Pelvic vein incompetence influences pain levels in patients with lower limb varicosity.

PURPOSE

To detect the influence of pelvic vein incompetence (PVI) on pain levels in patients with varicosity of the lower limb.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Women of child-bearing age with symptomatic primary or recurrent varicosity of the greater saphenous vein (GSV) were prospectively included in two groups depending on the presence or absence of phlebographic signs of PVI. Pain assessment was carried out with the help of a visual analogue scale (VAS).

RESULTS

Forty women were included in the study. Nineteen of them had phlebographic evidence of PVI (group A), whereas 21 were included in the control group (group B). Patients of group A reported a higher median total pain level than patients of group B (group A median 62, range 25-100; group B median 32, range 0-100; P = 0.001). In group A, patients experienced a median level of pain of 67.2 at the lower limb in the standing position (range 40-100) versus a median of 50.3 (range 36-81) in patients of group B (P = NS). The median level of leg pain in the sitting position was 41.2 (range 0-67) in patients of group A and 38.1 (range 0-46) in women of group B (P = NS). Pelvic pain level in the standing position was higher (P = NS) in patients of group A (median 72.2, range 50-91), than in women of group B (median 20.1, range 0-41). In patients of group A, statistically significant (P = 0.0001) higher VAS scores for pelvic pain level in sitting (group = A median 67.2, range 59-71; group B median 18.1 range 0-35) were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

In a small population of patients with GSV varicosity, overall pain levels were significantly higher in a subgroup of patients with phlebographic signs of PVI. This finding suggests that the presence of PVI might influence the intensity of varicosity symptoms.