Prospective evaluation of chronic venous insufficiency based on foot venous pressure measurements and air plethysmography findings.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate lower extremity venous function in patients with chronic venous insufficiency, with foot venous pressure (FVP) measurements and air plethysmography (APG). Eighty-five limbs of 63 patients with a history of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) from 1995 to 1999 were studied. FVP parameters studied included ambulatory venous pressure (AVP), percent decrease in FVP with manual calf compression (%drop), ratio of increase in FVP over 4 seconds after release of compression (4SR%), and time to 90% recovery of FVP were measured. APG parameters studied included functional venous volume, 90% refilling time (VFT90), venous filling index, ejection fraction, and residual volume fraction. Venous filling index and 90% refilling time were significantly decreased in limbs with stasis syndrome compared with the control group. AVP, %drop, and 4SR% also showed significantly decrease in limbs with stasis syndrome compared with those without it. AVP, %drop, and 4SR% were significantly different for the primary group compared with the secondary group, whereas no differences were found with regard to any APG parameter. APG enables prediction of the presence of CVI, whereas FVP measurements are more useful for evaluation of clinical severity of CVI.