Reality of outpatient care with medical compression stockings

Abstract

SummaryBackground The mediven observational study demonstrated that outpatient prescription of medical compression stockings (MCS) is not sufficiently guided by the medical needs of venous patients. In this follow-up analysis, we therefore evaluated the frequency of prescriptions of MCS and donning aids. Moreover, we asked whether MCS are differentially prescribed according to the patients’ CEAP classification and BMI.Results Approximately one third of patients did not receive a prescription for a second pair of MCS at the beginning of the study and approximately one third of patients were not given a six-monthly repeat prescription. Moreover, donning aids were only rarely prescribed. These factors had an impact on compliance, since high MCS wearing frequencies were associated with both frequent MCS re-prescriptions and, at least for patients aged 61 years or above, prescription of donning aids. Prescribed MCS were mostly of light MCS quality, irrespective of the patient’s CEAP and BMI. Importantly, improvements of the CEAP classification of patients in CEAP category C3 occurred more frequently with medium and firm MCS qualities (BMI >25: 30.9 %; <25: 41.7 %) than with light MCS qualities (BMI >25: 22.4 %; <25: 13.3 %). In obese patients, constriction furrows occurred less frequently when medium or firm MCS qualities were used.Conclusion With regard to the number and type of MCS prescriptions, there is still significant need for improvement. If required by the patients’ medical needs, medium and firm MCS qualities should be considered to a much greater extent.