ratio (HR) 1.41, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.47; I2 = 0%; 2 studies, 466 participants). There is moderate-certainty evidence that the proportion of ulcers healed at 90 days is probably higher with combined endovenous ablation and compression compared with compression therapy alone or compression with deferred endovenous treatment (risk ratio (RR) 1.14, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.30; I2 = 0%; 2 studies, 466 participants). There is low-certainty evidence showing an unclear effect on ulcer recurrence at one year in people with healed ulcers with combined endovenous treatment and compression when compared with compression alone or compression with deferred endovenous treatment (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.03 to 2.48; I2 = 78%; 2 studies, 460 participants). There is also low-certainty evidence that the median number of ulcer-free days at one year may not differ (306 (interquartile range (IQR) 240 to 328) days versus 278 (IQR 175 to 324) days) following combined endovenous treatment and compression when compared with compression and deferred endovenous treatment; (1 study, 450 participants). There is low-certainty evidence of an unclear effect in rates of thromboembolism between groups (RR 2.02, 95% CI 0.51 to 7.97; I2 = 78%, 2 studies, 506 participants). The addition of endovenous ablation to compression is probably cost-effective at one year (99% probability at GBP 20,000/QALY; 1 study; moderate-certainty evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Endovenous ablation of superficial venous incompetence in combination with compression improves leg ulcer healing when compared with compression alone. This conclusion is based on high-certainty evidence. There is moderate-certainty evidence to suggest that it is probably cost-effective at one year and low certainty evidence of unclear effects on recurrence and complications. Further research is needed to explore the additional benefit of endovenous ablation in ulcers of greater than six months duration and the optimal modality of endovenous ablation.

Venous leg ulcers and prevalence of surgically correctable reflux disease in a national registry

BACKGROUND

Chronic venous disorders are common, with varicose veins occurring in ∼40% of the population. Venous leg ulcers affect 1% to 2% of the population, with the prevalence increasing ≤4% for those aged >65 years. Both conditions are expensive and together are responsible for ≤2% of the annual healthcare budget expenditure of Western societies. The ESCHAR (effect of surgery and compression on healing and recurrence) and EVRA (early venous reflux ablation) trials demonstrated that surgical correction of superficial venous reflux reduced ulcer recurrence, resulted in faster healing times (EVRA), and was proved cost-effective. Largescale data regarding patients with chronic venous leg ulcers presenting to venous centers with treatable superficial venous insufficiency has not been previously reported. Our study was designed to evaluate the percentage of patients with leg ulcers presenting to dedicated vein centers who were found to have surgically correctable superficial venous insufficiency.

METHODS

The American Vein & Lymphatic Society Patient Reported Outcome Venous Registry began collecting data in 2014 and is one of two national registries focused on chronic venous disorders. The database was queried first for the presence of an ulcer using the CEAP (clinical, etiologic, anatomic, pathophysiologic) classification (C6 status). These de-identified data were further correlated by crossing the number of ulcers for the same limb using the revised venous clinical severity score (rVCSS). The demographics, index duplex ultrasound details, and rVCSS features for ulcer duration and compression use were analyzed. Once the presence of an ulcer had been validated by CEAP and rVCSS, the population was divided into groups according to the ultrasound-reported anatomic pathology (eg, normal, reflux, obstruction, reflux plus obstruction). The query was directed toward all patients seeking a venous evaluation at participating centers from January 2018 through January 2022.

RESULTS

More than 270,000 unique patient records were reviewed. Of the 270,000 records, 163,027 (60%) had had duplex ultrasound scans available, for 1794 unique patients (1879 limbs), representing 1.1% with a leg wound. Of these patients, 55.4% were men and 44.6% were women. Group S included patients with isolated superficial pathology (n = 1291; 68.7%). Group M included patients with mixed superficial and deep pathology (n = 238; 12.7%). Group D included patients with isolated deep vein pathology (n = 58; 3.1%). Finally, group N included patients with leg wounds but no venous pathology (n = 292; 15.5%). The rVCSSs for groups S and M were significantly higher than those for group N. In group S, the dominant patterns involved the great saphenous vein (GSV) above the knee (54.8%), the small saphenous vein (30.7%), and the anterior accessory GSV (14.4%). The frequency of single, double, and triple axial vein reflux identified 1.45 vessels eligible for ablation treatment per limb. In group M, the dominant patterns involved the GSV above the knee (61.7%), the small saphenous vein (26.2%), and the anterior accessory GSV (12.1%), for 1.52 axial segments per limb. Of the 84.4% of venous ulcer patients, duplex ultrasound analysis revealed that 97% of this large subset had had surgically correctable disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The American Vein & Lymphatic Society Patient Reported Outcome Venous Registry demonstrated that 85% of the leg wounds in the present study were venous in origin and 97% possessed surgically correctable disease. Our findings support early referral to dedicated vein centers with appropriate venous reflux management as a part of the multidisciplinary team caring for patients with venous leg ulcers.

Chronic Venous Disease of the Lower Extremities: A State-of-the Art Review

Chronic venous disease is a common disease, the prevalence of which increases with age, and can cause debilitating symptoms that adversely affect the quality of life. The risk factors include family history, female sex, obesity, pregnancy, parity, and history of deep vein thrombosis. Moreover, it is associated with venous obstruction, reflux, or both, which, in turn, leads to ambulatory venous hypertension. Chronic venous disease is the leading cause of leg ulcers, which place a significant cost burden on the health care system. Compression therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment, particularly for more advanced disease. Superficial saphenous vein reflux can be associated with significant symptoms. Catheter techniques, both thermal and nonthermal, have demonstrated efficacy and safety in successful closure and symptom improvement. Deep vein obstruction can be broadly divided into thrombotic and nonthrombotic and can lead to symptomatic chronic venous disease. Recanalization using balloons and stents has been increasingly used and studied in such patients. It is critical to develop training opportunities and guidelines to improve evidence-based and appropriate care for cardiologists treating chronic venous disease.

Cost-effectiveness of Compression Therapy With Early Endovenous Ablation in Venous Ulceration for a Medicare Population

Importance

Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are the most common cause of lower extremity ulceration that commonly occur among older individuals and are characterized by a slow healing trajectory and frequent recurrence; in the United States, VLUs affect more than 600 000 people per year with an estimated cost of $3.5 billion. Clinical trial data show that early intervention with endovenous ablation substantially improves the healing rate and reduces recurrence among patients with VLUs, but there is a need to assess the cost-effectiveness of early endovenous ablation in the US context.

Objectives

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of early endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux in patients with VLU from the US Medicare perspective.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This economic evaluation used a Markov model to simulate the disease progression of VLU for patients receiving compression therapy with early vs deferred ablation over 3 years. The simulated cohort included patients with VLU aged 65 years and older who had clinical characteristics similar to those in the randomized Early Venous Reflux Ablation trial in the United Kingdom. Data were analyzed from September 2021 to June 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Direct medical costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and the incremental monetary benefits at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000/QALY. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test uncertainty of model results.

Results

This model used a simulated cohort of patients with VLU aged 65 years and older enrolled in Medicare. Early ablation dominated, with a lower per-patient cost of $12 527 and an increase of 2.011 QALYs, whereas compression therapy with deferred ablation yielded a per-patient cost of $15 208 and 1.985 QALYs gained. At a $100 000/QALY cost-effectiveness threshold, the incremental net monetary benefit was $5226 per patient in favor of early ablation. Probability of healing, followed by the probability of recurrence, was the parameter with greatest impact on model uncertainty. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that early ablation was cost-effective in 59.2% of simulations at the $100 000/QALY threshold.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this economic evaluation of compression therapy with early endovenous ablation, early intervention was dominant, as it was cost saving and generated greater QALYs over 3 years from the US Medicare perspective. Payers should prioritize coverage for early ablation to prevent VLU complications rather than treat a costly outcome that also reduces patient well-being.

Women benefit from endovenous ablation with fewer complications: Analysis of the Vascular Quality Initiative Varicose Vein Registry

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between gender and long-term clinician-reported and patient-reported outcomes after endovenous ablation procedures.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data from the Vascular Quality Initiative's Varicose Vein Registry included patients undergoing endovenous ablation procedures on truncal veins with or without treatment of perforating veins between 2015 and 2019. A univariate analysis included comparisons of preprocedural, postprocedural, and periprocedural change in Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) and total symptom score by gender. Rates of complications including deep vein thrombosis, endovenous heat-induced thrombosis, leg pigmentation, blistering, paresthesia, incisional infection, and any postprocedural complications were reported by gender. Multivariable analysis leveraged linear regression to examine how gender affected the relationships between patient characteristics, complication rates, and periprocedural change in VCSS score and total symptom score.

RESULTS

Of 9743 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 3090 (31.7%) were men and 6653 (68.2%) were women. The perioperative change in VCSS score was greater for men than women (average -4.46 for men vs -4.13 for women; P < .0001). Perioperative change in total symptom score was greater for women than for men (average -10.64 for women vs -9.64 for men; P < .0001). Women had lower incidence of any leg complication (6.1% vs 8.6%; P = .001) endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (1.1% vs 2.2%; P = .002), and infection (0.4% vs 0.7%; P = .001). In multivariable analysis, among patients with a body mass index of more than 40, presence of deep reflux, and preoperative Clinical, Etiologic, Anatomic, and Physiologic classification of 2, women had a greater periprocedural change in VCSS score than men.

CONCLUSIONS

Women benefited from endovenous ablation similarly as men, with a lower incidence of postprocedural complications. Gender may be useful for patient selection and counseling for endovenous ablation, with particular usefulness among patients with a high body mass index, presence of deep reflux, and preoperative Clinical, Etiologic, Anatomic, and Physiologic classification of 2.

Comparing methods for handling missing cost and quality of life data in the Early Endovenous Ablation in Venous Ulceration trial

Objectives

This study compares methods for handling missing data to conduct cost-effectiveness analysis in the context of a clinical study.

Methods

Patients in the Early Endovenous Ablation in Venous Ulceration (EVRA) trial had between 1 year and 5.5 years (median 3 years) of follow-up under early or deferred endovenous ablation. This study compares complete-case-analysis (CCA), multiple imputation using linear regression (MILR) and using predictive mean matching (MIPMM), Bayesian parametric approach using the R package missingHE (BPA), repeated measures fixed effect (RMFE) and repeated measures mixed model (RMM). The outcomes were total mean costs and total mean quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) at different time horizons (1 year, 3 years and 5 years).

Results

All methods found no statistically significant difference in cost at the 5% level in all time horizons, and all methods found statistically significantly greater mean QALY at year 1. By year 3, only BPA showed a statistically significant difference in QALY between treatments. Standard errors differed substantially between the methods employed.

Conclusion

CCA can be biased if data are MAR and is wasteful of the data. Hence the results for CCA are likely to be inaccurate. Other methods coincide in suggesting that early intervention is cost-effective at a threshold of £30,000 per QALY 1, 3 and 5 years. However, the variation in the results across the methods does generate some additional methodological uncertainty, underlining the importance of conducting sensitivity analyses using alternative approaches.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12962-022-00351-6.

Decreased mobility, lack of social support, haemosiderosis and use of antidepressant medications may predict recurrent venous leg ulcers within 12 months of healing: A prospective longitudinal study

AIM

To identify clinical, medical and psychosocial predictors of venous leg ulcer recurrence within 12 months of healing.

METHODS

A multi-site study was conducted in Australia in community and hospital outpatient settings. Adults with venous leg ulcers were recruited within 4 weeks of healing and data were collected on preventative treatments and health, medical, clinical and psychosocial factors. Follow-up data on recurrences were collected every 3 months until ulcer recurrence, or until 12 months after healing pending which occurred first. Factors associated with time to recurrence were analysed using a Cox proportional hazards regression model.

DESIGN

Secondary data analysis of a multi-site, prospective longitudinal study to validate a risk assessment tool for recurrence.

RESULTS

A sample of 143 participants was recruited (51% male, M^age = 73 years, SD 13.6). Almost half (49.6%) had an ulcer recurrence within 12 months, with a mean time to ulcer recurrence of 37 weeks (SE 1.63, 95% CI 33.7-40.1). Factors measured at the time of healing that were significant independent predictors of recurrence were: prescribed antidepressant medications (p = .035), presence of haemosiderosis (p = .006), decreased mobility (longer sitting times) (p = .007) and lower social support scale scores (p = .002). Participants who wore compression systems providing 20 mmHg or higher for at least 5 days/week were less likely to recur, although not reaching statistical significance (p = .06).

CONCLUSION

Results provide evidence that antidepressant medications, haemosiderosis, decreased mobility and lack of social support are risk factors associated with ulcer recurrence; therefore, these variables are modifiable and could guide early intervention.

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is safe and effective in the management of superficial venous insufficiency of the lower extremity

BACKGROUND

Superficial venous disease of the lower extremity has a significant impact on quality of life. Both truncal and tributary vein reflux contribute to this disease process. Endovenous foam sclerotherapy is a widely used technique throughout the world for the management of superficial venous reflux and ultrasound guidance improves its safety and efficacy.

METHODS

A PubMed search for ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) was conducted and all abstracts were reviewed to identify clinical trials and systematic reviews for a full-text analysis. Additional articles were also identified through searching the references of the selected studies.

RESULTS

The production of foam for sclerotherapy in a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio of air to sclerosant is optimal in a low silicone, low-volume syringe system. Physiologic gas may decrease any side effects, with the trade-off of decreased foam stability. Proper technique with appropriate sterility and cleansing protocols are paramount for safe and effective treatment. The technical success of UGFS for great saphenous vein disease is inferior to endothermal and surgical modalities and retreatment is more common. However, the clinical improvement in patient-reported quality of life is similar between these three modalities. When used for tributary veins in combination with endothermal approaches of the truncal veins, UGFS has high rates of success with excellent patient satisfaction. UGFS has demonstrated an excellent safety profile comparable with or superior to other modalities.

CONCLUSIONS

With proper technique, UGFS is safe and effective for the management of superficial venous disease.

Tibial cortex transverse transport facilitating healing in patients with recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers

OBJECTIVE

The treatment of recalcitrant not-diabetic leg ulcers remains challenging. Distraction osteogenesis is accompanying by angiogenesis and neovascularization in the surrounding tissues. We previously applied tibial cortex transverse transport (TTT) to patients with recalcitrant diabetic foot ulcers and found neovascularization and increased perfusion in the foot and consequently enhanced healing and limb salvage and reduced recurrence. However, the effects of TTT on recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcer remains largely unknown.

METHODS

Consecutive patients (n ​= ​85) with recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers (University of Texas Grade 2-B to 3-D, ie, wound penetrating to the tendon, capsule, bone, or joint with infection and/or ischemia) were recruited and divided into TTT (n ​= ​42) and control (n ​= ​43) groups based on the treatment they received. There were 36 (85.7%) arterial ulcers, 4 (9.5%) venous ulcers and 2 (4.8%) mixed ulcers in the TTT group and 32 (74.4%) arterial ulcers, 7 (16.7%) venous ulcers and 4 (9.3%) mixed ulcers in the control group (p ​> ​0.05). The two groups were matched on demographic and clinical characteristics. Patients in the TTT group underwent tibial corticotomy followed by 4 weeks of distraction medially then laterally, while those in the control group received conventional surgeries (debridements, revascularization, reconstruction with flaps, or skin grafts or equivalents). Ulcer healing and healing time, limb salvage, recurrence, and patient death were evaluated at a 1-year follow-up. Changes in leg small vessels were assessed in the TTT group using computed tomography angiography (CTA).

RESULTS

TTT group had higher healing rates at 1-year follow-up than the control group (78.6% [33/42] vs. 58.1% [25/43], OR 2.64 [95% CI 1.10 to 6.85], p ​= ​0.04). The healing time of the TTT group was shorter than the control group (4.5 vs. 6.1 months, mean difference -1.60 [95% CI -2.93 to -0.26], p ​= ​0.02). There were no significant differences in rates of major amputation, reulceration, or mortality between the groups (p ​> ​0.05). TTT group displayed more small vessels 4 weeks postoperatively at the wound area, the foot, and the calf of the ipsilateral side in CTA. All patients in the TTT group achieved good union at the osteotomy site and had no skin or soft tissue necrosis or infection around the incision area.

CONCLUSION

The findings showed that TTT facilitated the healing of recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers and reduced the healing time compared with conventional surgeries. They suggest that TTT is an effective procedure to treat recalcitrant non-diabetic foot ulcers compared with standard surgical therapy. The procedure of TTT is relatively simple. Randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.

THE TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THIS ARTICLE

TTT can be used as an effective treatment for recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers in patients. The mechanism may be associated with the neovascularization in the ulcerated foot induced by TTT and consequently increased perfusion. Together with previous findings from recalcitrant diabetic leg ulcers, the findings suggest TTT as an effective procedure to treat recalcitrant chronic leg ulcers.